Planning for a future abroad? The first step is your English Proficiency exam, IELTS for moving to the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Your approach towards the exam decides your VISA application and future decision making. Let us first know about the IELTS test in detail.
Did You Know, There Are Two Different IELTS Tests?
All the IELTS conducting organisations have two types of IELTS exams, General and Academic IELTS.
- WHO can appear for the IELTS Academic test?
The IELTS Academic test is conducted to measure your understanding of English for educational purposes.
The test is designed in a manner which helps the evaluators understand whether or not you are prepared to start your studies abroad.
Take IELTS Academic Test if-
- You wish to pursue education in a foreign country at an undergraduate or postgraduate level.
- WHO can appear for the IELTS General test?
The IELTS General test is conducted to measure your understanding of English for everyday practical purposes.
The test is designed in a manner which helps the evaluators understand whether or not you are prepared to work in an English speaking country or organisation and also your hold over the language in Social situations.
Take the IELTS General Test if-
- You want to study or train below degree level.
- You want to work or undertake work related training in an English speaking country.
- You want to relocate to an English speaking nation.
How Is The Scoring Different For Academic And General Test?
Both the tests have four sections, Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking. However, the score calculation in both the tests for these sections differ.
IELTS Writing Test (60 minutes)
In both General and Academic Test, the candidate is given 2 tasks.
General Test– Write a short essay (250 words) and a letter. (150 words)
Academic Test- The approach here is formal compared to the general test.
Write a short essay (250 words) and describe a chart, table or diagram. (150 words)
IELTS Reading Test (60 minutes)
The reading test is divided in 3 sections for both General and Academic.
Questions based on the reading material provided in each section are asked.
General Test-
- Section 1– 2 or 3 or several short texts.
- Section 2– 2 texts.
- Section 3– 1 long text.
- These texts are usually extracted from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, official documents and newspapers.
Academic Test-
- All the 3 sections have long texts. These texts are extracted from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.
- They are chosen keeping in mind that some candidates are completely new to the language yet good enough to test them.
IELTS Listening Test (approximately 30 minutes)
- The test is the same for General and Academic and divided in 4 sections. Each section has 10 questions.
- Section 1 and 2 reflect everyday social situations whilst section 3 and 4 reflect educational and training contexts.
IELTS Speaking Test (approximately 11-15 minutes)
- Like Listening, the speaking test is the same for both the categories. It’s a face to face interview in a closed room without any distractions.
- Here the topic for discussion or speaking is random. The purpose is to understand your command over the language and not your understanding about the topic.
Now you might have a better idea towards your approach and decision for your IELTS test. Refer to other blogs to get even a better understanding.
Visit, ESPI Online, one of the best IELTS coaching classes in Vadodara to consult in detail about your future.