IELTS test: what is it like? Examples of IELTS tests. How are IELTS scores assessed

IELTS(International English Language Testing System) – it is an international level English testing system. It is used to test linguistics both with native speakers and those who want to confirm theirs.

No homework. No cramming. No textbooks

From the "ENGLISH TO AUTOMATION" course you:

• Learn to write competent sentences in English without memorizing grammar
• You will learn the secret of a progressive approach, thanks to which you can reduce the development of English from 3 years to 15 weeks
• Will check your answers instantly+ get a thorough breakdown of each task
• Download the dictionary in PDF and MP3 formats, learning tables and audio recording of all phrases

Exam duration

The delivery of all four stages of IELTS takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Examiners do not allocate additional time for filling out forms and checking errors, so you need to carefully consider these procedures already during the testing process.

The TOEFL PBT test takes 3 hours and 30 minutes. At the same time, about 1 hour is allocated for the Reading stage, and you must complete all other sections of the exams within half an hour.

TOEFL IBT in this regard is the most democratic, this type of testing is carried out for a total of 4.5 hours. However, it should be borne in mind that the tasks in it are slightly different from the paper version. In addition, it is important to have basic but powerful computer skills.

In the phased structure of time distribution, the Listening and Reading sections are in the lead, with an hour and a half allotted for them. You will have an hour for the writing part, and the speaking part will take only 20 minutes. Applicants are entitled to a 10-minute break when taking the TOEFL test.

Listening notes

To successfully complete the Reading and Listening stages, it will be very useful for you to make some notes and notes on the provided drafts. This is allowed in both test systems.

It should be borne in mind that when taking the TOEFL IBP, your "notes" are not only useful, but also recommended by the exam authors. This means that they will indirectly count towards calculating your grade. If you have chosen the American test, be sure to pay attention to this.

Key differences between IELTS and TOEFL exams

These two exams are kind of competitors when testing the knowledge of English among candidates around the world, therefore, the set of tasks and the assessment system in them are different. However, the general structure of the stages and their content remain the same.

Reading

In IELTS, you must read a total of 2000-3000 words in this 3-part stage and answer test questions. The style and subject matter of the texts, their complexity for understanding is determined by the module you have chosen. At this stage, you are given 1 hour of time.

In TOEFL for both paper and online versions, the procedure is the same. The only difference is that here you will not be offered lengthy texts, but 5-6 passages corresponding to widely accepted styles of presentation. The assignments are given from 1 to 1.5 hours.

Listening

When passing IELTS here, you will need to complete the test tasks based on what you heard. This is the only step in which additional time (10 minutes) is given to complete the answer forms.

In contrast, the TOFEL listening task set contains many small audio recordings: short dialogues, long dialogues and short monologues-lectures. After each bite, you must answer test questions. In IBT, the first part with short dialogues was removed, leaving only the other two.

Writing

In the IELTS system, this is writing 2 texts, at least 150 and 250 words each. The first text is an explanation of the information provided, the second is "from oneself" on a given topic. It takes 1 hour to complete.

There are actually 2 written parts in TOEFL PBT. In one, which replaces the stage of oral speech (Structure and Written Expression), you must correctly fill in the gaps in the sentences, choosing from the proposed list. In the second - also write an essay on a given topic in size 150-250 words.

TOEFL IBP in this section uses an integrated approach. This means that you should write an essay based on reading some text and listening to an audio recording. In the work, you will have to support or refute the proposed statements and express your opinion.

Speaking

Speaking in IELTS is a 3-part conversation with an examiner. First you get to know each other, then you answer questions on a specific topic, and then you discuss this topic. This stage is the shortest, only 10-20 minutes.

The TOEFL PBT does not provide this type of test of your knowledge. For online IBP testing, you will need to speak with the examiner into a microphone and complete 6 tasks orally. This stage in TOEFL also takes only 20 minutes. Before passing the test, be sure to make sure that your computer is in good working order.

The choice of a specific testing system is based on what requirements you set for yourself and those organizations for which you are going to take the exam. By carefully studying all the aspects set out in this article, you can determine which of the exams most closely meets your goals and needs.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are international level exams that test knowledge of English as a foreign language. It would seem that choosing one of the two exams is not difficult, because both test the knowledge of the English language. But the first impression is deceiving, and they are completely different. The question "What to take: IELTS or TOEFL?" In this article, we looked at the TOEFL and IELTS features that will help you understand which exam you need to take.

Why do you need IELTS and TOEFL

If you want to move to an English-speaking country, find a permanent job there or get a higher education, then a certificate from one of these exams is simply necessary for you. In addition, it will be a good plus when obtaining a visa at a foreign embassy. Most countries in the world recognize IELTS and TOEFL certificates as a document confirming your knowledge of the English language.

How TOEFL differs from IELTS

Why do we need both of these exams, we figured it out. Now let's see how they differ. There are two main differences that should be considered in the first place when choosing an exam:

1. Language and country

IELTS tests proficiency in British English. That is, you will need IELTS if you want to move to the UK, Australia or New Zealand. TOEFL tests your knowledge of American English. TOEFL must be taken by those who want to move to the United States of America or Canada.

Besides England and America, over 130 countries accept TOEFL results and over 145 countries accept IELTS results. If you are going to study abroad, then with a TOEFL or IELTS certificate, the doors of 9,000 educational institutions are open for you. In addition, many US universities accept IELTS results, and many UK universities accept TOEFL. Therefore, be sure to check which exam is preferable at the university of your choice.

2. Format

The exam is available in two versions: General IELTS - a test for general knowledge of the English language; Academic IELTS is a test of knowledge of academic English. In order to live and work in any English-speaking country, it is enough to have a General IELTS certificate.

TOEFL exists only in the academic version, so in terms of complexity it is equivalent to Academic IELTS. The TOEFL certificate is a must-have for those who want to get higher education in the USA or Canada. Academic IELTS is needed for those who want to study or work at a university in the UK or Australia.

IELTS exists only in the "paper" version, while TOEFL can be taken in two formats: Paper-based Test (TOEFL PBT) - a written version of the test and Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) - a computer version. The structure of the two formats is different. In the article "" you can find out what is the difference between them.

Which is easier: IELTS or TOEFL

Now we got to the question that interests everyone - "Which exam is easier: IELTS or TOEFL?" It is impossible to answer unequivocally, since there are too many parameters to be taken into account. We have tried to illuminate this issue from different angles.

TOEFL and IELTS are taken differently. We invite you to use the tables, where we compared all the similarities and differences in formats. This will help you determine which exam is best for you. We will consider only TOEFL iBT, as it is more popular, the “paper” version is rarely rented. In addition, there are very few TOEFL PBT centers in Russia.

Reading. Reading
TOEFL	IELTS
Number of texts: from 3 to 5.	Number of texts: 3.
Tasks: 12-14 questions for each text.	Tasks: 40 questions for all texts.
The size: about 700 words in each text.	The size: 650-1000 words per text.
Time: total - 60-100 minutes, 20 minutes to work with each text.	Time: total - 60 minutes, 20 minutes to work with each text.
Complexity: academic texts of equal difficulty.	Complexity increasing texts: the first is the easiest, the last is the most difficult.

You may have noticed that TOEFL Reading is less predictable. It is impossible to predict how many texts you will get and what their number depends on. The texts are taken from scientific articles, lectures, etc. The vocabulary in them is quite complex, but understandable to a person without special education.

The General IELTS module presents texts about the daily life of the British. They are taken from popular newspapers and magazines, the vocabulary in them is common colloquial. In the Academic IELTS module, as the name suggests, academic texts taken from scientific or pseudo-scientific publications. The vocabulary in these texts is more complex, but understandable to a non-specialist in a particular field.

Listening. Listening
TOEFL	IELTS
Number of audio recordings: from 2 to 4.	Number of audio recordings: 3.
Tasks: 5-6 questions for each entry.	Tasks: 40 questions for all entries.
Time: 60-90 minutes.	Time: 40 minutes.
Audio recordings: dialogue between students or teachers in an educational institution and 1-3 short lectures.	Audio recordings: dialogue and monologue on an everyday topic or academic content.

And again, it is impossible to say exactly how many tasks you will get, you will learn about this only on the exam. But the good news is that the more reading texts you get, the fewer listening notes you get, and vice versa. The difficulty of TOEFL Listening is that first you listen to the audio recording and only then you get questions. This means that you need to remember well the content of the text and have time to make notes. After listening to each audio recording, you are given 10 minutes to answer the questions.

The advantage of IELTS Listetning is that you receive questions immediately, that is, you can listen and answer in parallel. After listening to all the audio recordings, you are given another 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the clean copy.

Writing. Letter
TOEFL	IELTS
Time: total - 60 minutes, 30 minutes for each task.	Time: general - 60 minutes, 20 minutes for the first task, 40 minutes for the second.
Tasks: 1. An essay of 300-350 words. 2. Mixed assignment: you read the text and listen to a lecture on one topic and based on this you write an essay of 150-250 words.	Tasks: 1. In the Academic IELTS module - describe a graph, table, diagram. In General IELTS - write a letter (official, unofficial). The volume is 150 words. 2. An essay of 200-250 words in two modules.

As you can see, the Writing section is different in the two exams. However, the main difference between TOEFL and IELTS Writing is the way it is passed. On the IELTS exam, you write an essay by hand; on the TOEFL exam, you type on your computer.

Speaking. Speaking
TOEFL	IELTS
Time: 20 minutes.	Time: 11-14 minutes.
Number of tasks: 6.	Number of tasks: 4.
The answer to every question: 45-60 seconds.	The answer to every question: 1-2 minutes.
Types of tasks: expressing your point of view; mixed-type assignments, where you need to listen to a short lecture and answer a question.	Types of tasks: answers to general questions, monologue, dialogue, discussion, expressing your opinion.

Again, the sections are very different. In TOEFL Speaking, you "communicate" with a computer: speak your answers into a microphone, and the computer records them. In IELTS Speaking, you take the exam to a live person - you talk to the examiner.

Other features of TOEFL and IELTS

• TOEFL lasts 4 hours, IELTS - 2 hours 45 minutes. Less doesn't mean easier. But it can be physically harder to think, listen, read, write for four hours.
• All TOEFL assignments are multiple choices, that is, you need to choose the correct answer from several suggested ones. There are different types of assignments in IELTS: fill in the gaps, indicate the statement is correct or incorrect, etc. That is, if the spelling is lame, then in IELTS it will be visible and the grade for this may be reduced.
• The exam also reflects the fact that IELTS tests British English, and TOEFL - American. This means that the version of the English language in the two exams will also be different. Words, expressions, idioms will come across those used by native speakers in the respective country.
• A TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency certificate is valid for two years. After two years, the information about the passed exam is deleted from the database. Therefore, if necessary, the exam is passed again. The validity period is not infinite, because your level of knowledge can change over time.

What is better to take TOEFL or IELTS?

To understand which exam to take, you need to decide on a few things.

1. Find out which exam is preferable in the country where you are going

If only IELTS or only TOEFL is required of you, then further reading of this list is pointless. If there is not much difference which exam to take, then move on down the list.

2. Decide on the format

If you are going to live and work in an English-speaking country, then the General IELTS certificate will be enough for you even in America or Canada. For admission to a university, you need academic options for exams.

3. Use tables

Become familiar with how each exam performs so you can see where you will feel more comfortable. Maybe you don't type very quickly, or, conversely, forgot the last time you held a pen in your hands. You may not like speaking into a microphone: you would like to talk to a person, not a technique. Or you may feel anxious and nervous when talking to a “real” speaker. All these factors are purely individual, and you need to decide what suits your personality.

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TOEFL and IELTS are two tickets to the English-speaking world. If you want to get into this world, then a certificate from one of the exams will make your task easier. No matter how well you speak English, in a foreign embassy a word of honor is not enough - your knowledge must be confirmed. This is what the TOEFL and IELTS exams are for, because they assess the knowledge of the English language as objectively as possible. And which exam to take and which world to go to - North America, exotic Australia, conservative England - is up to you.

This exam was developed in 1990. He tests a person's proficiency in all possible language skills, namely: reading, listening, speaking and writing. The exam lasts 2 hours 45 minutes and consists of 4 parts.

IELTS comes in General Training Module and Academic Module. The first type is passed by people who are going to emigrate to New Zealand, Australia, or those who want to be a cook, manager, etc. Then the Reading and Writing General Training Module offers tests that do not contain specific and academic vocabulary. The second is passed by people who want to study, work in their specialty, so the requirements are very high. Therefore, the results of this exam are recognized by all universities in New Zealand and the United States, and some universities in Denmark, Canada, Germany. There are approximately 100 universities in America that accept IELTS results. This exam is becoming more and more popular, because all kinds of fraud are excluded, and the form of the exam is very successful. In addition, the translation of TOEFL into a computer form has led to some inconvenience for people from countries where computers are not very common, so IELTS is gaining even more popularity.

About 80% of people take the Academic Module. As for Russia, here in most cases people who are going to emigrate take the test.

Rating system

When passing IELTS, there is a nine-point scale for assessing a candidate's knowledge. A certain number of points is given for each section, then they are summed up, and you get a point for the exam as a whole. At the same time, Writing and Speaking are evaluated up to 1 point, and Reading and Listening - up to 0.5 points.

It is difficult to say how many points you need to take, because each university determines the required number of points for admission. But in general, we can say that if you enter a faculty that requires good knowledge of the language, then you need to score at least 6.5 points, if not, then 6 points will be enough.

Listening section

The first section of the test lasts 30 minutes, in which you have to answer 40 questions. The questions are divided into 4 blocks, with the first two being a monologue and dialogue, they are aimed at discussing various everyday problems and situations, and the third and fourth relate to learning. For example, you will be offered a conversation with students on how to do a certain job correctly.

All tasks are contained on a cassette, which you can listen to only once, so you should concentrate as much as possible and not be distracted by anything else. After listening to the cassette, you will have only 10 minutes, during which you will need to sort out what you wrote and transfer the answers to a special form.

No special knowledge is required to successfully pass the tests. The complexity grows with each new part.

Academic Reading Section

There are also 40 questions in this section, only 60 minutes are given for them. You will be given 3 texts of about 2000 words, one of them may contain diagrams, graphs, pictures, it happens that there are special terms, a special dictionary is issued for them.

For example, you may come across a text about wind energy use in Argentina. Then you will need to select words from the list and insert them into the resume and complete the sentences, while selecting the desired statement from the list. At the same time, there is no additional time for transferring your answers to the form.

Academic Writing Section

In this section, you must write two texts, while the volume of the first text must be at least 150 words, the second - at least 250. The time is given an hour.

In the first part, you need to summarize the information that is given in the table or diagram in your own words. By doing this, you must show your skills in organizing and correlating data, describing objects, various events.

In the second task, you are given a specific topic, and on it you must write a report, a clear justification or critical comments. The ability to make the right decision, prove your opinion, compare evidence and suggestions will be assessed. As with the first part, special skills are also not required here. The second task has more weight than the first.

Speaking section

This section consists of a conversation with the examiner and is divided into 5 parts. The first part is the introduction to the examiner, that is, the candidate and examiner introduce themselves to each other. After that, the examiner asks several standard questions about the candidate's life, his hobbies, family. This is necessary in order to relieve tension from the candidate.

In the second part, the examiner asks the candidate to tell about something that he is interested in, during this he pays attention to his vocabulary, looks at how the person is able to explain.

Then comes the "obtaining information", while the candidate receives a card with the task, after which he must ask various questions to the examiner in order to obtain the information he needs to solve the problem.

Then comes "reflection." Its meaning is that the candidate should write about his plans for studying abroad.

The last part is the "conclusion", which summarizes the results.

Your entire interview will be taped, so take it easy and don't hesitate.

How long does it take to prepare for IELTS?

Teachers believe that for good preparation from the Intermediate level, it takes from 3 months to 1 year, it all depends on the number of classes and their effectiveness.

If a person has very poor knowledge of English, then it takes several years to prepare for IELTS, but if you have a great desire and good abilities, then 2-3 years will be enough for you.

Preparation on courses

Prepare yourself, in courses or with a tutor - it's up to you. Each has its own way, it depends on your abilities, financial capabilities and desires. Regardless of which solution you choose, first you need to get the official test booklet, which contains examples of tasks, and practice on them.

If you have the opportunity, then it is best to go to the courses. First, you will be asked to take a test that will show your level of knowledge, on the basis of this you will be assigned to a group where people with approximately your level of knowledge of English will be engaged. On average, a group of up to 15 people. You may need to wait until a certain number of people are recruited.

During the class, you will go over each part of the exam in detail. A lot of time is devoted to communication and writing essays, because the ability to perceive speech by ear and easily and competently express your thoughts is very important. You will perform tasks not only in the classroom, but also at home on your own, the main thing is not to abandon, do everything that is required of you.

Both native speakers can teach in the courses, but as for oral practice, it is better to take it with native speakers, because these are the most important points in the exam.

Of course, the best and most effective will be classes in the training center of the British Council, because it is he who takes the test and knows how best to prepare for it. Here you can study in a group, then individually with a teacher - it all depends on your desire and capabilities. But it is worth noting that such courses will cost you a lot.

Various schools also present their developments. The Polyglot Language Academy has developed programs for students with a level of knowledge not lower than Upper Intermediate. The group for such classes consists of 3-5 people, 30 hours are allocated for classes in a group, while individual classes are 10 hours. Classes are 2 times a week for 1.5 hours. After such preparation, people basically pass the exam for 6.5-7 points, and this result is enough to enter any institution.

Preparing for IELTS on your own

In order to prepare as well as possible for passing this test, you need to solve all the tasks. You can buy special textbooks such as Insight into IELTS or Passport to IELTS. You can get a kit for preparing for IELTS in the offices of the British Council, this kit includes cassettes, textbooks, as well as assignments that were given in previous years, they are called IELTS Specimen Materials.

Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase these materials, so people can check them out in the British Council Library for free. You can also watch movies and listen to cassettes there.

There are tasks that will be elementary for native speakers, but difficult for you. For example, you will need to dictate the last name, first name, prices, home phones. The data speaks pretty quickly, so you need to literally memorize the numbers and letters, and for this you need someone to dictate numbers and letters to you, or you yourself need to dictate it to the recorder.

Take a collection of Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS, find some complete tests there and solve them, but do not forget that you have a certain amount of time to solve them. Then look at your results, and if you have more than 60%, then this is a good result, but do not forget that you did this at home, and as you know, houses and walls help.

Where and how to take IELTS?

If you live in Russia, you can take IELTS at the British Council centers located in Moscow. IELTS can also be taken in Ukraine, Poland and other countries. IELTS is accepted in 106 countries, with 224 reception centers.

As for the cost of taking, IELTS will cost you more than TOEFL, namely, it will be 70 pounds. At the same time, you will not have to pay in dollars through Holland, you will pay in rubles at Sberbank. There are competitive programs of the British Council, according to which you will study and intern in the UK. And if you have been selected to participate in these programs, then you do not pay for the IELTS test.

Registration for the test

Accepted by IELTS by the British Council, the University of Cambridge Examination Board and IDP Education Australia. There are no clear dates for exams, they are held when the required number of applicants is reached in the second half of the calendar month. To register for the exam, you need to go to any of these organizations from the 2nd to the 11th of each month. Living in Moscow, you need to come on a weekday to the office of the British Council from 14.00 to 17.00, you will receive bank details, fill out the form. You need to bring two 3x4 cm photos. If you live in another city, you can sign up for the exam by phone.

IELTS test procedure

The exam time will be 7.5 hours, taking into account the time it takes to change tasks, and two breaks. The first and second sections go in a row, after them there will be a break, it is 20 minutes. Then there is Writing, followed by Speaking.

It is allowed to eat and drink, so if you did not have time to have breakfast at home, you should not despair, but it is still recommended to eat at home so as not to be distracted by food during the exam.

You need to arrive early for the exam, because there are many formalities that take time. And if you have some extra time, it's even good, look around the place, get used to it a little, then it won't be so exciting.

When all the candidates come, you will be launched into an auditorium where documents will be checked. In the British Council, it is imperative to present 2 documents that prove your identity, in addition to this, you must have a regular passport.

While all these formalities are tedious and, at first glance, seem like a waste of time, experience shows that it is precisely because of these formalities that many institutions rely on exam results.

Then you will receive the Listening booklets and answer sheets, you need to note that you are choosing the Academic Module and sign.

If suddenly for some reason you decide to refuse to take the test, but at the same time have already paid the required amount for taking it, you can take it in the next two months on any day or return 50% of the cost. But if you could not come to the exam due to illness, and you have a sick leave, which confirms this fact, then you will be refunded 100% of the cost.

How to behave on the test?

The most important thing is that you need to carefully read the assignments with concentration. Many people skim assignments without reading them in full, and end up answering incorrectly. Also, get ready for the fact that you have to write down very quickly, you can shorten words, draw what you hear, the main thing is fast.

Preparing for Listening, you need to listen to as many audio recordings as possible, watch movies, most importantly with pure English.

When passing this test in Reading, you can choose the easiest tasks and do them first. After all, all tasks are graded the same, so do it from the easiest to the most difficult.

Also, during the time given before listening to the cassette in the Listening section, usually 2-3 minutes, look through the questions and try to guess the answers to them.

If your rule is "the more the better", then this is not for this exam. You shouldn't write too much, write less, but better.

If you suddenly have a desire to spy on your neighbor's answers, forget about him immediately, because if you are suspected of cheating, your results will not be counted. Is such an attempt worth the money you paid for passing the exam ?!

Perhaps you did not have time somewhere or do not know something, in this case you should not get lost and panic, it is better to decide something else during this time, or just try to guess what you do not know.

As for the Speaking section, your grammar, speech speed, vocabulary and relaxedness are assessed here. Therefore, you should not be nervous, worried, afraid, it is better to just relax, and then it will be easier for you to speak with the examiner. Jokes will help you, and if you can't joke, just show that you are a polite and confident person. At the same time, you should not turn away, look at the ceiling and somewhere else, no, you need to look a person in the eyes. If you get very nervous, take a few deep breaths and think that you will succeed.

When will the results be?

Your results will be known in about two weeks, they will be sent to you by mail. Once the results are known, you can ask the British Council to send your results to any institution.

If your results disappoint you, do not despair, because you can take the exams as many times as you want, but only after three months. And remember that IELTS results are valid for two years.

Methodology

There are two types of test, Academic(intended for people wishing to obtain higher education in educational institutions where education is conducted in English) and General Training(intended for people planning immigration to the above English-speaking countries).

A feature of the Academic test is the increased level of difficulty of the Reading section and Writing section compared to the same tests in General Training.

IELTS consists of 4 sections, which are taken in the following order: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking.

• Listening - lasts 40 minutes, of which 30 - listening directly plus 10 minutes for transferring answers to the form
  • everyday dialogues
  • monologues on a given topic
• Reading - exactly one hour (you need to answer questions about the texts (usually there are 3))
• Writing - exactly one hour
  • Task One. Academic: Describe a chart or table in 150 words. General: Write Email
  • Task Two. Essay for 250 words, the topic is given in the assignment
• Speaking - 11 to 14 minutes. In this module, the candidate goes through a one-on-one interview with the examiner. In case of appeal, the interview is recorded.

The rating scale ranges from 0 ("did not try to pass the test") to 9 ("user - expert").

Test structure

All candidates must complete 4 sections - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for everyone, while Reading and Writing differ depending on which version of the test is chosen - Academic or General.

The total test duration for the Listening, Reading and Writing sections is about 2 hours 45 minutes. These three modules always run in this order and without interruption. The Speaking section can be held separately, depending on the test center, with an interval of 7 days before or after the rest of the modules.

• Listening 40 min. The first 30 minutes of them the recording is played centrally, the remaining 10 minutes the candidates write down the answers to the questionnaire.
• Reading 60 min
• Writing 60 mins

Grading scale

IELTS results are graded on a 9-point scale covering possible levels of English proficiency. The score can be rounded up to half a point.

9 Expert user

Fully fluent in the language: adequate, clear and fluent with full understanding.

8 Very good user

Fully fluent in the language, with the exception of some inaccuracies. In some uncharacteristic situations, it may show misunderstanding. He is able to argue his position in detail.

7 Good user

He is fluent in the language, despite some inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Generally demonstrates good language skills and clear detailed understanding.

6 Competent user

In general, he is fluent in the language, despite some inaccuracies. Has a relatively good command of the language, in particular in standard situations.

5 Moderate user

Has limited command of the language, generally demonstrates understanding of most situations, although he makes many mistakes. Capable of basic communication.

4 Limited user

Basic knowledge of the language is limited to standard situations. Often has problems with complex language constructs.

3 Extremely Limited User

Demonstrates only a rough understanding of very common situations.

2 User intermittent

In reality, communication is impossible, except for the most standard situations using separate words and short formulations.

1 Not proficient in the language

Generally unable to use language other than a few isolated words.

0 Didn't try to pass the test

No evaluation information provided.

Conversion table

This table can be used to convert the scores in the Listening and Reading sections into a final grade. It is only indicative, since in specific cases the score may depend on the complexity of the exam.

Fraud

October 2009, Gurgaon, India (Indian Express.com)

June 2010, Perth, Western Australia (The Australian)

Where is testing done?

IELTS tests are conducted at 500 locations in 121 countries. The number of candidates has grown from 80,000 in 1999 to 1.2 million in 2009.

In 2007, most candidates were assessed in the Academic category in the following countries: China, India, Pakistan.

Testing is carried out 48 times during the year. Each test center can conduct testing up to 4 times a month, depending on the needs of a particular region. There is usually a minimum 90-day restriction after which you can retake the exam, but this restriction has now been lifted.

After the British Council ceased its commercial activities in 2008, three independent organizations began to conduct the exam in Russia - the HQC IELTS Center (the first official center for international examinations since 2005), Students International IELTS Test Center and Bookhouse.

Exam results

As of 2007, the countries with the best grades in the Academic category were:

IELTS requirements for study

About 51% of candidates take the IELTS test to study abroad. Specific requirements may vary from institution to institution. However, in general, English-speaking countries require a higher score.

United States

The highest requirements - 8.5 points - exist for the Columbia University School of Journalism, which is the only one with such requirements.

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law requires 8.0 points.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires 7.0 points.

St. Louis University requires 6.0 points.

United Kingdom

The highest requirements - 8.0 points - are made by the University of Warwick for a PhD in Marketing. Most educational institutions have requirements ranging from 5.5 to 7.0 points.

University	Minimum IELTS score
Oxford University	7.0
University of Edinburgh	7.0 (All programs in Business, Management, Finance, Law, English Literature and Celtic / Scottish Studies)
Cambridge University	7.0
Glasgow University	6.5 (General) / 7.0 (Faculty of Arts & Humanities)
University of Aberdeen	6.5 (General) / 7.0 (Taught Degrees in Engineering)
University College London	6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 (depends on UCL's individual faculty / department requirement)
Imperial College London	6.5 (7.0 for the Life Sciences Department and the Imperial Business School)
Exeter University	6.5
Liverpool University	6.0
Birmingham University	6.0
Essex University	5.5

Germany

The University of Stuttgart requires a minimum of 6.0, as do most German universities.

Italy

The Polytechnic University of Turin requires 5.0 points. Most Italian universities require 7.0

Kazakhstan

IELTS for Immigration Purposes

A number of countries in the British Commonwealth use this exam as proof that the immigrant is fluent in English.

Australia

Australian immigration authorities have been using IELTS since May 1998. In general, candidates for independent migration are encouraged to demonstrate proficiency in English of at least 7.0 on the IELTS score in each section. The minimum level is 6.0 points for each section. This minimum means that the immigration candidate will receive fewer points on the test evaluating his suitability for immigration.

Citizens of English-speaking countries (United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Republic of Ireland) can choose to get the minimum level without any tests, or take IELTS up to 7.0 points to get extra points.

New Zealand

New Zealand has been using IELTS since 1995. Applicants must achieve an overall Academic or General score of at least 6.5. Those who do not comply with this requirement may pay a separate fee of 20,000 New Zealand dollars. This money is refunded if the candidate successfully learns English within 3 to 12 months after immigration.

Canada

Immigration Canada assigns points to an immigration candidate based on scores for individual IELTS sections. To get the maximum points, it is enough to get 6.5 points in all sections, except for Listening, which requires 7.5 points.

United Kingdom

Depending on the type of immigration program, an average score of 4.5 to 6.5 is required. An alternative would be a university degree from an institution in which most of the teaching was in English.

Other tests

• TOEIC

Notes (edit)

Links

International exams in English
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Most Popular	TOEFL , IELTS, FCE, TOEIC
Cambridge ( ESOL)	General English: KET , PET , FCE , CAE , CPE ; Professional English: BEC, BULATS, ILEC, ICFE; Academic English: IELTS
American	TOEFL(PBT, CBT, IBT), TOEIC
Other	UNIcert, GRE

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