IELTS Syllabus

IELTS Syllabus

IELTS syllabus :  Both IELTS formats in IELTS syllabus - IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training - are made up of four compulsory sections – Listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS test is designed to reflect real life use of English — at study, at work, and at play and results are graded on a unique IELTS 9-band scale. Mentioned below are the different sections in the IELTS syllabus:

Listening section:

The Listening section has four sub-sections. The first one is a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context. Second is a monologue or a speech. Third section is a conversation between a maximum of four people set in an academic setting and the final one is a monologue on an academic subject, for instance, an academic lecture. Each section is heard only once.

IELTS Reading section:

According to the IELTS syllabus , the Reading section assesses the test taker’s skill in reading as she/he answers the questions (multiple choice, sentence completion, summary writing, matching information, short-answers etc.) after reading one long text in each of the sections. The Reading component consists of 40 questions. A variety of question types like reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, recognising writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose are used in order to test a wide range of reading skills.

IELTS Academic: The Academic version of the syllabus of IELTS includes three long texts which range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. These have been selected for a non-specialist audience but are appropriate for candidates entering university courses or seeking professional registration.

IELTS General Training: According to the IELTS  Syllabus, the General Training version requires candidates to read extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English speaking environment.

IELTS writing section:

The IELTS writing section varies for the two versions. In each version, the section consists of two tasks:

IELTS Academic: The writing component of IELTS Academic includes two tasks. Topics are of general interest to and suitable for candidates entering undergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration. 

Task 1

You will be presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event.

Task 2

You will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style.

IELTS General Training: The writing component of IELTS General Training includes two tasks which are based on topics of general interest.

Task 1

You will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.

Task 2

You will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal in style than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay. 

IELTS Speaking section:

The IELTS Speaking test which is in recorded form consists of three parts that simulate a face-to-face oral interview with an examiner. The Speaking component assesses your use of spoken English, and takes between 11 and 14 minutes to complete. Every test is recorded. The Speaking component is delivered in such a way that it does not allow candidates to rehearse set responses beforehand.

Part 1

The Examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.

Part 2

You will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.

Part 3

You will be asked further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issue. The part of the test lasts between four and five minutes. 

The total duration of the IELTS test is 2 hours 45 minutes. According to the IELTS test pattern, listening, reading and writing tests are taken on one day while speaking test may be taken on the same day or within 7 days before or after the test. Therefore, while registering for a particular IELTS test date, candidates should make sure he/ she would be available at the test centre as on that date. 

Since there is no minimum eligibility criterion, aspirants who wish to pursue opportunities in English speaking countries can register for the test by applying through the IELTS application form. It should be noted that the selection procedure through IELTS varies from institution to institution. Hence, it is advisable that the candidate should be knowledgeable about the selection procedure and minimum IELTS result requirement for their respective organization.