IELTS

International English
Language Testing
System

Why Chose the IELTS?

The IELTS is a test that proves peoples English skills where ever they go, it is
accepted by 6,000 institutions worldwide.
It is the Test that sets the standards around the world.
The IELTS is offered up to 4 times a year within more that 125 countries.
There are 500 test centres worldwide.

IELTS Requirements Per Country

For the UK - EU candidates (even if they studied in a non-English language) do not
need to appear for IELTS
Non-EU candidates need to appear for IELTS and get an overall score of 7 with
7 in all four bands
For the Middle East - Candidates that have studied / trained from the UK, any of
the EU countries, USA, Canada or Australia do not need to appear for IELTS
Candidates coming from any other part of the world will have to appear for
IELTS and get an overall score of 6.5 with 7 in speaking
For Australia - Candidates from outside of Australia need to appear for IELTS and
get an overall score of 7 with 7 in all four bands

IELTS Requirements Per Country

For the USA - Candidates that have studied / trained from the UK, any of the EU
countries, Canada or Australia do not need to appear for IELTS
Candidates coming from any other part of the world will have to appear for
IELTS and get an overall score of 6.5 with 7 in speaking
For Canada - Candidates that have studied / trained from the UK, any of the EU
countries, USA or Australia do not need to appear for IELTS
For a candidate to gain maximum points for language skills in an immigration
application to Canada, the required score range would be 7 9, 4 points per module
= 16 in total. A score ranging from 5.0 6.9 would give the candidate 2 points per
module.
For licensure applications to Canadian nursing boards the required scores are 7 speaking
and 6.5 overall.

What Does the IELTS involve?

4 Separate Modules

Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking

Total Test Time 2 hours 45 minutes

The Listening, Reading, Writing tests MUST be completed in 1 day. The speaking may
also be taken on the same day or up to a week before or a week after the other parts
have been taken.

Listening

The listening module involves candidates listening to a number of recorded texts which include a
mixture of conversations and monologues. The recordings are only heard once.

The first 2 sections of the listening module are related to social needs and involves conversations
between 2 speakers and then a monologue.

The final 2 sections are related to situations related to educational or training contexts. It involves
a conversation with up to 4 people, followed by a further monologue.

Answers are to be written on the question paper during the recordings, after the recordings have
finished the candidate will then have 10 minutes to transfer their answers onto the answer sheet.

IELTS Test Example

Listening
An example of listening questions

Section 2 Questions 11-20

Questions 11 15
Choose the correct letter A, B or C
11. The most important reason for a settlement at the rocks was:
A. Fresh Water
B. Flat Rock
C. Sea Wall
12. The plague was brought to Sydney by:
A. Rat catchers
B. Convicts
C. Sailors

Listening Example Questions Cont/d

13. The harbour bridge was built.

A. In 10 years with 7 deaths

B. In 10 years with 17 deaths
C. In 17 years with 10 deaths
14. The Chinese community arrived in the rock in.
A. 1825
B. 1844
C. 1870

Reading
The reading module consists of 3 modules, 40 items and is 60 minutes long.
The 3 passages in the academic reading module are texts taken from books,
magazines, journals and newspapers.
The reading texts will have a total of 2000 to 2750 words.
1 of the texts will contain a detailed argument.

IELTS Test Example

Reading Text
Below is the example of part of a reading text
Wind Power in the US
Prompted by the oil crises of the 1970s, a wind-power industry flourished briefly in the United States. But then
world oil prices dropped, and funding for research into renewable energy was cut. By the mid 1980s US interest
in wind energy as a large-scale source of energy had almost disappeared. The development of wind power at this
time suffered not only from badly designed equipment, but also from poor long-term planning, economic
projections that were too optimistic and the difficulty of finding suitable locations for the wind turbines.
Only now are technological advances beginning to offer hope that wind power will come to be accepted as a
reliable and important source of electricity. There have been significant successes in California, in particular,
where wind farms now have a capacity of 1500 megawatts, comparable to a large nuclear or fossil-fuelled power
station, and produce 1.5 per cent of the state's electricity.
Nevertheless, in the U.S., the image of wind power is still distorted by early failures. One of the most persistent
criticisms is that wind power is not a significant energy resource. Researchers at the Battelle Northwest
Laboratory, however, estimate that today wind turbine technology could supply 20 per cent of the electrical
power the country needs. As a local resource, wind power has even greater potential. Minnesota's energy
commission calculates that a wind farm on one of the state's south western ridges could supply almost all that
state's electricity. North Dakota alone has enough sites suitable for wind farms to supply more than a third of all
electricity consumed in the continental US.

Reading Questions
Questions 1 5
Complete the summary below using words from the box. Write your answers in boxes 1-5 on
your answer sheet.
NB There are more words or phrases than you will need to fill the gaps. You may use any word or
phrase more than once.
The failure during the late 1970s and early 1980s of an attempt to establish a widespread wind
power industry in the United States resulted largely from the ...(1)... in oil prices during this
period. The industry is now experiencing a steady ...(2)... due to improvements in technology and
an increased awareness of the potential in the power of wind. The wind turbines that are now
being made, based in part on the ...(3)... of wide-ranging research in Europe, are easier to
manufacture and maintain than their predecessors. This has led wind-turbine makers to be able
to standardise and thus minimise ...(4)... . There has been growing ...(5)... of the importance of
wind power as an energy source.
criticism success design costs decisions
stability operating costs fall effects failure
growth recognition scepticism decline results production costs

Writing
The writing module consists of 2 tasks, 150 + 250 words and is 60 minutes long.
Task 1
The candidate is required to write a description of 150 words based on the
information found in a chart, table, graph or diagram,
For this task the candidate is required to demonstrate their ability to present and
summarise the main features of the chart, table, graph or diagram.
It is recommended that 20 minutes is spent completing task 1.

Writing

Task 2
The candidate is required to write a short essay of 250 words based on their
response to a statement or question.
For this task the candidate is required to demonstrate their ability to construct an
argument and discuss abstract issues.
The candidate needs to show that they are able to respond appropriately, using the
correct vocabulary and in the correct order.
It is recommended that the candidate spends 40 minutes on task 2.

IELTS Test Example

Writing
An Example of a writing test

Writing Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
It is inevitable that as technology develops so traditional cultures must be lost.
Technology and tradition are incompatible - you cannot have both together.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
knowledge or experience

own

Speaking
In the speaking test you will be required to have a full conversation with the examiner
It will be close to a real life conversation
There are 3 parts to the speaking test:
Part One - Questions on yourself
Part Two - A Topic discussion
Part Three A longer discussion on the topic
An Example of Part two:
Describe a teacher who has greatly influenced you in your education.
You should say:
1. where you met them
2. what subject they taught

3. what was special about them

4. explain why this person influenced you so much.

IELTS Costs

UK - 108
Europe 170/180 Euros (where the Euro applies)
USA - $185
Canada CA $265
Australia - $310 AUD, some test centres maybe subject to a surcharge.
New Zealand NZD $340
South Africa 1900,00 Rand
UAE 800 AED
Philippines 8,640 Pesos
India 7,200 Rupees

Steps for Applying to Take the IELTS

Locate the nearest test centre.

Check Test Dates 2 dates suitable dates will need to be selected.
Complete the IELTS application, applying to take the Academic IELTS test. The applicant will
need to use the same name on the application as on their passport.
2 passport photos, signed on the back by the applicant and not more than 6 months old need to
be attached to the application.

An applicant can then either:

Take application to selected test centre.
Post the application to the test centre. The applicant will need to contact the test centre to confirm
their methods of payment before posting the application.
Once registered the test centre will confirm the test date.
IELTS test applicants in the USA, will need to register online using the link below :
https://ieltsregistration.org/ieltscandidate/candidateonlinechkavl.do?action=showOnlineChkAvailability

Apply to Take the IELTS

Find your nearest test centre

http://www.ielts.org/test_centre_search/search_results.aspx
Download the IELTS application
http://www.ielts.org/PDF/IELTS_Application_Form.pdf

The Test Day

The candidate MUST arrive on Time.

The candidate must take a form of I.D, in the form of their passport or national identity card (this
must be the same as provided on the candidates IELTS application).
I.D, pencils and erasers can be taken into the test room, anything not needed or allowed must be
left outside the test room.
Mobile phones and pagers MUST be switched off or this could lead to disqualification from the
test.

For more information on the test day please use the link below.

http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/taking_the_test.aspx

The Results
Results are issued 13 days after the test, up to 5 copies of the results can be sent to
different institutions by post or electronically free of charge.
Results are reported as band scores on a scale of 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest).
You will receive an overall band scores as well as a band score for each module.

IELTS Band Scores

9

Expert User

Very Good User

Good User

Competent User

Modest User

Limited User

Extremely Limited User

Intermittent User

Non User