| IELTS EXAM STRUCTURE |
| IELTS Academic | | IELTS General Training |
| IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and texts are accessible to all test-takers, irrespective of their subject focus. | | IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations. |
Listening* (30 minutes) - Four recorded monologues and conversations
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| | Listening* (30 minutes) - Four recorded monologues and conversations
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Reading (60 minutes)- Three long reading passages with tasks
- Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical
- Includes non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations
- Texts are authentic (e.g. taken from books, journals and newspapers)
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| | Reading (60 minutes) - Three long reading passages with tasks
- Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts
- Section 2 contains two short, work-related, factual texts
- Section 3 contains one longer text on a topic of general interest
- Texts are authentic (e.g. taken from company handbooks, official documents, books and newspapers)
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Writing (60 minutes) - Writing task of at least 150 words where the candidate must summarise, describe or explain a table, graph, chart or diagram
- Short essay task of at least 250 words
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| | Writing (60 minutes)- Letter writing task of at least 150 words
- Short essay task of at least 250 words
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Speaking* (11 to 14 minutes) - Includes short questions, speaking at length about a familiar topic and a structured discussion.
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| | Speaking* (11 to 14 minutes) - Face-to-face interview
- Includes short questions, speaking at length about a familiar topic and a structured discussion.
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