IELTS is one of the English language exams most often heard of by people planning to study or work abroad. But questions like "which IELTS?", "how many hours does it take?" and "what does a 6.5 score mean?" often cause confusion. In this article we have gathered the answers in plain language, based on the official IELTS website (ielts.org).
IELTS Academic vs General Training: which one to choose?
There are two main types of IELTS: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same in both tests, while the Reading and Writing sections differ.
| IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | those who want to study in an English-speaking country; professional registration | those who want to migrate to an English-speaking country; training or study below degree level |
| Listening and Speaking | shared | shared |
| Reading and Writing | Academic version | General Training version |
In addition, there is IELTS for UKVI, which is accepted for certain UK visa and citizenship applications. The best way to find out which type you need is to check the requirements of the organisation you are applying to.
Which sections does the test include?
According to the detailed IELTS Academic test format on ielts.org:
| Section | Timing | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | approximately 30 minutes | 4 parts, 40 questions |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 3 sections, 40 questions |
| Writing | 60 minutes | 2 tasks |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | 3 parts |
In the Writing section, it is recommended to spend approximately 20 minutes on Task 1 and approximately 40 minutes on Task 2. The Speaking section is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an examiner, and it is recorded.
How is the IELTS score calculated?
IELTS results are reported on a band score scale from 0 to 9. Each band has an official description:
- 9 — Expert
- 8 — Very good
- 7 — Good
- 6 — Competent
- 5 — Modest
- 4 — Limited
- 3 — Extremely limited
- 2 — Intermittent
- 1 — Non-user
- 0 — Did not attempt the test
The overall band score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.
Overall score with examples
Examples from ielts.org itself:
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
As you can see, a weak result in one section can pull the overall score down. That is why it is important to pay attention to all four skills when preparing.
Summary
- IELTS has two main types: Academic (study, professional registration) and General Training (migration, training and study below degree level).
- Listening and Speaking are the same in both types; Reading and Writing differ.
- Academic format: Listening ~30 min, Reading 60 min, Writing 60 min, Speaking 11–14 min.
- Results are reported on a 0–9 band scale; the overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band.
Do you have a question about English courses? Message Estavor Akademiya on WhatsApp: +994 77 754 10 12.
📚 Sources
🌐 The original article is in Azerbaijani; the official sources are available in Azerbaijani.
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