1 4.

\
\ I

IELTS ••,,.

Essen t i;tlif., ·.
'

Guide
,-~
Test Day' tnfo
,.~

- - BRITISH
ee COUNCIL IEI1..·:rsTI
British Council is a proud co-owner of IELTS
This self preparation and practice book
for IELTS contains:
► An overview of each of the four skills tested - listening , reading, writing and speaking

► Four sets of practice tests for IELTS Academic for each of the four skills

► Two sets of practice tests for IELTS General Training for the reading and writing skills

► Link to recorded materials for the listening test

Introduction
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

The international English language testing system (IELTS) is the world 's most popular English language proficiency test for
higher education and global migration, with over 3.5 million tests taken in the last year.

IELTS assesses all of your English skills- Listening, Reading , Writing and Speaking , and is designed to reflect how you will
use English at study and at work, for your new life abroad . The IELTS test is developed by some of the world's leading
experts in language assessment.

IELTS is the most widely accepted English language test that uses a one-on-one speaking test to assess your English
communication skills. This means that you are assessed by having a real-life conversation with a real person . This is the
most effective and natural way of testing your English conversation skills.

You can take IELTS Academic or IELTS General Tra ining - depending on the organisation you are applying to and your
plans for the future .

A truly global test

The IELTS test is trusted by over 10,000 organisations, including universities, professional bodies, employers
and migration authorities. Learn more about how IELTS results are used to gain entry into study, professional
registration and work as well as for migration purposes.

IELTS is the only English language test that is accepted by all of the key immigration authorities in Australia,
Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom , for visa applications and migration purposes. Australian
Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Immigration New
Zealand , and UK Visas and Immigration all trust IELTS as a true and reliable measure of English proficiency.

IELTS offers you a choice of two tests to better meet your needs. IELTS Academic measures English language
proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment while the IELTS General Training measures a
test taker's proficiency in a practical, everyday context.

IELTS actively avoids cultural bias in order to ensure all test takers are treated with the utmost fairness . The
IELTS test consists of questions that are relevant to the way people need to use English in their studies or
working lives. The topics covered by the test are both interesting and contemporary and are based on an
analysis of the ways in which language is used in the 'real world'.

All standard varieties of native-speaker English, including North American, British , Australian and New Zealand
English are accepted .

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create
friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries . We do this by making a positive
contribution to the UK and the countries we work with - changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and
engendering trust.

1H TS E.-.senflal Gulde
n
 ~i't
...
INTROOU~T:ION
'!"~'

IELTS scores
You can be confident that your IELTS score is a true reflection of your English language proficiency. Examiners us d .
assessment criteria when they mark your test. Th_ e IE~TS_9-po_int band scoring system is used to measure and rep:rtetailed
scores in a consistent manner. Examiners are trained 1n line with globally agreed standards to ensure consistency in the
quality of their assessment.

You will be given a score from 1 to 9 for each part of the test - Listening , Reading, Writing and Speaking. The avera e
produces your overall band score. You can score whole (e.g . 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half (e.g . 5.5, 6.5, 7.5) bands in each P~rt of
the test.

Bandscore Skill Level Description

You have a full operational command of the language.

Band 9 Expert user Your use of English is appropriate , accurate and fluent
and you show complete understanding. ' I
I
I
You have a full operational command of the language I
with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and
Band 8 Very good user I
inappropriate usage. You may misunderstand some I
things in unfamiliar situations. You handle complex
detailed argumentation well. I
I
I

You have an operational command of the language,

though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage I
I
Band 7 Good user and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally you
handle complex language well and understand detailed
'
reasoning .

I
Generally you have an effective command of the I
language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriate i
Band 6 Competent user usage and misunderstandings. You can use and
understand fairly complex language, particularly in
familiar situations.

You have a partial command of the language. and cope

Band 5 Modest user with overall meaning in most situations, although you are
likely to make many mistakes. You should be able to
handle basic communication in your own field .

I
Your basic competence is limited to familiar situations. I
Band 4 Limited user You frequently show problems in understanding and
expression . You are not able to use complex language.

Extremely limited You convey and understand only general mea ning in very I
'
Band 3 user familiar situations. There are frequent breakdowns 1n
communication .
I
-
Band 2 Intermittent user You have great difficulty understanding spoken and
written English .
~

Band 1 Non-user You have no ability to use the language except a few
isolated words.
---
Band 0 Did not attempt You did not answer the questions.
the test

·de
IELTS Essential Gt~
 mfot•l•i•t?iuw

Get more with the British Council

With more than 80 years' experience in over 100 countries, the British Council is a world authority in English language
teaching and assessment. We bring you an expansive array of online resources to help test takers prepare for the test and
practice their English language skills in an engaging manner.

Road to IELTS is an exclusive online preparation course designed by the British Council IELTS
experts to help you get the band score you need.

► 30 hours of free access

► Over 300 interactive practice exercises and 17 videos with advice from British Council experts that explain
the task types and provide hints and tips for each paper.

► Access Road to IELTS as many times as you like, from the day you receive your confirmation email
until 7 days after your IELTS test date.

"":. Here is how you can access Road To IELTS

Step 1: Visit the Candidate Area section on ielts.britishcouncil.org/Candidatelogin.aspx and log in

with your passport number and IELTS reference number

Step 2: Click on the tab 'Preparation materials'

Step 3: Log into 'Road To IELTS' and get access to mock tests, videos and tips designed by
British Council IELTS experts to help you prepare for your test

Get free access to a six-week* IELTS online course on www.futurelearn.com/courses/understanding-ielts ,

become familiar with the IELTS test and get tips from teachers and course moderators

a Watch videos to familiarise yourself with the test and get expert tips to help you prepare
you tu be.com/BCIELTS

Stay updated with useful tips , interactive quizzes and contests on our Facebook page
facebook.com/BritishCouncilUAE

tt. -~it the websites below to learn more about our tecomm~nded ·,et:f~ preparation materials: , !r' .
0 www.britishcouncil.ae/en/exam/ielts/prepare

0 takeielts.org

"M ass,ve Open O nline Cou rse (MOOC ) is a free web-bJ sed d1sta11cc, le,1111in9 program
ff I T'J f ','>l'nt 1<1I Gui d e 1hat 1s de; ig n-,d for the part,c,pa t,on of ldrge numbers ot geograph,ca lly d,spersf'tl stu dents
INTRODUCTION

Learn and practice your English skills on the go with our mobile apps

Learning tools Learning with games and sports

LearnEnglish: Sports World

II
LearnEnglish Grammar (US & UK editions)
Improve and perfect your grammar accuracy Learn hundreds of sports-related word . .
with over 1000 practice questions. app w1·th 'h'dd .
1 en obJect s in this
and word ' gam es.1

Premier Skills International

MyWordBook
Improve your vocabulary using flashcards
with this interactive app for English learners.
t1] This interactive vocabulary app combine th
fun of football with English learning . s e
INT

Sounds Right
This app comes with a pronunciation chart to
enable you to improve your pronunciation.

IELTS Prep App

The easy-to-use IELTS Prep App gives you
instant access to free practice tests, grammar
tips , exercises, quizzes and more .

••
IELTS Word Power

•
Get ready for IELTS with over 100 questions
that help test and improve your vocabulary.

Listening tools

II
LearnEnglish Podcasts
Boost your listening skills with this
entertaining podcast about everyday life in
the UK .

••
LearnEnglish GREAT Videos
Practise your listening skills while learning
about culture in the UK.

LearnEnglish Audio & Video

El!I Watch our most popular content and follow

lli4 along with the script to improve your listening

skills .

g IELTS Essentia l Guid:,_.

 Download
the IELTS
Prep Ap p
Expert advice on IELTS
preparation is now just
a download away:

• Take Listening and Speaking

practice tests and find out how
well prepared you are

• Improve your gramm ar skills and

develop your range of vocabulary

• See helpful tips to make your

whole test experience easier

takeiel ts .britishcounc il.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-apps

ti App Store
• • BRITISH
ee coUNCIL
IE•...·:rs,.
Britlsh Council is a proud co-owner of IELTS
 IELTS can take
you anywhere,
are you ready?

Jump start your IELTS journey with Road

to IELTS. This gives you all the
essentials you need:
• Instant performance feedback to help track your personal
progress
• Access to correct answers for practice exercises to help you
understand your mistakes
• Tips and advice for improving your test performance
• Tasks based on existing IELTS exercises to help boost your
confidence .
• 100 interactive exercises
• Nine videos of tips and advice
• Two practice test for each of the four skills .

ROAD TO IELTS • • BRITISH Clarity

IELTS preparation and practice ••coUNCIL
 It's exactly the same test content and structure, but you 'll take it sitting in
What is computer- modern computer lab using the latest technology and with technical staff a
delivered testing? hand to help. Many test takers have told us they would like to try it, so on
computer-delivered testing is now being introduced in select test centres
around the world .

You prefer typing to writing You can still plan your

Why choose
If you are more comfortable
a computer- typing than writing ,
or you think your handwriting is
delivered test?
hard to read , using a computer
could be the answer. Plus you
can go back and edit your
answers easily during the test
- as you can with the paper-
based option .
answers on paper
70% of test takers we spoke
to said they liked being able
to plan the Writing section of
their test on paper, and you
can still do this with computer-
delivered testing .

Same standards . More venues. Same content. Greater flexibility .

It's the same IELTS test trusted for its
fairness and integrity by more than
10,000 organisations all over the world ,
and now it's available in more of the
smaller British Council test locations.
It covers the same content, and now you
have more dates to choose from and
you can pick the day of the week that fits
best with your schedule.

Same preparation. Same speaking test.

Easier booking process. More convenience.

You can still prepare with The Speaking test is still face-to-fa ce in
the British Council IEL TS apps and a private room with a trained and
online learning materials, and now qualified Examiner, as it is the most
booking is even easier with our new effective way of assessing speaki ng
mobile-friendly registration system . skills, and now you can select online the
day on which you take it.

Same results format. Faster results.

Your results are still delivered in the

same easy-to-understand Test Report
Form , and now you can view them
online in 5-7 days.

- - -I

•
Computer-delivered IELTS video tutorials

Videos to help you understand how the Listening , Reading and Writing section s appea r on
computer as well as showing you how to use the help option , make notes or highlight text
during the test. These sample materials will give you an idea of what to expect in th e
Li stening, Reading and Writing sections.

To know more visit our website www.takeielts.org

- ·•··- ------ ------ ------ - ------ ----___.),

Test format
The IELTS test assesses your abilities in listening, reading, writing and
speaking - in less than three hours.

There are two types of IELTS: The Speaking section, however,

Academic and General Training.
Listening and Speaking are the
same for both tests, but the subject
matter of the Reading and Writing
sections differs depending on which
test you take .
can be completed up to a week
before or after the other tests .
Your test centre will advise.
The total test time is 2 hours and
45 minutes.

The Listening , Reading and Writing

sections of all IEL TS tests are
completed on the same day, with no
breaks in between them .

Paper-based IELTS This test requires test takers to sit at a desk with the question papers and
answer sheets for the Reading, Listening and Writing tests in an official IELTS
test centre. Test takers will write their answers in either pen or HS-pencils.
The Speaking test is carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner.

Computer-deli vered This test requires test takers to sit the Reading, Listening and Writing tests in
front of a computer with the questions presented on the screen in an official
IELTS IELTS test centre . The test takers then submit their answers through the use
of a keyboard and a mouse. The Speaking test is not on computer and is
carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner.

Scan QR Code or type link to watch a short introduction to Computer

Delivered IELTS http://bit.ly/2TVpmk5

t:'l ~.'6 'i1

\:J .......a:r: \:I
•:!It•'• ee
ee °Cal=
•--r:.
BRITISH
COUNCIL

.. -~..e
IELrs·a."I '·

.• ..-: c.9-;. (!J

( [ i icANME

■
 ln~~ct10ntolELTS ft\V.', 1 ~~~· • . . , . . . . ~.
\ .Lllt ENINO, READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST
a IELTS LISTENING TES T
Paper based IELTS
The Listening Mod ule will take about 30 minutes to
complete
You will listen to four recordings of native English
spea kers and then write your answers to a series
of questions.
o Recording 1 - a conversation between two
people set in an everyday social context.
o Recording 2 - a monologue set in an everyday
social co ntext, e.g. a speech about local
facilities.
o Recording 3 - a conversation between up to
four people set in an educational or training
context, e.g. a university tutor and a student
discussing an assignment.
Task Types
• Multiple choice
o In multiple choice tasks , there is a question
followed by three possible answers, or the
beg inning of a sentence followed by three
possible ways to complete the sentence. Test
takers are required to choose the one correct
answer - A. B or C.
o Sometimes , test takers are given a longer list
of possible answers and told that they have to
choose more than one. In this case , they should
read the question carefully to check how many
answers are req uired .
• Matching
o Test takers are req uired to match a numbered list
of items from th e liste ning text to a set of options
on the question paper.
o The set of option s may be criteria of some kind .
• Plan, map, diagram labelling
o Test takers are required to complete labels on
a plan (e.g . of a building), map (e g. of part of a
town ) or diagram (e.g. of a piece of equipment).
o The answers are usual ly selected from a li st on
th e question paper.
0 Recording 4 - a monologue on an academic
subject, e.g. a university lecture.
• There are four sections with ten questions each.
• The questions are designed so that the answers
appear in the order they are heard in the audio.
• Test takers write their answers on the question
paper as they listen and at the end of the test are
given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an
answer sheet.
• Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary
completion
o Test takers are required to fill in the gaps in an
outline of part or of all of the listening text. The
outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the
text. It may be :
□ A form : often used to record factual details
such as names
□ A set of notes: used to summarise any type
of information using the layout to show how
different items relate to one another
□ A table : used as a way of summarising
information which relates to clear categories -
e.g. place/time/p rice
□ A flow-chart: used to summarise a process
which has clear stages, with the direction of
the process shown by arrows .
o Test takers may have to select their answers
from a list on the question paper or identify the
missing words from the recording , keeping to
the word limit stated in the instructions. Test
takers do not have to change the words from the
recording in any way.
. I Guide '
IELTS Essentia ~
 Introduction to IELTS
LISTENING, READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST

• Sentence completion • Short answer questions

o Test takers are required to read a set of sentences
summarising key information from all the listening
text or from one part of it. They then fill a gap in each
sentence using information from the listening text.
o Test takers are required to read a question and
then write a short answer using information from the
listening text.
o Sometimes test takers are given a question which
asks them to list two or three points.

Marking

• Assessors will be looking for evidence of your
ability to understand the main ideas and detailed
factual information, the opinions and attitudes
of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and
evidence of your ability to follow the development
of ideas.
• A Band Score conversion table is produced for
each version of the Listening test which translates
scores out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale.
Scores are reported in whole bands and half
bands.
• One mark is awarded for each correct answer in
the 40-item test.
• Care should be taken when writing answers on
the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar
are penalised . Contracted words will not be tested .
Hyphenated words count as single words .
• Test takers should read the instructions very
carefully as the number of words or numbers they
should use to fill the gaps will vary. A word limit
is given , for example, 'NO MORE THAN TWO
WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER'. Test takers are
penalised for writing more than the stated number
of words, and test takers should check this word
limit carefully for each task .
• The Listening test is marked by certified markers,
who are regularly monitored to ensure their
reliability. All answer sheets, after being marked ,
are further analysed by Cambridge Assessment
English .

Computer delivered IELTS

Scan QR Code below or type link to watch the

Listening tutorial to computer delivered IELTS to
prepare for your test: http://bit.ly/2NmZRqQ

t:'l i:="~P."'·· t:1

■
~ ······ :..\:.I
.- .Y .-
•'::,,' N BRJTISH•"I.•
""J
~r' . . COUNCI.
IELTS~•••
... ~ r=i
.• .-:c:...;. \!,
I) SCAN ME

IE.LTS Ess en ti a l Gu ide

~• lntroduct1on to IELTS
ING TEST
' LISTENING, READING, WRITING AND SPEAK

• IE LTS READING TEST

PaperbasedlELTS
.
s to These include reading for gist, reading for rna1n
• The Reading module will take about 60 minute ·d eas, rea d'ing for detail· skimming und
1 ' , erstandi
complete . . ng
logical argument and recognising writers ' 0 .
pinions,
• The Reading section consists of 40 questions, attitudes and purpose.
.
designed to test a wide range of reading skills

IELTS Gene ral Training test

IELTS Acad emic test
-
Includes extrac.ts from books , magazines • new spapers
Includes three long texts which range from the . a d '
analytical. notices, advertisements, company handbooks
descriptive and factual to the discursive and are m~t~r ials you are likely ton
ls, maga zines and guidelines. These _
These are taken from books , journa king
encounter on a daily basis in an English-spea
newspapers .
environment
two
ions There are three sections. Section 1 may contain
Three reading passages with a variety of quest 2
or three short texts or several shorter texts. Section
using a number of task types. In Section 3, there is one long text
comprises two texts.
same
rs • For most task types, the questions are in the
• Test takers are required to transfer their answe
r sheet during the time allowe d for the order as the information in the text: that is, the
to an answe be
d for transfer. answer to the first question in this group will
test. No extra time is allowe the answe r to the second
locate d in the text before
on the
• Care should be taken when writing answers question , and so on . This task type may be used
are
answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar with any type of text.
penalised.
• Each question is worth 1 mark

Task Types
• Multiple choice
o Any knowledge students bring with them from
answer outside the passage should not play a part when
o In this task type, test takers choose the best deciding on their answers.
or D, or the best two
from four alternatives A, B, C
answers from five alternatives (A, B, C, Dor E), • Matching information
or the best three answers from seven alternatives o Test takers locate specific information in the
(A, B, C, D, E, For G). They write the letter of the lettered paragraphs/sections of a text, and write
the
answer they have chosen on the answer sheet. the letters of the correct paragraphs/sections in
ce, in boxes on their answe r sheet. They may be asked
o The questions may involve completing a senten
which the 'stem ' gives the first part of a sentence
and to find : specific details , an example, a reason,
test takers choose the best way to compl ete it from a description, a comparison , a summary or an
the options, or it could involve complete questions explanation. They will not necessarily need to find
and choos ing the option which best answers them
. information in every paragraph/section of the text,
t.
text. but there may be more than one piece of relevanth15
o This task type may be used with any type of in a given paragr aph/section. When
information
/claims
• Identifying information or the writer 's views is the case, test takers will be told that they can
use
ents
o The test taker will be given a number of statem any letter more than once.
and_asked : 'Do the followi ng statem ents agree with rd
o The questions do not follow the same o er as
th
J
the information in the text?' or 'Do the following information in the text. This task type can be u~e
statements ag ree with the views/claims of the with any text as it may test a wide range of rea
in~
in
writer?'. They then write 'true', 'false ' or 'not given' skills, from locating detail to recognising a surnrna
the boxes on their answe r sheets .
or definition.
en
o It is import ant to understand the difference betwe
given' . 'False ' means that the • Matching headings
'false ' and 'not
\ iii,
passage states the opposite of the statement in o Test takers are given a list of headings, usu~II 1
identified with lower-case Roman numerals '
hor
question ; 'not given' means that the statement paragrap
etc ) referring to the main idea of the
is neither confirm ed nor contradicted by the th g
1nforma1ton in the passage se~ti~n of the text. They must match e headin
. I Guide•

■
IELTSEss~

to the correct paragraphs or sections ,
which are marked alphabetically, and
write the appropriate Roman numerals
in the boxes on their answer sheets .
o There will always be more headings
than there are paragraphs or sections,
so some headings will not be used.
o It is also possible that some
paragraphs or sections may not be
• Summary, note, table, flow-chart
included in the task. One or more
completion
paragraphs or sections may already
be matched with a heading as an
example.
o No heading may be used more than
once .
o This task type is used with texts that
contain paragraphs or sections with
clearly defined themes .
• Matching features
o Test takers match a set of statements
or pieces of information to a list of
options . These are a group of features
from the text, and are identified by
letters.
o Test takers may, for example,
be required to match different
characteristics to age groups or events
to historical periods , etc. It is possible
that some options will not be used , and
that others may be used more than
once .
o The questions do not follow the same
order as the information in the text.
• Matching sentence endings
o Test takers are given the first half of
a sentence based on the text and
choose the best way to complete it
from a list of possible options.
o They will have more options to choose
from than there are questions.
• Sentence completion
o Test takers complete sentences in a
given number of words taken from the
Marking
• Both Academic and General Training Reading
tests are marked by certified markers, who are
regularly monitored to ensure reliability. After being
marked , all answer sheets are further analysed by
Cambridge Assessment English.
• Band score conversion
o A band score conversion table is produced
fo r each version of the Academic and General
Trai ning Read ing test which translates scores out
of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are
reported in whole bands and half bands.
IELTS Ess ential Guide
LISTENING, READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST
text, writing their answers on the
answer sheet.
o The instructions will make it clear
how many words/numbers should
be in the answers.
o If test takers write more than the
number of words asked for, they
will lose the mark.
o Test takers are given a summary
of a section of the text, and
are required to complete it with
information drawn from the text.
o Note that the summary will usually
be of only one part of the passage
rather than the whole .
o The given information may be in
the form of; several connected
sentences (referred to as a
summary) , several notes (referred
to as notes), a table with some of
its cells empty or partially empty
(referred to as a table), a series of
boxes or steps linked by arrows to
show a sequence of events, with
some of the boxes or steps empty
or partially empty (referred to as a
flow-chart).
o The answers will not necessarily
occur in the same order as in the
text. However, they will usually
come from one section rather than
the entire text.
o There are two variations of this
task type. Test takers may be
asked either to select words from
the text or to select from a list of
answers.
o Where words have to be selected
from the passage , the instructions
will make it clear how many words/
numbers test takers should use in
their answers. If test takers write
Computer delivered IELTS
Scan QR Code below or type link to watch the
Reading tutorial to computer delivered IELTS to
prepare for your test: http://bit.ly/33ZJDtE
8 SCANME
Introduction to IELTS
more than the number of words asked
for, they will lose the mark .
o Where a list of answers is provided ,
they most frequently consist of a single
word, there are always more words
or phrases in the box than there are
gaps to fill. Because this task type often
relates to precise factual information , it
is often used with descriptive texts .
• Diagram label completion
o Test takers complete labels on a
diagram which relates to a description
contained in the text.
o The instructions will make it clear how
many words/numbers test takers should
use in their answers. If test takers write
more than the number of words asked
for, they will lose the mark.
o The answers do not necessarily
occur in order in the passage .
However, they will usually come from
one section rather than the entire text.
o The diagram may be of some type of
machine, parts of a building or any
other element that can be represented
pictorially. This task type is often used
with texts describing processes or with
descriptive texts .
• Short-answer questions
o Test takers answer questions about
factual details in the text.
o Test takers must write their answers in
words or numbers on the answer sheet.
Test takers must write their answers
using words from the text.
o The instructions will make it clear how
many words/numbers test takers should
· use in their answers. If test takers write
more than the number of words asked
for, they will lose the mark.
o The questions are in the same order as
the information in the text.
■
Introduction to IELTS
KING TEST
LISTENING, READING, WRITING ANO SPEA

D IELTS WRITIN G TEST

PaperbasedlELTS
within
es to o Task 2 - Write 250 words on a given topic
• The Writing module will take about 60 minut 40 minutes.
complete the answer
ral • Test takers must write their answers on
• There are two tasks for Academic and Gene booklet
Writing
within
o Task 1 - Write 150 words on a given topic
20 minutes.

IELTS Academic test

IELTS General Training test I
le for, Topics are of gener al interest
Topics are of general interest to, and suitab I
enter ing unde rgrad uate and postg raduate
test ta kers I
ration .
studie s or seeking professional regist
I

tasks must be There are two tasks :

There are two tasks . Responses to both ion and
in a formal style.: Task 1 - you will be presented with a situat
sting inform ation or
, table, asked to write a letter reque I
Task 1 - you will be presented with a graph explaining the situat ion . The letter may be perso nal , !
summarise or
chart or diagram and asked to describe, semi-formal or formal in style.
. You may be
explain the information in your own words y in response /
asked to describe and explain data, descr
ibe the stages Task 2 - you will be asked to write an essa
The essay can
of a process, how something works or descr
ibe an to a point of view, argum ent or problem.
objec t or event . be fairly personal in style.
I

in response
Task 2 - you will be asked to write an essay
to a point of view, argum ent or probl em .
There are two tasks to complete
Both tasks must be completed
r a task answ er is , the less
writing more than the word limit, the longe
I

While test takers will not be penalized for to the Writin g band score . Test takers
contributes twice as much
time there will be to spend on task 2, which at the end . I
cting their work
should also allow time for checking and corre

Task Types
• Academic Writing Task 1 • Acad emic Writi ng Task 2
point of
o In Writing Task 1, test takers may be asked
to o Test takers are asked to respond to a
or probl em . Answ ers should be
describe facts or figure s prese nted in one or view or argum ent
d topic ; rsive consi derat ion of the releva nt issues.
more graphs , charts or tables on a relate a discu
a diagr am of a mach ine, a read th e
or they may be given o Test takers should make sure that they
it
device or a process and asked to explain how task carefully and provi de a full and relev ant
works . respo nse .
formal/
o They should write in an academic or semi- o Test takers should spen d no more than 40
al styles and includ e the most impor tant and
neutr minutes on this task .
Some
the most relevant point s in the diagram. .
minor points or details ma y be left out. o They are asked to write at least 250 words

o Test takers shoul d spend no more than 20 • Gene ral Writi ng Task 1
minut es on this task. ion and
o Test takers are prese nted with a situat
the form
o They are asked to write at least 150 word
s. required to write a perso nal respo nse in
l or forma l letter in the
of an informal , semi- forma
answ er book let provi ded .

IELTS Essentia l ~
 lntroduct1on to IELTS
LISTENING, READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST

o The situations they are asked to write about are
common , everyday situations
o Test takers are told what kind of information (in
the form of three bullet points) they must include
in their response .
o The style of writing that test takers use depends
who they are asked to write to (i.e. the audience)
and how well they are supposed to know them .
They need to write in a style that is appropriate
for their audience and that will help them to
achieve their purpose for writing , e.g. writing to a
friend (informal) or writing to a manager (semi-
formal or formal) .
o Test takers should spend no more than 20
minutes on this task.
o They are asked to write at least 150 words .
• General Writing Task 2
o Test takers write a semi-formal/neutral discursive
essay in the answer book provided.
o The task instructions give information about a
point of view, argument or problem . They then
tell test takers how to discuss this , which may
involve providing general factual information,
outlining and/or presenting a solution , justifying
an opinion , evaluating evidence and ideas .
o Topics are of general interest.
o Test takers should make sure that they complete
the task carefully and provide a full and relevant
response . They should organise their ideas
clearly and make sure to support their argument
with relevant examples (including from their own
experience where relevant) or evidence . For th is
task , test takers need to be able to communicate
more abstract and complex ideas and use a
range of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
o They are asked to write at least 250 words .

Marking Computer delivered IELTS

I

• Test takers will be penalised for irrelevance if Scan QR Code below or type link to watch the
the response is off-topic or is not written as full, Writing tutorial to computer delivered IELTS to
connected text (e.g. using bullet points in any part prepare for your test: http://bit.ly/33RkZes
of the response , or note form , etc.).
• They will be severely penalised for plagiarism (i.e .
copying from another source).
• Test takers should make sure that they do not copy
directly from the question paper because this will
not be assessed .
• Each task is assessed independently. The
assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in
marking than Task 1.Scores are reported in whole
and half bands. lD SCAN ME
• Task 1 & 2 responses are assessed on :
o Task achievement
o Coherence and cohesion
o Lexical resource
o Grammatical range and accuracy
o Performance descriptors (Only for Task 2).

IELTS EsEi ential Guide

■
~~IELTS
LIS'TewtG, READING. WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST
D IELTS SPEAKING TEST
Paper based IELTS
• The Speaking test will ta ke about 11- 14 minutes to
complete
• The speaking section assesses your use of spoken
English. Every test is recorded .
o Part 1 - the examiner will ask you general
questions about you rself and a range of fam iliar
topics . such as home, fam ily. work , studies and
interests. This part lasts between four and five
minutes.
Test Parts
• Introduction and Interview
o In Part 1. th e examiner introduces him/herself
and checks the test takers' identity. They then
ask the test takers general questions on some
familiar topics.
o This part of the test focuses on the ability to
commun icate opinions and information on
everyday topics and common experiences or
situ ation s by answeri ng a range of questions .
• Long Turn
o The exam iner gives the test takers a task
card which asks the test takers to talk about a
particul ar topic, includes points to cover in their
talk and instructs the test takers to explain one
aspect of the topic. Test takers are given one
minute to prepare their talk , and are given a
pencil and paper to make notes. The examiner
asks the test take rs to talk for 1 to 2 minutes ,
stops the tes t takers after 2 minutes , and asks
one or two questions on the same topic .
Marking --·•:: . •f;tJ · _
• Marking and assessment
o Speaking performa nces are assessed by
certifi ed IELTS examiners . All IELTS examiners
hold releva nt teaching qualifications and are
recruited as examiners by the test centres and
approved by the British Council.
o Score s are reported in whole and half bands .
Fluency and coherence
o This refers to the abil ity to talk with normal levels
of continuity, rate and effort and to link ideas and
language together to form coherent , connected
0 Part 2 - you will be given a card whi ch asks you
to talk about a particular topic. You will have one
minute to prepare before speaking for up to two
minutes . The examiner will then ask one or two
questions on the same topic . Part 2 lasts three to
four minutes , including the preparation time .
o Part 3 - you will be asked further questions
about the topic in Part 2. These will give you the
opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and
issues . Th is part of the test lasts between four
and five minutes .
o Using the points on the task card effectively. and
making notes during the preparation time , will help
the test takers think of appropriate things to say,
structure their talk , and keep talking for 2 minutes.
o Part 2 lasts 3-4 minutes, including the
preparation time .
o This part of the test focuses on the ability to speak
at length on a given topic , using appropriate
language and organising ideas coherently. It is
likely that the test takers will need to draw on their
own experience to complete the long turn .
• Discussion
o The examiner and the test takers discuss issues
related to the topic in Part 2 in a more general and
abstract way and , where appropriate, in greater depth.
o This part of the test focuses on the ability to
express and justify opinions and to analyse ,
discuss and speculate about issues .
speech. The key indicators of fluency are speech
rate and speech continuity. The key indicators of
coherence are logical sequencing of sentences ,
clear marking of stages in a discussion , narration
or argument, and the use of cohesive devices
(e.g. connectors, pronouns and conjunctions)
within and between sentences.
• Lexical resource
o This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary
used and the precision with which meanings and
attitudes can be expressed . The key indicators
are the variety of words used , the adequacy and
"dB
IELTS Essential G~

appropriacy of the words used and the ability
to circumlocute (get round a vocabulary gap by
using other words) with or without noticeable
hesitation .
• Grammatical range and accuracy
o This refers to the range and the accurate and
appropriate use of the test takers' grammatical
resource. The key indicators of grammatical
range are the length and complexity of the
spoken sentences, the appropriate use of
subordinate clauses , and the range of sentence
structures, especially to move elements around
•
If I TS £ u 1;n tial Gu1rJ1;
Introduction to IELTS
LISTENING, READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING TEST
for information focus . The key indicators of
grammatical accuracy are the number of
grammatical errors in a given amount of speech
and the communicative effect of error.
• Pronunciation
o This criterion refers to the ability to produce
comprehensible speech to fulfil the Speaking
test requirements . The key indicators will be
the amount of strain caused to the listener, the
amount of the speech which is unintelligible and
the noticeability of L 1 influence ..
n
 Index

Section

t 1
t I J•, tr , '

• Listening 20
• Reading 23
•Writing 29
• Speaking 31

General Training Reading And Writing Practice Test 1

• Reading 34
•Writing 38

Academic Practice Test 2 a

• Listening 42
• Reading 45
• Writing 50
• Speaking 52

General Training Reading And Writing Practice Test 2 m

• Reading 54
• Writing 59

Academic Practice Test :; . " . m

• Listening 62
• Reading 64
• Writing 66
• Speaking 70

Academic Practice Test 4 · · m

• Listening 72
• Reading 74
• Writing 79
• Speaking 81

Answer Keys · m

Link to Listen ing Test audio and learner support videos

http://bit.ly/30crgPI

Download Files

·de

■
IELTS Essential G!-,•
 Academic Practice Test 1 l
Answer
Part Keys

• Listening

• Part 1 (Q.1 - 10) 20

• Part 2 (Q.11 - 20) 20
• Part 3 (Q.21 - 30) 21
• Part 4 (Q.31 - 40) 21

• Reading m
• Part 1 (Q .1 -13) 23
• Part 2 (Q .14 - 27) 25
• Part 3 (Q.28 - 40) 27

• Writing El
• Task 1 29
• Task 2 30

• Speaking

• Part 1 31
• Part 2 31
• Part 3 31

U. U C.: 1.: ,..w nt 1ol Gw<.J a

•