Ielts overview

1. I.E.L.T.S
International
English
Language
Testing
System

2. IELTS
MODULES
ACADEMIC
GENERAL
TRAINING

3. IELTS
SUBTESTS

6. ACADEMIC
WRITING
TASK 1:
GRAPHS, CHARTS, TABLES,
DIAGRAMS, PROCESSES
150 WORDS
TASK 2: ESSAY
250 WORDS

7. THE LISTENING SUB-TEST
 30 MINUTES : 20 min listen & answer
10 min to transfer to the
Answer Sheet
 FOUR SECTIONS: 40 questions total
 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY OF TEXTS AND
TASKS INCREASES THROUGH THE PAPER
 ANSWERS NEED TO BE LEGIBLE

8.  LISTENING SKILLS
 Listening for SPECIFIC INFORMATION
 Listening for MAIN IDEAS AND SUPPORTING POINTS
 UNDERSTANDING SPEAKER’S OPINION
 TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 SHORT ANSWER
 MULTIPLE CHOICE
 SENTENCE COMPLETION
 NOTES/SUMMARY/CHART/TABLE COMPLETION
 LABELLING A DIAGRAM WITH NUMBERED PARTS
MATCHING
CLASSIFICATION

9. LISTENING
SECTION 1: based on social or life situations
o TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
o VISITING A NEW CITY
o MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO GO OUT
SECTION 2: also based on social
or life situations
 NEWS BROADCAST
 DESCRIPTION OF COLLEGE FACILITIES

10. SECTION 3: usually based on
education and training situations
• GROUP OF STUDENTS PLANNING A PROJECT
• TUTOR AND STUDENT DISCUSSING CAREER OPTIONS
SECTION 4 : also based on education
and training situations
 LECTURE OR TALK OF GENERAL
ACADEMIC INTEREST

11. THE SPEAKING SUB-TEST
 12-15 minutes
 THREE SECTIONS: actual conversations
 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
ability to communicate effectively
 ability to use appropriate vocabulary and structures
 ability to ask questions
 ability to take initiative in a conversation
 general fluency
 structural accuracy
 intelligibility

12.  SPEAKING SKILLS
 PART 1: INTRODUCTION &
INTERVIEW
Examiner interviews candidate asking questions based on familiar topics,
using a set framework.
 GIVING PERSONAL INFORMATION
 TALKING ABOUT FAMILIAR ISSUES
AND HABITS
 EXPRESSING OPINIONS
 TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 about, work, study, family
 hobbies, interests , general experiences

13.  SPEAKING SKILLS
PART 2: INDIVIDUAL LONG TURN
Candidate is required to speak for 1—2 minutes on a topic presented
in the form of both a written and verbal instruction.
Candidate is given 1 minute to prepare.
 SUSTAINING A LONG TURN
WITHOUT INTERLOCUTOR SUPPORT
 MANAGING LANGUAGE:
ORGANIZATION AND
EXPRESSION OF IDEAS
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 admired person, influential events
 personal opinions of certain issues

14.  SPEAKING SKILLS
PART 3: DISCUSSION
Examiner introduces a discussion thematically linked to the Part 2
topic and encourages the candidate to develop language of a more
abstract and academic nature.
 EXPRESSING AMD JUSTIFYING VIEWS
 EXPLAINING
 DISPLAYING UNDERSTANDING OF THE
CONVERSATIONAL RULES OF ENGLISH
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 current issues
 environmental occurrences
 personal stance of global happenings

15. GENERAL TRAINING
READING SUB-TEST
 60 minutes
 THREE SECTIONS: 40 questions total
 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY OF TEXTS AND
TASKS INCREASES THROUGH THE PAPER
 ANSWERS NEED TO BE AS
INSTRUCTED

16.  GENERAL TRAINING READING SKILLS
 SCANNING & SKIMMING
 UNDERSTANDING MAIN IDEAS
 READING FOR DETAIL
 UNDERSTANDING OPINION & ATTITUDE
 INFERRING MEANING
 TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 PARAGRAPH HEADINGS
 SHORT ANSWERS
 MULTIPLE CHOICE
 SENTENCE COMPLETION
 NOTES/SUMMARY/DIAGRAM/CHART/TABLE COMPLETION
 MATCHING LISTS/PHRASES
 TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN/ YES, NO, NOT GIVEN
 IDENTIFICATION OF WRITER’S VIEWS/CLAIMS

17. GENERAL TRAINING READING
 SECTION 1: SOCIAL SURVIVAL
SOCIAL TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS TAKEN FROM EVERY
DAY SITUATIONS
 RETRIEVING FACTUAL INFORMATION
SECTION 2: COURSE RELATED TRAINING SURVIVAL
COURSE RELATED TEXTS DRAWN FROM AN
EDUCATIONAL OR TRAINING CONTEXT BUT FOCUSING
ON SURVIVAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS
SECTION 3: GENERAL READING
DESCRIPTIVE , INTSTRUCTIVE OR NARRATIVE TEXT OF
EXTENDED PROSE ON A TOPIC OF GENERAL INTEREST

18. GENERAL TRAINING
WRITING SUB-TEST
 TWO TASKS: 60 MINUTES
 TASK 1: 20 MINUTES, 150 WORDS
 SHORT LETTER— INFORMAL OR SEMI FORMAL
 TASK POSES A PROBLEM OR OUTLINES A SITUATION WHICH
REQUIRES A WRITTEN RESPONSE IN LETTER FORMAT
 SKILLS:
 RESPOND TO TASK
 SHOW FAMILIARITY WITH LETTER WRITING STYLE
USE APPROPRIATE AND ACCURATE LANGUAGE

19. GT WRITING TASK 1
 WRITING IS ASSESSED ON ABILITY TO:
 Engage in personal correspondence
 Elicit and provide general factual information
 Express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
 Express opinions
WRITING IS JUDGED ON ABILITY TO:
 answer the question without straying from the topic
Write in a way which allows your reader to follow your
ideas
Use English grammar and syntax accurately
Use appropriate language in terms of register, style and
content

20. GENERAL TRAINING
WRITING SUB-TEST
 TASK 2: 40 MINUTES, 250 WORDS
 DISCURSIVE ESSAY-- EXTENDED PIECE OF
WRITING BASED ON A NUMBER OF POINTS RAISED IN
THE QUESTION
 SKILLS:
 EXPRESS A POINT OF VIEW ON THE TOPIC
 PRESENT AN OPINION BACKED BY EVIDENCE
COMPARE & CONTRAST OPINIONS DRAWING ON
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

21. GT WRITING TASK 2
WRITING IS ASSESSED ON ABILITY TO:
 provide general factual information
 outline a problem and present a solution
 present and justify an opinion
WRITING IS JUDGED ON ABILITY TO:
 Communicate an idea to the reader in an
appropriate style
Address a problem without straying from the topic
Use English grammar and syntax accurately
Use appropriate language in terms of register, style
and content

22. ACADEMIC READING SUB-TEST
 60 minutes
 THREE PASSAGES: 40 questions total
 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY OF TEXTS AND TASKS
INCREASES THROUGH THE PAPER
 ANSWERS NEED TO BE AS INSTRUCTED

23.  ACADEMIC READING SKILLS
 SCANNING & SKIMMING
 UNDERSTANDING MAIN IDEAS
 READING FOR DETAIL
 UNDERSTANDING OPINION & ATTITUDE
 INFERRING MEANING
 TYPES OF QUESTIONS
 MULTIPLE CHOICE
 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
 SENTENCE COMPLETION
 CHOOSING FROM A BANK OF HEADINGS
 NOTES/SUMMARY/DIAGRAM/CHART/TABLE COMPLETION
 IDENTIFICATION OF WRITER’S VIEWS OR ATTITUDES
 TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN/ YES, NO, NOT GIVEN
 CLASSIFICATION
 MATCHING LISTS/PHRASES

24. ACADEMIC READING
ALL SECTIONS: ACADEMIC TEXTS
JOURNALS, NEWSPAPERS, TEXT BOOKS
AND MAGAZINES REPRESENTATIVE OF
READING, REQUIREMENTS FOR
POSTGRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS
GENERAL INTEREST RATHER THAN
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC
GRADED IN DIFFICULTY

25. ACADEMIC WRITING SUB-TEST
 TWO TASKS: 60 MINUTES
 TASK 1: 20 MINUTES, 150 WORDS
 DESCRIPTIVE REPORT BASED ON GRAPHIC OR
PICTORIAL INPUT
 INFORMATION TRANSFER EXERCISE (NO ANALYSIS
REQUIRED)
 LOOK AT A DIAGRAM, A TABLE OR SHORT PIECE OF TEXT
AND THEN PRESENT THE INFORMATION IN YOUR OWN
WORDS.
 SKILLS:
 PRESENT, DESCRIBE, INTERPRET, COMPARE GIVEN DATA
 DESCRIBE A PROCESS OR HOW SOMETHING WORKS
 USE APPROPRIATE AND ACCURATE LANGUAGE

26. ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
WRITING IS ASSESSED ON ABILITY TO:
 organize, present and compare data
 describe the stages of a process
 describe an object or event
 explain how something works
WRITING IS JUDGED ON ABILITY TO:
 answer the question without straying from the topic
 write in a way which allows your reader to follow your
ideas
Use English grammar and syntax accurately
Use appropriate language in terms of register, style
our and content

27. ACADEMIC WRITING SUB-TEST
TASK 2: 40 MINUTES, 250 WORDS
 DISCURSIVE ESSAY-- EXTENDED PIECE OF
WRITING WHERE CANDIDATES ARE PRESENTED WITH A
GIVEN POINT OF VIEW OR PROBLEM ON WHICH TO BASE
THEIR WRITING
 SKILLS:
 ARGUE, DEFEND OR ATTACK A POINT OF VIEW BACKED
BY EVIDENCE
 PRESENT THE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM
COMPARE & CONTRAST OPINIONS DRAWING ON PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE

28. ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 2
WRITING IS ASSESSED ON ABILITY TO:
 present the solution to a problem
 present and justify an opinion
 compare and contrast evidence and opinions
 evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an
argument
WRITING IS JUDGED ON ABILITY TO:
 communicate an idea to the reader in an
appropriate style
 address a problem without straying from the topic
Use English grammar and syntax accurately
Use appropriate language in terms of register, style
our and content