What you Need to Know about International English Language Testing System (British Council Academic IELTS: Reading): Study Material

Overview of the IELTS Test

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a global English proficiency test that measures your ability to use English in academic and real-life contexts

• The test assesses four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking

• There are two versions of IELTS: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training

• IELTS Academic is accepted by universities and institutions all over the world

• IELTS Academic is for you if you want to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level in a university or college where the teaching is in English

• The test is offered frequently throughout the year, and you can find test dates at your local IELTS test centre

• Your IELTS results are valid for 2 years

• IELTS is not a pass/fail exam; your score is reported as Band 1–9 for each of the four skills and as an overall band score

What is the structure of the IELTS Academic test?

• IELTS is divided into four sections

  • Listening (∼30 minutes)

  • Reading (60 minutes)

  • Writing (60 minutes)

  • Speaking (11-14 minutes)

• The total test time is 2 hours 45 minutes 

• You must take all four sections

• You take the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections on the same day

• The Speaking test is usually a few days before or after the other sections

Overview of each section of the IELTS Academic test

Listening

• This section tests your ability to understand spoken English in different situations

• You listen to recordings of conversations and talks

• You hear each recording once

• There are 40 questions that test your ability to understand information, opinions, and ideas

• You will hear a range of English accents

Reading

• This section checks how well you can understand written English

• You read three academic texts (e.g., articles, reports, essays)

• You answer 40 questions to show that you can find and understand information and ideas

Writing

• This section tests your ability to write in clear, organised, and accurate English

• You complete two writing tasks:

  • Writing Task 1: describe and compare visual information such as charts, graphs, tables, or processes

  • Writing Task 2: write an essay presenting an argument or opinion

Speaking

• This section tests your ability to communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences

• It also assesses how well you can justify your opinions and discuss more abstract ideas

• It is a face‑to‑face interview with an IELTS examiner

• It is divided into three parts:

  • Part 1 (4–5 minutes): questions about you and everyday topics

  • Part 2 (3–4 minutes): a long turn where you speak for 1–2 minutes about a given topic

  • Part 3 (4–5 minutes): a discussion about more complex ideas related to the Part 2 topic