Listening
The Listening test includes monologues and dialogues, with two of the four sections focusing on everyday social English, and the second two sections focusing more closely on academic or vocational situations. The dialogues are heard once only. There are a variety of question types.
Reading
Both the Academic and the General Training Module Reading tests consist of three passages with forty questions. In the case of the Academic Module, these texts will be of an academic nature, appropriate to candidates entering a course of university study, whereas the texts of the General Training Module are more related to social or training contexts.
Writing: Academic Module
The Writing test is in two parts, one short (150 words) and one more extended (250 words) piece of writing. In the case of the Academic Module, Task One requires the candidate to write a description of a graph, chart or similar data, while in Task Two candidates write an essay addressed to an educated but non-specialist audience, usually on a topic of social interest.
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Writing: General Module
In the General Module, Task One requires candidates to write a semi-formal or formal letter in response to a given problem, while Task Two is a short essay, usually on a topic of social interest, in the form of a classroom assignment.
Speaking
The Speaking test is an interview of up to fifteen minutes. During the Speaking test, the candidate will answer questions for between four and five minutes about their studies / work experience, future plans, family, interests and hobbies, after which they will talk for one or two minutes continuously on one given topic. There will then be a discussion related to the theme of this presentation for a further four or five minutes.
IELTS Scores
Candidates receive scores for each of the four parts of the examination, and an overall score, between 0 and 9. Typically, an overall score of at least 5.0 in the Academic Module is required for entrance to a university foundation course, 6.0-7.0 for an undergraduate course, and 6.5-7.5 for a postgraduate course. Vocational courses are likely to require a minimum score of 5.0 on the General Training Module.
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