English as a Second Language Tests -- The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam Info

The IELTS is conducted jointly by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, The British Council, and IELTS Australia. IELTS is conducted to check the candidates Writing, Reading, Listening and speaking skills in English. Almost 5,000 government agencies over the world accept the IELTS scores as proof of the candidate’s English proficiency.

Test Structure

  • All the students need to complete four modules of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing to achieve an IELTS report.
  • The Listening and Speaking modules are common for all candidates and any one of the versions of Reading and Writing modules can be chosen
  • Academic Training Modules- This module checks the candidate’s ability to study the undergraduate or the post graduate programs in the English medium.
  • General Training Modules- This test emphasizes the survival skills of the individual in areas of educational and social scenarios.

Exam Details

  • The general training modules are not necessarily available in all the test centers.
  • Students need to specify the test version of their choice at the centre.
  • Candidates can opt for either the computer based test or the paper-based test.
  • The speaking module can be taken 7 days prior or after the other modules and is at the discretion of the centre.

Time Limit

  • The test duration is 2 hours 45 minutes

Exam Scores

  • The scores are in the range of Band 1 to 9, with Band 1 indicating the non user and Band 9 as the expert user who has complete command over English as a language.
  • The result of the Computer based test is received in approximately 13 calendar days starting from the date of the test.

Exam Structure

Skill

No. of Sections/ Tasks

No. of Items/Words

Allotted Time

Listening

4 Sections

40

30 minutes

Reading

3 Sections

40

60 minutes

Writing

2 Sections

1st for 150 words
2nd for 250 words

60 minutes

Speaking

 

 

11 to 14 minutes

 

 

Total Test time

2  hours 45 minutes.


IELTS Practice Test Questions and Sample Questions


Reading Comprehension Exercises Sample paragraphs and questions -- about High School English level.
Implied Meaning Exercises - a sentence is given and you are asked what is implied.
Find the Meaning Exercises - Vocabulary practice exercise


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