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What isthe
the
Understanding IELTS Academic
IELTS
IELTS
and test Training
IELTS test
General
format?
format?
Choosefrom
Choose fromananacademic
academictest
testofofEnglish
Englishorora amore
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generaltest
testofofEnglish.
English.
Before booking your test, understand if you need IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training.
IELTS is available in two different versions: Academic and General Training. Each organisation that accepts IELTS will normally specify which version
of IELTS you will need for your application. In some cases either IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training may be accepted. If you are in doubt as to
IELTS
IELTS Academic
Academic IELTS
IELTS General
General Training
Training
which to take, you should contact the organisation you are applying to in order to check their requirements.
In both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests, you are tested on all four language skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking –
unless you have an exemption due to a disability. Everyone takes the same Listening and Speaking tests. There are different Reading and Writing tests
IfIELTS
If you
for you need
need to to demonstrate
demonstrate
Academic and your
your
IELTS General level
level of of
Training. English
English to to study
study
forfor higher
higher education
education or or if you
if you areare seeking
seeking professional
professional
registration,
registration, youyou may
may need
need to to take
take thethe Academic
Academic test.
test.

IELTS Academic IELTS General Training

Listening*
Listening* (30(30 minutes)
minutes) Listening*
Listening* (30(30 minutes)
minutes)
• Four
• Four recorded
recorded monologues
monologues andand conversations
conversations • Four
• Four recorded
recorded monologues
monologues andand conversations
conversations

Reading
Reading (60(60 minutes)
minutes) Reading
Reading (60(60 minutes)
minutes)
• Three
• Three longlong reading
reading passages
passages withwith tasks
tasks • Section
• Section 1 contains
1 contains twotwo or three
or three short
short factual
factual texts
texts
• Texts
• Texts maymay include
include diagrams,
diagrams, graphs
graphs or illustrations
or illustrations • Section
• Section 2 contains
2 contains twotwo short,
short, work-related,
work-related, factual
factual texts
texts
• Texts
• Texts areare taken
taken from
from books,
books, journals,
journals, magazines
magazines • Section
• Section 3 contains
3 contains oneone longer
longer texttext
on on a topic
a topic of of
andand newspapers
newspapers general
general interest
interest
• Texts
• Texts areare authentic
authentic andand taken
taken from from notices,
notices, advertisements,
advertisements,
company
company handbooks,
handbooks, official
official documents,
documents, books
books
andand newspapers
newspapers

Writing
Writing (60(60 minutes)
minutes) Writing
Writing (60(60 minutes)
minutes)
• Letter
• Letter writing
writing tasktask ofleast
of at at least
150150 words
words
Summarise,
Summarise, describe
describe or explain
or explain a table,
a table, graph,
graph, chart
chart or diagram
or diagram • Short
• Short essay
essay tasktask ofleast
of at at least
250250 words
words
• Short
• Short essay
essay task
task of least
of at at least
250250 words
words

Speaking*
Speaking* (11(11 to 14
to 14 minutes)
minutes) Speaking*
Speaking* (11(11 to 14
to 14 minutes)
minutes)
• Face-to-face
• Face-to-face interview
interview without
without disruptions
disruptions or distractions
or distractions • Face-to-face
• Face-to-face interview
interview without
without disruptions
disruptions or distractions
or distractions
• Includes
• Includes short
short questions,
questions, speaking
speaking at length
at length about
about a a • Includes
• Includes short
short questions,
questions, speaking
speaking at length
at length about
about a a
familiar
familiar topic
topic andand a structured
a structured discussion
discussion familiar
familiar topic
topic andand a structured
a structured discussion
discussion

* The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training.

IELTS Support Tools 4