IELTS Academic
Complete Overview of the IELTS Exam and Its Four Sections
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a globally recognized exam designed to assess the English proficiency of non-native speakers. It evaluates the ability to communicate in academic or professional settings through four key skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The test is offered in two formats: Academic (for higher education and professional registration) and General Training (for migration or non-academic purposes).
1. Listening Section
Overview
- Duration: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer answers).
- Number of Questions: 40 questions divided into 4 parts.
- Purpose: Tests the ability to understand spoken English in various contexts.
- Types of Audio:
- Part 1: A conversation between two people in a social or everyday context.
- Part 2: A monologue on a general topic (e.g., a tour guide speech).
- Part 3: A conversation between two or more people in an academic or training context.
- Part 4: A monologue on an academic subject (e.g., a university lecture).
Types of Questions
- Multiple choice
- Form/note/table/flowchart completion
- Sentence completion
- Diagram labeling
- Matching
Key Skills Required
- Recognizing main ideas and specific details.
- Following the development of an argument.
- Understanding a range of accents and informal/formal tones.
2. Reading Section
Overview
- Duration: 60 minutes.
- Number of Questions: 40 questions based on 3 texts.
- Purpose: Assesses the ability to understand and analyze written texts.
- Content:
- Academic: Extracts from books, journals, newspapers, or magazines, often with diagrams or graphs.
- General Training: Texts from advertisements, official documents, notices, and workplace materials.
Types of Questions
- True/False/Not Given
- Multiple choice
- Matching headings or information
- Summary completion
- Sentence completion
- Diagram labeling
- Short-answer questions
Key Skills Required
- Skimming for the main idea.
- Scanning for specific information.
- Interpreting the writer’s opinion and tone.
- Understanding arguments and relationships between ideas.
3. Writing Section
Overview
- Duration: 60 minutes.
- Tasks:
- Task 1 (Academic): Summarize and describe visual information from a chart, graph, table, map, or process in at least 150 words.
- Task 1 (General Training): Write a letter (formal, semi-formal, or informal) in response to a given situation.
- Task 2: Write a 250-word essay responding to an argument, problem, or point of view.
Assessment Criteria
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2)
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Key Skills Required
- Task 1:
- Identifying key trends and features.
- Using comparative language and appropriate academic tone.
- Task 2:
- Structuring essays with clear introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.
- Supporting arguments with examples and evidence.
- Using a variety of sentence structures and connectors.
4. Speaking Section
Overview
- Duration: 11–14 minutes.
- Format:
- Part 1: Introduction and general questions about personal topics (e.g., hobbies, studies, work).
- Part 2: Long turn – a 2-minute talk on a given topic (1 minute to prepare).
- Part 3: Discussion – deeper conversation on abstract ideas related to Part 2.
Assessment Criteria
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Pronunciation
Key Skills Required
- Speaking confidently and fluently.
- Expanding answers with relevant details.
- Using varied vocabulary and accurate grammar.
- Pronouncing words clearly with natural intonation.
IELTS Band Score System
The IELTS exam is scored on a band scale from 0 to 9, with each section contributing equally to the overall band score. The scoring is as follows:
- Band 9: Expert User
- Band 8: Very Good User
- Band 7: Good User
- Band 6: Competent User
- Band 5: Modest User
- Band 4 and Below: Limited to Very Basic User