The International English Language Testing System,[6] or IELTS /

a.lts/, is an international standardised test of English language proficiency

for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the
British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language
Assessment,[6] and was established in 1989. IELTS is one of the major
English-language tests in the world, others being the TOEFL, TOEIC,
PTE:A and OPI/OPIc.
IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand
academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United
States, and by various professional organisations across the world.
IELTS is the only Secure English Language Test approved by UK Visas and
Immigration (UKVI) for visa customers applying both outside and inside
the UK. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia and New
Zealand. In Canada, IELTS, TEF, or CELPIP are accepted by the
immigration authority.[7]
No minimum score is required to pass the test. An IELTS result or Test
Report Form is issued to all test takers with a score from "band 1" ("nonuser") to "band 9" ("expert user") and each institution sets a different
threshold. There is also a "band 0" score for those who did not attempt the
test. Institutions are advised not to consider a report older than two years to
be valid, unless the user proves that they have worked to maintain their
level.[8][9]
In 2014, 2.5 million tests were taken in more than 140 countries, up from 2
million tests in 2012, 1.7 million tests in 2011 and 1.4 million tests in 2009.
In 2007, IELTS administered more than one million tests in a single 12month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular
English language test for higher education and immigration.[3]

Contents

1 History

2 IELTS characteristics

3 IELTS test structure

3.1 Modules

3.2 The IELTS test has four parts

3.3 Listening

3.4 Reading

3.5 Writing

3.6 Speaking

4 Scoring

4.1 Band scale

4.2 IELTS and the CEFR

5 Conversion table

6 Results

7 Locations and test dates

8 Linking IELTS Scores to TOEFL iBT Score Ranges[29]

9 Global test scores

9.1 Countries with highest average scores (Academic)

9.2 Countries with highest average scores (General Training)

9.3 Results by first language of test taker (Academic)

9.4 Results by first language of test taker (General Training)

10 Level required by academic institutions for admission

10.1 United States

10.2 United Kingdom

10.3 Canada

10.4 Australia

10.5 Non-native English speaking countries

11 IELTS use for immigration purposes

11.1 Australia

11.2 New Zealand

11.3 Canada

11.4 United Kingdom

12 Criticism

13 Other English proficiency tests

14 See also

15 References

16 External links

History
The English Language Testing Service (ELTS), as IELTS was then known,
was launched in 1980 by Cambridge English Language Assessment (then
known as UCLES) and the British Council. It had an innovative format,
which reflected changes in language learning and teaching, including the
growth in communicative language learning and English for specific
purposes. Test tasks were intended to reflect the use of language in the real
world.
During the 1980s, test taker numbers were low (4,000 in 1981 rising to
10,000 in 1985) and there were practical difficulties administering the test.
As a result, the ELTS Revision Project was set up to oversee the redesign of
the test. In order to have international participation in the redesign, the
International Development Program of Australian Universities and Colleges
(IDP), now known as IDP: IELTS Australia, joined Cambridge English
Language Assessment and the British Council to form the international
IELTS partnership which delivers the test to this day. This international
partnership was reflected in the new name for the test: The International
English Language Testing System (IELTS).
IELTS went live in 1989. Test takers took two non-specialised modules,
Listening and Speaking, and two specialised modules, Reading and Writing.
Test taker numbers rose by approximately 15% per year and by 1995 there
were 43,000 test takers in 210 test centres around the world.
IELTS was revised again in 1995, with three main changes:

There was ONE Academic Reading Module and ONE Academic

Writing Module (previously there had been a choice of three field-specific
Reading and Writing modules)

The thematic link between the Reading and Writing tasks was removed
to avoid confusing the assessment of reading and writing ability

The General Training Reading and Writing modules were brought into
line with the Academic Reading and Writing modules (same timing, length
of responses, reporting of scores).
Further revisions went live in 2001 (revised Speaking Test) and 2005 (new
assessment criteria for the Writing test).[10]

IELTS characteristics
IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are designed to cover the
full range of ability from non-user to expert user. The Academic version is
for test takers who want to study at tertiary level in an English-speaking
country or seek professional registration. The General Training version is
for test takers who want to work, train, study at a secondary school or
migrate to an English-speaking country.[11]
The difference between the Academic and General Training versions is the
content, context and purpose of the tasks. All other features, such as timing
allocation, length of written responses and reporting of scores, are the
same.[10]
IELTS Academic and General Training both incorporate the following
features:

IELTS tests the ability to listen, read, write and speak in English.

The speaking module is a key component of IELTS. It is conducted in

the form of a one-to-one interview with an examiner. The examiner
assesses the test taker as he or she is speaking. The speaking session is
also recorded for monitoring and for re-marking in case of an appeal
against the score given.

A variety of accents and writing styles have been presented in test

materials in order to minimise linguistic bias. The accents in the listening
section are generally 80% British, Australian, New Zealander and 20%
others (mostly American).

IELTS is developed by experts at Cambridge English Language

Assessment with input from item writers from around the world. Teams
are located in the USA, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and
other English-speaking nations.

Band scores are used for each language sub-skill (Listening, Reading,
Writing, and Speaking). The Band Scale ranges from 0 ("Did not attempt
the test") to 9 ("Expert User").

IELTS test structure

Modules
There are two modules of the IELTS:

Academic Module and

General Training Module

There is also a separate test offered by the IELTS test partners, called IELTS
Life Skills:

IELTS Academic is intended for those who want to enroll in

universities and other institutions of higher education and for
professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or
practise in an English-speaking country.

IELTS General Training is intended for those planning to undertake

non-academic training or to gain work experience, or for immigration
purposes.

IELTS Life Skills is intended for those who need to prove their English
speaking and listening skills at Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels A1 or B1 and can be used to
apply for a family of a settled person visa, indefinite leave to remain
or citizenship in the UK.[12]

The IELTS test has four parts

Listening: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes' transfer time)[13]

Reading: 60 minutes

Writing: 60 minutes

Speaking: 1114 minutes

The test total time is: 2 hours and 44 minutes.[11]
Listening, Reading and Writing are completed in one sitting. The Speaking
test may be taken on the same day or up to seven days before or after the
other tests.
All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests, while the Reading
and Writing tests differ depending on whether the test taker is taking the
Academic or General Training versions of the test.

Listening
The module comprises four sections, with ten questions in each section.[14] It
takes 40 minutes: 30 - for testing, plus 10 for transferring the answers to an
answer sheet.
Sections 1 and 2 are about everyday, social situations.

Section 1 has a conversation between two speakers (for example, a

conversation about travel arrangements)

Section 2 has one person speaking (for example, a speech about local
facilities).
Sections 3 and 4 are about educational and training situations

Section 3 is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, a

discussion between two university students, perhaps guided by a tutor)

Section 4 has one person speaking about an academic subject.[13]

Each section begins with a short introduction telling the test taker about the
situation and the speakers. Then they have some time to look through the
questions. The questions are in the same order as the information in the
recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the
second question, and so on.[13] The first three sections have a break in the
middle allowing test takers to look at the remaining questions. Each section is
heard only once.
At the end of the test students are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers
to an answer sheet.[15] Test takers will lose marks for incorrect spelling and
grammar.[16]

Reading
The Reading paper has three sections and texts totaling 2,150-2,750 words.
There will be a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, shortanswer questions, identifying information, identifying writers views,
labeling diagrams, completing a summary using words taken from the text
and matching information/headings/features in the text/sentence endings.
Test takers should be careful when writing down their answers as they will
lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.
Texts in IELTS Academic

Three reading texts, which come from books, journals, magazines,

newspapers and online resources written for non-specialist audiences. All
the topics are of general interest to students at undergraduate or
postgraduate level.[17]

Texts in IELTS General Training

Section 1 contains two or three short texts or several shorter texts,

which deal with everyday topics. For example, timetables or notices
things a person would need to understand when living in an Englishspeaking country.

Section 2 contains two texts, which deal with work. For example, job
descriptions, contracts, training materials.

Section 3 contains one long text about a topic of general interest. The
text is generally descriptive, longer and more complex than the texts in
Sections 1 and 2. The text will be taken from a newspaper, magazine, book
or online resource.[18]

Writing
The Writing paper has two tasks which must both be completed. In task 1 test
takers write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. In task 2 test takers write
at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. Test takers will be penalised if their
answer is too short or does not relate to the topic. Answers should be written in
full sentences (test takers must not use notes or bullet points).
IELTS Academic

Task 1: test takers describe a graph, table, chart or diagram in their own
words.

Task 2: test takers discuss a point of view, argument or problem.

Depending on the task, test takers may be required to present a solution to a
problem, present and justify an opinion, compare and contrast evidence,
opinions and implications, and evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an
argument.[19]
IELTS General Training

Task 1: test takers write a letter in response to a given everyday

situation. For example, writing to an accommodation officer about problems
with your accommodation, writing to a new employer about problems
managing your time, writing to a local newspaper about a plan to develop a
local airport.

Task 2: test takers write an essay about a topic of general interests. For
example, whether smoking should be banned in public places, whether
childrens leisure activities should be educational, how environmental
problems can be solved.[20]

Speaking

The speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an
examiner.
The speaking test contains three sections.

Section 1: introduction and interview (45 minutes). Test takers may be

asked about their home, family, work, studies, hobbies, interests,
reasons for taking IELTS exam as well as other general topics such as
clothing, free time, computers and the internet.

Section 2: long turn (34 minutes). Test takers are given a task card
about a particular topic. Test takers have one minute to prepare to talk
about this topic. The task card states the points that should be included
in the talk and one aspect of the topic which must be explained during
the talk. Test takers are then expected to talk about the topic for 2
minutes, after which the examiner may ask one or two questions.

Section 3: discussions (45 minutes). The third section involves a

discussion between the examiner and the test taker, generally on
questions relating to the theme which they have already spoken about
in Section 2.[21]