IELTS Test
Participants who take the IELTS test get several choices to help customise it to suit their learning style and needs. This is important for helping you do the best you possibly can when you take it, and it starts by picking a format for your IELTS exam.
Paper Or Computer
Would you do better if you took the IELTS examination on paper or on a computer? You have to pick one before you take the test so they know how to accommodate you.
- Computer IELTS Test – If you choose the computer format, you’ll have to sit in front of a computer and answer the questions as they come up on the screen for the Listening, Reading and Writing portion of your IELTS test. You’ll use a mouse and keyboard to submit your answers. The Speaking portion of the IELTS test Australia is a face-to-face format with a trained examiner.
- Paper IELTS Test – If you choose the paper format, you’ll have to sit at a desk with the Listening, Reading and Writing questions and answer sheets in front of you at an official IELTS test centre. You’ll have to write your answers in with either an HB-pencil or pen. The Speaking portion of the IELTS test Australia is a face-to-face format with a trained examiner.
IELTS Test Format
The General Academic IELTS test has the same subject matter for the Listening and Speaking portions, but different subject matter for the Reading and Writing portions. You’ll take the Listening, Reading, and Writing portions of the IELTS examination all in one day with no breaks. Your test centre will let you know when the best time to take the Speaking portion is, and it can be up to a week before or after your other tests.
The entire test takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete.
- Listening – 30 Minutes – You’ll listen to four recordings and write your answers down.
- Reading– 60 Minutes – You’ll answer 40 questions regarding main ideas, understanding logical arguments, skimming, reading for detail, recognising the writer’s purpose and opinions and more.
- Writing – 60 Minutes – You’ll get two writing tasks to complete. The first is writing a letter to either explain a situation or request information from a presented situation. The second task is to write an essay in response to a problem, argument or point of view.
- Speaking– 11 to 14 Minutes – The Speaking portion comes in three recorded parts. Part one consists of questions about you and your life. Part two will give you a card with a topic, and you have to speak for two minutes on that topic. Part three is answering more questions about your topic from part two.
Every section of the test will get a score from one being a non-native speaker, up to an expert level with a score of nine. The examiners average your scores in all of the categories to give you an overall competency score.
