IELTS Academic Test

The IELTS Academic test is designed for people applying for higher education or professional registration in an English-speaking environment. It assesses your readiness to study or work in a setting where English is the primary language of communication. Here’s a detailed overview for someone new to IELTS Academic:

1. Test Format

The IELTS Academic test consists of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The total test time is around 2 hours and 45 minutes.

a. Listening (30 minutes + 10 minutes transfer time)

  • Format: 4 recorded conversations or monologues.

  • Questions: 40 questions total.

  • Types of questions: Multiple-choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labeling, form completion, note completion, etc.

  • Skills assessed: Understanding of main ideas, specific information, opinions, and attitudes of speakers, as well as the ability to follow the development of ideas.

b. Reading (60 minutes)

  • Format: 3 reading passages from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers.

  • Questions: 40 questions total.

  • Types of questions: Multiple-choice, identifying information, matching headings, sentence completion, short-answer questions, etc.

  • Skills assessed: Ability to read for gist, detail, and logical argument, and to recognize the writer’s opinions, attitudes, and purpose.

c. Writing (60 minutes)

  • Task 1: You will be asked to describe, summarize, or explain information presented in a graph, table, chart, or diagram. (At least 150 words).

  • Task 2: You will write an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem (At least 250 words).

  • Skills assessed: Ability to organize ideas clearly, present and justify an opinion, analyze, and discuss.

d. Speaking (11–14 minutes)

  • Format: A face-to-face interview with a certified examiner, consisting of three parts:

    • Part 1: Introduction and general questions about yourself and familiar topics.

    • Part 2: You will be given a card with a topic to talk about for 1-2 minutes.

    • Part 3: A discussion based on the topic in Part 2.

  • Skills assessed: Ability to communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and experiences, speak at length on a given topic, and express ideas coherently.

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Introduction to IELTS