An Overview of IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), is an internationally standardized English proficiency test for non-native English speakers. Founded in 1989, jointly managed by the British Council, IDP,IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English. IELTS is one of the most important English tests in the world.It  is accepted by most academic institutions in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Ireland, New Zealand, over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional institutions around the world. IELTS is recognized by the UK Visas and Immigration Service (UKVI) as a safe English language test for UK and international visa applicants.No minimum score is required to pass the test. IELTS results or test report forms are issued to all test takers with scores ranging from 'band 1' ('non-user') to 'band 9' ('expert user'), with each institution setting different thresholds to do. There is also a "Band 0" score for those who have not attempted the test. Institutions are advised not to consider reports more than two years old as valid unless the user proves that they have made an effort to maintain their level.

Features of IELTS  

The IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are designed to cover all skills, from non-users to experienced users. The academic version is for candidates studying at the tertiary level or seeking professional registration in an English-speaking country. The general training version is for candidates who want to work or move to an English-speaking country. 

The difference between the academic training version and the general training version is the content, context and purpose of the assignment. All other features such as timing, length of written responses, and reporting of scores are the same.

 IELTS Academic and General Training both include the following features: 

IELTS tests your ability to listen, read, write and speak English. Language Modules are an important component of IELTS. It is conducted in the form of a one-on-one interview with the examiner. The examiner evaluates the candidate while speaking. Consultation time is also recorded for management and reassessment in the event of a disagreement with a given score. 

Various accents and styles were presented in the test material to minimize language bias. Listening accents are usually 80% UK, Australia, New Zealand and 20% others (mainly USA). IELTS has been developed by Cambridge English Language Testing Experts with feedback from article authors around the world. Teams are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other English-speaking countries. Band scores are used for each language skill (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). The band scale range is from 0 ("one who haven't tried the test") to 9 ("Expert User").  

IELTS Test structure 

Module 

 IELTS has his two modules,

- Academic Module and 
- General training module 

There is another test offered by  IELTS test partner called IELTS Life Skills.

- IELTS Academic is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education.
- IELTS General Training is intended for non-academic training and work experience, or for immigrants. 
- IELTS Life Skills are for those who need to demonstrate their English speaking and listening skills at Level A1 or B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ??(CEFR) to obtain a permanent "family of established people". Can be used for visa to apply for residence or citizenship in the UK.

 Four parts of the IELTS test

- Listening: 30 minutes (Plus 10 minutes transfer time)
- Reading: 60 minutes 
- Writing: 60 minutes 
- Speaking: 11-14 minutes 

 The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Listening, reading and writing are completed in one session.Unlike other tests  you can take the speaking test on the same day  or up to 7 days before or after.

All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests, while the Reading and Writing tests differ depending on whether the test taker is taking the Academic or General Training versions of the test.

Listening

The module consists of four sections, each with 10 questions. The journey takes 40 minutes. It takes 30 minutes for the exam and 10 minutes to copy the answer onto the answer sheet.

 Sections 1 and 2 deal with everyday social situations. 

- Section 1 has a conversation between two speakers (e.g., a conversation about travel arrangements) 
- In Section 2, monologue (e.g. speeches about local institutions). 

Sections 3 and 4 deal with the educational and training situation. 

- Section 3 is a conversation between two keynote speakers (for example, a conversation between her two students under the guidance of a tutor). 
- In Section 4, a person talks about an academic topic.

Each section begins with a brief introduction that informs candidates about the situation and speakers. Then you will be given time to answer the question. The questions are in the same order as the information in the record, so the answer to the first question takes precedence over the answer to the second question and so on. The first three sections pause in the middle, allowing candidates to see the remaining questions. Each section can only be heard once.  At the end of the test, the student has 10 minutes to copy the answers onto the answer sheet. Candidates will be penalized for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Reading

The reading paper consists of three sections with a total of 2,150-2,750 words of text. There are various types of questions such as Multiple-choice questions, short-form questions, identifying information, identifying authors' views, labeling figures, completing summaries using text words, and matching text/end-of-sentence/headings/functions. Candidates should be careful when writing down their answers, as incorrect spelling and grammar will result in points being deducted. 

Texts in IELTS Academic

- Three reading texts from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources. All topics are of general concern to undergraduate and graduate students. 

Texts in IELTS General Training

- Section one contains two or three short texts or some short texts dealing with everyday topics. For example, timetables and notifications-what you need to understand when living in an English-speaking country. 
- Section 2 contains two texts dealing with the work. For example, job descriptions, contracts, training documents.
- Section 3 contains long text on topics of general interest. This text is generally more descriptive, longer, and more complex than the text in Sections 1 and 2. Text can be obtained from newspapers, magazines, books, or online resources.

Writing

Writing a paper has two tasks, both of which must be done. In Task 1, the candidate writes at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. In Task 2, candidates write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. Candidates will be penalized if the answer is too short or not relevant to the topic. Answers must be written in full (candidates cannot use notes or bullet points). 

IELTS Academic 

Task 1: Candidates describe graphs, tables, charts, maps, processes, pie charts, or graphs in their own words.  

Task 2: Candidates discuss perspectives, discussions, or questions. Depending on the task, candidates may need to present a solution to the problem, present and justify opinions, weigh evidence, opinions, and implications, evaluate and disagree with ideas, evidence, or arguments.

IELTS General Training 

Task 1: Candidates write a letter in response to a given everyday situation. For example, write a letter to a housing officer about a housing issue, write a letter to a new employer about a schedule issue, or write a local newspaper about a local airport development plan.

Task 2: Candidates write an essay on a general topic. For example, whether smoking should be banned in public places, whether children's leisure activities should be of educational value, and how environmental problems can be solved. 

Speaking

The speaking test is a face to face conversation between the test taker and the examiner. The Speaking Test consists of three parts. 

- Section 1: Introductory and Interview (4-5 minutes). Candidates may be asked about their home, family, work, study, hobbies, interests, reasons for taking the IELTS exam, and other common topics such as mobiles, traveling, gadgets, and so on. 
- Stage 2: Long loop (3-4 minutes). Candidates are given task cards on specific topics. Candidates have one minute to prepare to speak on this topic. A task card identifies the points included in the presentation and one aspect of the topic that should be covered during the presentation. Candidates are then expected to speak on the topic for 1-2 minutes, after which the examiner may ask 1-2 questions.
- Section 3: Discussion (4-5 minutes). The third section typically discusses questions related to the topics covered in section 2 between the examiner and the candidate. These questions usually consist of two sets of four or five questions.

Score & Band scale

Candidates receive scores for the listening, reading, writing and speaking test components. The individual scores are then averaged and rounded to arrive at the overall band score.

There is no such thing as pass or fail. IELTS is rated on a 9-point scale, with each level corresponding to a specific level of English proficiency. Overall band scores are reported to the nearest half band. The following rounding rules apply: If the average of the four abilities ends in .25, it is rounded up to the nearest half level, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the nearest whole level.

The nine bands are described as follows:

 

IELTS and the CEFR

 

Conversion table

This table can be used to convert raw scores (out of 40) to band scores (out of 9). This helps test takers understand how many correct answers they need to achieve a particular band score. This chart is only a guide; scores may vary slightly depending on how difficult the test is.

Result

For computer-based tests, the results are published in 3-5 days. For paper-based tests, a Test Report Form will be mailed to the test taker 13 days after the test.

• Total score of Bands (1-9) 
• Band scores (1-9) for each section of the test (listening, reading, writing, speaking) 
• Whether IELTS Academic or General Training has been completed 
• Candidate's photo, nationality, native language, date of birth 

Candidates will receive a single copy of the test report form. The test report form is valid for 2 years.

Locations and test dates

Test takers can take IELTS in more than 140 countries and in over 1,600 locations. There are up to 48 test dates available per year. Each test center offers tests up to four times a month depending on local demand. The Academic version is available on all 48 dates per year and the General Training version is available on 24 dates.

 

Linking IELTS Scores to TOEFL iBT Score Ranges

 

Linking IELTS Bands to PTE-A Scores