What is test format of IELTS and how long will it take?
So planning to take IELTS test but have apprehensions about its format and time? Being the most sought after test by the candidates. Who wants to pursue their studies abroad in countries like Australia, Canada, US etc. Where this exam is taken as one of the parameters for admission.
The result of this exam is accepted worldwide by universities, colleges, personal registration bodies and governments. Test format of IELTS is as follows:
Students have choice of two versions IELTS Academic and IELTS General training exam. Candidates have to showcase their skills in following areas:
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
IELTS Listening (30 minutes)
Listening embraces the attentiveness of the person. And so the candidates have to undergo this test as to showcase their concentration and attentiveness power. Here candidates have to listen to 4 recorded texts, monologues. And conversations by a range of native speakers, and write their answer to series of questions. The questions are those which test the ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information. Candidates have ability to understand opinions of speakers. The difficult part is variety of voices and native speaker accents are used. The participant are allowed to hear each section only once, So 100% concentration and alertness is required. It consists of 4 parts:
- Conversation between two people set in everyday social context e.g. conversation accommodation agency.
- Monologue set in an everyday social context e.g. a speech about local facilities.
- Conversation between up to 4 people set in an educational or training context e.g. teacher and student discussing an assignment
- Monologue on any academic subject e.g. university lecture.
IELTS Reading (60 minutes)
This section consists of 40 questions. Reading analyzes the language and vocabulary skills. The Ielts Reading have variety of question type is used to test the wide range of reading skills. These include reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument. Recognizing opinion of the writer, attitudes and purposes. It consists of 2 parts:
- Academic version: It includes 3 long texts which range from descriptive and factual to lengthy and analytical. All the texts are unique and are from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and notices. These though selected for non specialists audience but are recognizably perfect for anyone entering undergraduate or post graduate courses or seeking professional registration.
- General training version: It requires candidates to read extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company hand books and guidelines.
IELTS Writing (60 minutes)
Writing analyzes the language power, thinking skills and creative aspect of the student. It consists of 2 parts:
- Academic version: This includes 2 tasks. Topics are of general interests to and suitable for anyone entering undergraduate or post graduate studies or seeking professional registration.
- Task 1:– Candidates will be presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to describe, summarize or explain the information in their own words.
- Task 2:- Candidates will be asked to write composition in response to a point of view, argument or problem and the responses to both the task must be written in formal style.
- General Training version: Here the writing component includes two tasks based on topics of general interests:
- Task 1:– A situation will be presented to the candidates, who in turn will be asked to write the letter requesting information or explaining the situation and this letter may be personal, semi formal or formal in style.
- Task 2:– An essay will be written by the candidate in response to view point, argument or a problem. This aspect can be slightly more personal in style than the academic writing Task 2 essay.
IELTS Speaking (11 to 14 minutes)
What you speak showcases your language skills, viewpoint and confidence. Thus speaking skills assess the use of spoken English of the candidate. It comes in 3 parts:
- Part 1:- The candidates will have to answer general questions about themselves and familiar issues and topics like their home, family, work, interests etc. It takes about 4 and 5 minutes to complete this task.
- Part 2:– Candidates have a minute to prepare their thoughts on an assigned topic before being invited to speak for up to two minutes, and the examiner will ask questions on the same topic to complete this part of the test.
- Part 3:– Further questions related to the topic from Part 2 and these questions will provide an opportunity to discuss more abstract issues and views. This part lasts between 4 to 5 minutes.
