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IELTS Exam Pattern

Exam

Kitiyala Jamir

Updated on 27th June, 2023 , 4 min read

IELTS Exam Pattern: Overview

The four sections of the IELTS exam are speaking, reading, writing, and listening. The candidates are assessed using these four criteria. IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training Test are the two exam formats offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Universities all over the world that accept applicants for undergraduate or graduate programs will accept IELTS Academic. Candidates should review the prerequisites for the college or university they are applying to, then make the necessary preparations.

Those who intend to immigrate to a significant English-speaking country take the IELTS General Training exam. It can also be provided by people who are moving abroad for job-related training. Professional organizations that require English language proficiency scores from applicants whose first language is not English also accept IELTS scores.

The most well-known test globally is the IELTS, or International English Language Testing System. If you want to work, study, or live abroad, getting a good IELTS score can help you realize your dream of doing so. The TOEFL and IELTS are the two main exams used to determine a person's level of English language proficiency.

IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are the two tests that are offered. The grades for both tests are computed in the same way. 

The first three sections of the test—Listening, Reading, and Writing—will all be taken on the same day and in the following order. There will be no breaks in between any of these tests. Depending on local regulations, your speaking test will either take place that day, seven days beforehand, or after. 

IELTS Exam Pattern: Outline

The IELTS exam has separate categories for the Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking sections, as we already mentioned. Candidates should be aware that the Reading, Listening, and Writing portions of the exam are given all at once. However, the Speaking section may be administered either on the exam day or seven days before or after.

 

Paper

Content

Time

Listening

40 questions

30 minutes approximately (plus 10 minutes for transfer)

Reading

40 questions

60 minutes

Writing

2 tasks

60 minutes

Speaking

3 parts

11–14 minutes

IELTS Exam Pattern

1. Listening

The purpose of the IELTS Listening test is to evaluate a variety of listening abilities, including how well you can

  • comprehend key concepts and precise factual information
  • recognize a speaker's viewpoints, stances, and objectives
  • follow an argument's progression

Format

You will be required to respond in writing to a series of questions following the listening of four recordings of native English speakers.

  • Recording 1: a two-person conversation that takes place in a typical social setting.
  • Recording 2: a monologue presented in a typical social setting, such as a speech about neighborhood amenities
  • Recording 3:A conversation between two to four people that takes place in an educational or training context, such as a university tutor and a student talking about an assignment, is captured in Recording 3.
  • Recording 4: a speech on a scholarly topic, such as a university lecture

Types of IELTS Listening Questions


 

  • Matching
  • Multiple-choice questions
  • Sentence completion
  • Short answer questions

Writing

The IELTS Writing test is created to evaluate a variety of writing abilities, including your ability to

  • Construct a suitable response.
  • organize concepts
  • accurately use a variety of vocabulary and grammar

Academic Writing

Format

Write in a formal tone when taking the IELTS Academic Writing test. 

  • Task 1: A graph, table, chart, or diagram will be displayed to you. Describe, sum up, or otherwise explain the information in your own words. This could involve outlining the steps of a process or the use of a device, describing an object or an event, or describing and explaining data. 
  • Task 2: You must respond in writing to a point of view, argument, or issue that you find engaging and understandable.

Types 


 

  • Identifying information
  • Matching features
  • Sentence completion
  • Short-answer questions
  • Identifying the author's claims
 

General Training Writing

Format

 

IELTS General Training Writing test topics cover a wide range of general interests. 

  • Task 1: You'll be given a situation and asked to write a letter outlining the specifics or requesting information. An informal, formal, or semi-formal writing style can be used for the letter.
  • Task 2: You must respond to a point of view, argument, or problem in writing, using a reasonably original style.

Speaking 

You will speak with a trained examiner while taking the IELTS Speaking exam. The test is interactive and attempts to closely resemble actual conditions. The exam will be recorded and offered in a range of accents.

The IELTS Speaking test's subject matter is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training exams.

 

Format

  • Part 1: To confirm your identity, the examiner will introduce themselves and ask you to do the same. The examiner will inquire generally about well-known topics like your residence, household members, place of employment, academic pursuits, and hobbies. You should be able to relax and speak naturally after this section.
  • Part 2: You will be given a task card by the examiner that contains guidelines for how to discuss a particular subject and potential talking points. You have one minute for preparation and taking notes. You will then be required to speak for 1-2 minutes on the topic. You must keep talking during this period because you won't be interrupted. The examiner will then ask you one or two questions on the same subject after that.
  • Part 3: In this section, the examiner will continue to question you about the topic from Part 2. These questions are designed to give you the opportunity to discuss more conceptual topics and ideas.

Types

  • You must respond to a variety of questions in order to effectively communicate opinions and information on common subjects and experiences.
  • speak in-depth and in the correct language about the subject at hand.
  • Clearly organize your thoughts.
  • Express and defend your views.
  • analyze, debate, and speculate on problems

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Frequently Asked Questions

Has the IELTS exam pattern changed?

The format of the IELTS test has not altered significantly. In the listening test, the word "section" was changed to "parts" in 2020.

What is IELTS Exam Pattern?

The Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening sections of the IELTS test each have their own syllabus. The Reading and Writing sections of the IELTS Academic and General Training tests differ from one another, but the Listening and Speaking sections always remain the same.

What does the IELTS test consist of?

The IELTS reading test consists of four paragraphs from which the candidate will be given 40 questions. The IELTS listening section consists of four recorded monologues and conversations, and the candidate must respond to a total of 40 questions based on those four recordings. A 250-word essay and a 150-word explanation of graphics, images, and illustrations make up the two writing tasks in the test. The speaking portion will conclude with a structured and in-depth discussion on a variety of interesting topics, followed by a few brief one-on-one interview questions and some in-depth discussions of various topics.

Can I pass the IELTS exam without studying?

If you are good at speaking and writing English, you can do well on an exam with little to no preparation. However, by getting ready for the IELTS test, you can raise your performance.

How difficult is the IELTS exam?

This query doesn’t have a clear solution. IELTS was created to gauge a person’s proficiency with the language. It evaluates your proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening in English. Like any other exam, you must study hard for this one as well. Also, there is no pass or fail in IELTS.

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