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Academic IELTS VS General Training IELTS: A comprehensive overview for Test-takers
What is IELTS?
The complete form of IELTS is the International English Language Test System. This test describes your English Language Proficiency level based on four factors: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. It is divided into two categories: Academic IELTS and General Training IELTS.
Academic IELTS and General Training IELTS: Differences in Purpose
Whether you choose Academic or General Training based on the reasons why you are interested in taking this test and where you are going to study or live:
Take IELTS Academic if you want to:
- Study at an undergraduate or postgraduate level in an English-speaking country.
- Apply for a Student Route visa (Tier 4) to study at a UK University.
- Work for a professional organization in an English-speaking country.
Take IELTS General Training if you want to:
- Train or study below degree level.
- Work or undertake work-related training in an English-speaking country.
- You want to emigrate to an English-speaking nation to settle there permanently.
- Get another job in your own country where a recognized proficiency in the English language is required.
Academic and General Training IELTS: Difference in the Format
The format for both IELTS tests is almost the same. They have four modules: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.
TEST FORMAT
(2 hours and 55 minutes)
LISTENING: 4 sections, 40 Items (40 Minutes)
READING: 3 sections, 40 items (40 Minutes)
WRITING: 2 Tasks (40 Minutes)
SPEAKING: 1-1 oral Interview (11-12 Minutes)
Speaking and listening modules are the same for both tests, but there are differences between the Reading and Writing sections.
IELTS Reading:
Both the IELTS General and IELTS Academic tests feature three texts and 40 questions which must be completed within 60 minutes.
The task types for IELTS General and Academic sections are always the same, e.g., multiple choice, fill in the gaps, true or false, etc. However, labeling a diagram is slightly more common in the Academic test.
There are some other differences between the texts in length, theme, and sources, as below:
General Training Reading |
Academic Reading |
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|
IELTS Writing:
The IELTS General and IELTS Academic have two written tasks to be completed in 60 minutes.
The main difference between the two tests is in Writing Task 1:
IELTS Writing Task 1 |
IELTS Writing Task 2 |
|
|
Both IELTS General and Academic have an essay question for Writing Task 2, which must be written in at least 250 words.
The essay question format is precisely the same for both exams.
Academic and General Training IELTS: Difference in the scoring
These two versions of the IELTS test have different scoring procedures and score requirements. Here is a list of differences in scoring in reading sections:
IELTS Reading scores |
Raw scores in IELTS Academic Reading |
Raw scores in IELTS General Training Reading |
|
9.0 |
39-40 |
40 |
|
8.5 |
37-38 |
39 |
|
8.0 |
35-36 |
37-38 |
|
7.5 |
33-34 |
36 |
|
7.0 |
30-32 |
34-35 |
|
6.5 |
27-29 |
32-33 |
|
6.0 |
23-26 |
30-31 |
|
5.5 |
19-22 |
27-29 |
|
5.0 |
15-18 |
23-26 |
|
4.5 |
13-14 |
19-22 |
Therefore, it is a difference in the scoring process of Academic IELTS and General Training IELTS.
Source1:
https://www.ieltspodcast.com/ielts-exam/difference-between-ielts-general-ielts-academic/
https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/which-ielts-test