The IELTS incorporates the following features:
- A variety of accents and writing styles have been presented in test materials in order to minimise linguistic bias.
- IELTS tests the ability to listen, read, write and speak in English.
- 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").
- 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 candidate as he or she is speaking, but the speaking session is also
recorded for monitoring as well as re-marking in case of an appeal against the banding given.
- IELTS is developed 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.
Structure
All candidates must complete four Modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - to obtain
a band score, which is shown on the IELTS Test Report Form (TRF). All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules,
while the Reading and Writing Modules differ depending on whether the candidate is taking the Academic or General
Training Versions of the Test.
Listening
The module comprises four sections of increasing difficulty. Each section, which can be
either a monologue or dialogue, begins with a short introduction telling the candidates about the situation and the speakers.
Then they have some time to look through questions. The first three sections have a break in the middle allowing candidates
to look at the remaining questions. Each section is heard only once.
Reading
In the academic module the reading test comprises three sections, with 3 texts normally followed
by 13 or 14 questions for a total of 40 questions overall. The General test also has 3 sections. However the texts are shorter,
so there can be up to 5 texts to read.
Writing
In the Academic module, there are two tasks: in Task 1 candidates describe a diagram, graph,
process or chart, and in Task 2 they respond to an argument. In the General Training module, there are also two tasks: in
Task 1 candidates write a letter or explain a situation, and in Task 2 they write an essay.
Speaking
The speaking test contains three sections. The first section takes the form of an interview
during which candidates may be asked about their hobbies, interests, reasons for taking IELTS exam as well as other general
topics such as clothing, free time, computers and the internet or family. In the second section candidates are given a topic
card and then have one minute to prepare after which they must speak about the given topic. The third section involves a discussion
between the examiner and the candidate, generally on questions relating to the theme which they have already spoken about
in part 2. This last section is more abstract, and is usually considered the most difficult.
Duration
The total test duration is around 2 hours and 45 minutes for Listening, Reading and Writing
modules.
- Listening: 40 minutes, 30 minutes for which a recording is played centrally and
additional 10 minutes for transferring answers onto the OMR answer sheet.
- Reading: 60 minutes.
- Writing: 60 minutes.
- Speaking: 11–14 minutes.
(Note: No additional time is given for transfer of answers in Reading and Writing modules)
The first three modules - Listening, Reading and Writing (always in that order) - are completed
in one day, and in fact are taken with no break in between. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test
centre, in the period seven days before or after the other Modules.
The tests are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user.
Band scale
IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence
in English. Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest half band.
The following rounding convention applies: if the average across the four skills 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.
The nine bands are described as follows:
9 |
Expert User |
Has full operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. |
8 |
Very Good User |
Has full operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies.
Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. |
7 |
Good User |
Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and
misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. |
6 |
Competent User |
Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings.
Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
5 |
Modest user |
Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely
to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. |
4 |
Limited User |
Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in using complex language. |
3 |
Extremely Limited User |
Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. |
2 |
Intermittent User |
No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short
formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. |
1 |
Non User |
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
0 |
Did not attempt the test |
No assessable information provided at all. |
A 6.5 IELTS score lies roughly between B2 and C1 levels of the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages and >8 scores are C2.
Conversion table
This table can be used for the Listening tests to convert raw scores to band scores. This chart
is a guide only, because sometimes the scores adjust slightly depending on how difficult the exam is.
Band Score |
9.0 |
8.5 |
8.0 |
7.5 |
7.0 |
6.5 |
6.0 |
5.5 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
Raw score |
39 – 40 |
37 – 38 |
35 – 36 |
32 – 34 |
30 – 31 |
26 – 29 |
23 – 25 |
18 – 22 |
16 – 17 |
13 – 15 |
10 – 12 |
8 – 9 |
6 – 7 |
4 – 5 |
IELTS
level required by academic institutions for admission
Just over half (51%) of candidates take the test to enter higher education in a foreign country.
The IELTS minimum scores required by academic institutions vary. As a general rule, institutions from English-speaking countries
require a higher IELTS band.
United States
The highest IELTS Band required by a university is 8.5, by the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University; the only US institution to require this band.
While Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law is listed as requiring an 8.5 on the IELTS website, the school lists an 8.0.
At Saint Louis University,
the minimum score is 6.
United Kingdom
The highest IELTS Band required is 8, by the Master of Science degree in Marketing at the University of Warwick.
Most IELTS requirements by universities fall between 5.5 and 7.0. For example:
Argentina
The University of Buenos Aires requires an IELTS minimum of 7.5 for entry into the faculty of English as a foreign language.
Germany
University of Bamberg requires an IELTS (academic or general
test) minimum of 7.0 (program in European Joint Master’s Degree in English and American Studies). Most German universities
require an IELTS minimum of 6.0 or 6.5 for their master's students.
Hong Kong
The Law Society of Hong Kong
requires applicants to achieve a minimum score of 7.0 for entry into the Postgraduate Certificate
in Laws course, taught at University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong
and City University of Hong Kong. Chinese University of Hong Kong requires an overall band score of 7.0 for entry via
Early Admission Scheme into 2 of its business subjects, "Global Business Studies" and "International Business and Chinese
Enterprise".
Italy
Polytechnic University of Turin requires an IELTS minimum
of 5.0. Most Italian universities generally require an IELTS minimum of 4.5 for their undergraduate students and 6.5 for their
master's students.
Kazakhstan
Nazarbayev University requires an IELTS minimum of 6.0 for
entry into The Schools of Medicine, Engineering and Science & Technology and 6.5 for entry to The School of Humanities
and Social Sciences.
IELTS use for immigration
purposes
A number of Commonwealth
countries use IELTS scores as a proof of prospective immigrants' competence in English.
Australia
Australia's immigration authorities have used IELTS to assess English proficiency
of prospective migrants since May 1998, when this test replaced the access: test that had been previously used.
As of July 2012, applicants for Australia's Independent Migrant visa (permanent residence) must either score at least 6 on each of the modules of IELTS,
or score at least "A" on Australia's Occupational English Test.
One can receive a "partial credit" (fewer points on the point test that determines one's
eligibility for the migrant's visa) for having merely a "competent" level of English, which requires scoring at least 6 on
each of the modules of IELTS. Prospective migrants who are citizens of the majority-English-speaking countries (United Kingdom,
Canada, New Zealand, the USA, or Republic of Ireland) may choose to automatically receive the credit for the "competent" level
of English merely by virtue of their citizenship, without taking tests; however, if they desire to show the "proficient" level
(e.g. in order to obtain a sufficiently high overall score on the migration point test) they still must take the IELTS or
OET.
New Zealand
New Zealand has used the IELTS test since 1995. Initially, level 5 scores in each of the
four modules were required of the prospective applicants; those who could not achieve required scores could pay a NZ$20,000
fee instead, which would be fully or partially refunded later if the migrant were able to successfully take the test within
a certain period (3 to 12 months) after his or her arrival to the country. A few years later, the policy was changed: the
fee was reduced, and, instead of being potentially refundable, it became treated as a "pre-purchase" of post-arrival ESL tuition.
Presently, applicants desiring to achieve permanent residence in New Zealand via the "Entrepreneur
Category" migration programme must prove a "reasonable" level of competence in English. Unless the applicant has studied and/or
worked for a sufficiently long period in New Zealand or other English-speaking countries, this normally should be demonstrated
by achieving the overall band of 6.5 on the IELTS.
Canada
Citizenship and Immigration Canada uses the results of IELTS
and/or TEF as a conclusive evidence of one's ability to communicate in English and/or French. For the
purposes of the skill-based immigration points test, one receives separate points based on his or her performance on each
of the four modules (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) or IELTS; the score of 6.5 on a particular IELTS module is
sufficient to earn the maximum points for this particular capacity, except for the listening module, which requires the score
of 7.5 to earn the maximum points.
The CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) test scores are mentioned by the Canadian
immigration application forms as an alternative to IELTS.
United Kingdom
Under the UK's "Points Based System Tier 1" (General Migrant) programme, applicants can receive
10 points for their English language qualification if it is deemed "equivalent to the Council of Europe's Common European
Framework for Language Learning level C1", which is said to approximately equivalent to IELTS level 6.5, or GCSE Grade C. Having gained a university degree from an English-medium institution is an acceptable
alternative proof of one's English level.