IELTS

Introduction to IELTS

IELTS is an international testing system that is designed for non-native English speakers, to assess
English language proficiency and competency. It is fashioned mainly for study, migration and work
purposes and is a globally recognised and standardised assessment, accepted by most academic
institutions.

There are two separate modules of the IELTS; IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, both
of which are designed in order to test the full capability of the user.

1. The Academic module is specified to those who want to study at a university level and enroll in
higher education in an English-speaking country.
2. The General module refers to those who seek to work, train or study at secondary school, or with
the purpose of immigrating.

The difference between the two modules lies in the content and the overall goal of the course,
however both incorporate the same foundation: the ability to listen, read, write and speak in English.

The IELTS test is comprised of four parts: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. The Listening
and Speaking tests are the same for both the Academic and the General module. However, there
are separate papers for the Reading and Writing assessments.

LISTENING
4 Sections. 40 Questions. 30
Minutes.

READING
3 Sections. 40 Questions. 1 Hour.

WRITING
2 Tasks. 1 Hour
 SPEAKING
3 Sections. 11-14 Minutes.

How is IELTS assessed?

TOTAL TEST TIME:

2 Hours 44 Minutes

There is no pass or fail. Each of the four sections are weighted equally and are scored on a 0-9 band
scale, corresponding to the specified competency in English, and the general assessment will be
graded on the average from each section. Both the Listening and the Reading sections can be
marked in half and whole points, whereas the Speaking and the Writing sections are graded solely
in whole points.

The overview of the 0-9 band scale is as follows:

BAND Is at native speaker level and is in full control of the
9 Expert User language. Functions appropriately, accurately and is fluent
with complete understanding.

BAND Very Good Has full command of the language with the occasional
8 User errors or inaccuracies in unfamiliar situations due to
misunderstandings. Is able to function in complex and
detailed conversation and argumentation.

Has good command of the language, with occasional

BAND Good User inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Is able to produce
7 complex language, detailed reasoning and competent
written arguments.

Competent Has generally effective control of the language, complete

BAND User with some inaccuracies and difficulties in unfamiliar
6 scenarios, but is able to understand fairly complex
language in familiar situations.

Has an adequate understanding and partial command of

the language. Is able to cope with basic communication
BAND Modest and the overall meaning of most situations, though is likely
5 User to make mistakes and could find difficulty in dealing with
complexity and unfamiliarity.

BAND Limited Only able to function within familiar situations and has
4 User basic competence. Has frequent issues in understanding
and expression and is incapable of using complex
language.

BAND Extremely Conveys understanding solely with general, familiar

3 Limited meaning and with frequent communication errors.
User
 BAND Intermittent Major difficulty in using the language and no real
2 User communication is possible except for basic information,
singular words or phrases. Great difficulty in
understanding both spoken and written English.

BAND Non-User Has no ability to communicate or use the language

1 beyond isolated words.

0 Did not Did not attempt the test or provide any assessable
attempt the information.
test

How can these scores be converted and understood?

Once each section has their individual marks out of 9, a raw score can be calculated and converted
into an IELTS grade.

The grade that the student needs to obtain depends on the subject studied and the institutions
requirements and can vary. For example, engineering departments ask for lower IELTS scores, in
comparison to that of law or literature courses. Each institution will set out their own criteria and
requirements for each individual candidate.

If you do not achieve the specific score set out by the institution, there is a 3-month period in which
you have to wait until you are able to re-sit the IELTS test.

This table can be used to convert scale scores into raw scores, which can in turn, aid candidates to
calculate what marks they need to achieve a particular score. It is only a general guide, as the scores
may adjust depending on the difficulty of the test.

Band Listening Raw Score Reading Raw Score Reading Raw Score
(Academic and General (Academic) (General Training)
Training)

9.0 39-40 39-40 40

8.5 37-38 37-38 39

8.0 35-36 35-36 38

7.5 34-33 33-34 36-37

7.0 30-32 30-32 34-35

6.5 27-29 27-29 32-33

6.0 23-26 23-26 30-31

5.5 20-22 20-22 27-29

5.0 16-19 16-19 23-26

 Band Listening Raw Score Reading Raw Score Reading Raw Score
(Academic and General (Academic) (General Training)
Training)

4.5 13-15 13-15 19-22

4.0 10-12 10-12 15-18

3.5 7-9 7-9 12-14

3.0 4-6 4-6 8-11

2.5 3 3 5-7

2.0 2 2 2-4

1.0 1 1 1

Results

A Test Report will be posted to candidates 13 days after their text completion. It will include:
1. An Overall Average Scale score (0-9)
2. Individual Scale scores (1-9) for each section. (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)
3. Which IELTS module was completed (Academic of General Training)
4. General Personal Information. (Candidate photo, Nationality, Date of Birth)

All candidates will receive a copy of their Test Report Form, which are valid for two years.

Test Locations and Dates

The IELTS test can be taken in more than 140 countries and over 1000 different locations. Every
test centre offers up to four test dates a month. The Academic version is available for 48 dates per
year and the General Training for 24 dates.

General Information

1. In the IELTS half marks are not awarded in the Listening and Reading papers
2. Spelling is very important. Both British and American English spelling is accepted, however has
to be consistent within the test.
3. If unsure of an answer, writing two possible answers will not be accepted and no mark given,
even if one is correct.
4. Always read the instructions carefully and thoroughly before each exercise, as they may vary.
IELTS TIPS

Listening

• Concentrate on the audio passage so as not get distracted.

• If you cannot hear the audio, notify a staff member

• Follow the instructions carefully, in case they are organised differently to previous tests

• Try not to spend too much time on individual questions if you come across difficult information, as you may
miss necessary information to complete following questions. Advice: mark the difficult question and come
back to it when you can.

• Always use the 10 minutes given at the end of the test to both check your answers and complete the
computer form.

• Be sure that you fill in the correct boxes on the computer form.

• Be careful when concerning yourself with spelling and grammar.

• Be aware that there will be distractors within the questions and the audio to test, so concentrate and focus
on the content.

• Make sure your spelling of words is correct and your answers.

• Accustom yourself to understanding different accents, as there will be a variety of different accents included
in the audio.

• Try to answer all of the questions.

Reading

• Look out for the title, headings and any special feature such as capital letters, underlining, bold letters,
graphs, tables, etc.

• Always read and understand both the instructions and questions given in each individual exercise.

• Pay attention to timing; try not to spend too much time on one passage or question. Try not to spend more
than 20 minutes on each section and always time yourself when doing practice tests in order to get used to
the time limit.

• Check your spelling and do not panic if there are words or phrases that you are unable to understand.

• Pay attention to the word limit.

• Make sure you complete the computer sheet after each reading as you will not have extra time at the end of
the test.

• The IELTS Reading test covers a range of different writing styles, so be prepared by reading a range of
different sources (newspapers, fiction, non-fiction books, and magazines).

• Expect the types of subjects that a student attending university will be studying.

• Always check that you have completed 40 questions within the paper and read over your answers.
Writing

• Make sure you fully understand the question.

• Write some notes or make a plan before starting.

• Always be aware of the time limit and don’t spend more than 20 minutes on each question.

• Always leave some time at the end of the exam to read through your essays, check spelling and make sure
you answered the question.

• Make sure you write above the minimum word count, as shorter essays will be penalised and shorter essays
have less chance of scoring higher than those that are longer.

Speaking

• Although questions and answers can be prepared before the exam, like for example for those questions
regarding personal life, hobbies, etc. do not learn set answers as the examiner will recognise this
immediately. It is an exam that tests the candidate’s ability to speak fluently and spontaneously.

• Try to talk as much as you can, develop your answers, and be confident in your speaking.

• If you can’t think of a specific word, either try and think of another word with a similar meaning or find another
way of saying it.

• Speak more than the examiner.

• If you don’t understand one of their questions, there is no problem in asking the examiner to repeat or
rephrase it, so that you can give a clear answer.

• Remember there is no right or wrong answer. The purpose of the test is to assess your ability to speak
naturally and effectively with a native speaker.