IELTS
Understanding the IELTS Examination
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for global higher education and immigration. A strong IELTS score is a crucial requirement for admission to top universities and securing visas in countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, and the USA.
Why IELTS Matters?
The test is designed to assess the language ability of people who need to study or work where English is the language of communication. It serves two main purposes:
Academic Admission: Universities use your IELTS score as proof that your English skills are sufficient to handle lectures, coursework, and reading materials.
Immigration: Governments use the scores to assess an applicant’s ability to integrate into an English-speaking society.
The Four Skills Assessed
The IELTS exam evaluates your proficiency across four key language skills. The total test time is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.
1. Listening (30 minutes)
You will listen to four recorded monologues and conversations spoken by native English speakers and answer 40 questions. The recordings range from everyday social interactions to academic discussions.
2. Reading (60 minutes)
This section comprises 40 questions based on three long reading passages. The content differs based on whether you take the Academic (university-level texts) or General Training (extracts from books, magazines, and notices) module.
3. Writing (60 minutes)
You must complete two tasks:
Task 1: Requires describing a graph, table, or process (Academic) or writing a letter (General Training).
Task 2: Requires writing a short essay in response to a point of view or argument, common to both formats.
4. Speaking (11–14 minutes)
This is a face-to-face interview with a certified examiner and is recorded. It has three parts:
Part 1: Introduction and interview about familiar topics (e.g., home, work, studies).
Part 2: A long turn where you speak alone on a given topic for 1–2 minutes.
Part 3: A two-way discussion about abstract issues related to the Part 2 topic.
The Band Score System
IELTS results are reported using a 9-band scale, with each band representing a different level of English competence.
Band 9: Expert User
Band 6: Competent User
Band 5: Modest User
Most universities require a minimum overall score between 6.0 and 7.5, with minimum scores often required for each individual module. Your final score is an average of the scores from the four sections.
