The reading test is 1 hour in length and it comes directly after your listening test. There is no extra time given to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
There are three reading passages for the academic paper and the general training paper
No, there are two different tests for IELTS reading. One is the academic paper and one is the general training paper. Before your test you will decide which IELTS test you will take and this will affect both your reading and writing papers.
Each passage in the academic reading paper is long. The passages are usually taken from books, magazine and newspapers (they are authentic passages). They can often contain complicated language, academic vocabulary and sometimes diagrams, maps or some kind of illustration.
The GT reading paper has three passages, each one getting more difficult. The first one is relevant to everyday English life and could be factual information about a school course or some kind of service, such as a hotel. The second one focuses on work issues, such as training courses at work, resources at work, application procedures or about pay schemes. The last reading passage is longer and is the most difficult. This is based on a topic of general interest.
There are 40 questions in total for your reading test.
You get one point for each correct answer. You do not lose points for an incorrect answer. The academic and general training papers have different scoring.
No, you don’t lose a point for a wrong answer. So, never leave an empty space on your answer sheet – always have a guess.
No, there is no extra time for transferring answers. You must write your answers directly on to your answer sheet during the 1 hour.
It is recommended that you spend 20 minutes on each passage. I agree with this completely. Make sure you keep your eyes on the clock to make sure you manage your time effectively. Don’t leave yourself too little time for passage 3.
There are many different types of questions and you must practice all of them.
Yes, you can. You can make notes, underline words and write on any part of the question paper. Only your answer sheet will be marked. In fact, it is very useful to make notes on your question paper and can help you locate answers.
Yes, you can. Sometimes this is a good idea because usually your writing will be easier to read.
No, you can’t. So, get used to using a pencil to highlight ideas and words in reading passages before your test.
Pencil is recommended for the IELTS Listening, Reading, and Writing tests. This is because tests are scanned and work best with pencil. It also means that you can easily erase and rewrite words. If you forget to bring a pencil, the test center will provide one for you.
Yes, it is. If the answer is spelled incorrectly, it will be marked wrong. So, pay attention to your spelling of long academic words.
Yes, it’s possible to write a letter instead of the word True or you can write Y instead of the word Yes, but make sure your writing should be clear.
No, only some of the question types have answers which follow the order of information in the passage. You need to learn which ones do and don’t. main point and supporting points.
Secondly, spend time looking more closely at the headings. Think of what they mean, paraphrase the words and spot headings which seem to be similar to each other.
Thirdly, you don’t need to approach the headings in order. I recommend you start with a heading which is distinctly different in content to the others it will be quicker and easier to find.
Fourthly, don’t waste time, if you can’t match the heading, then move on to the next heading. There are often more headings than you actually need. Lastly, don’t just try to match key words, try to match meaning. If the heading says “A description of …”, then you need to look for a paragraph which contains adjectives and descriptive language rather than looking for the word “description”. So, don’t just match key words, try to predict the type of language you might find in that paragraph.
Yes, you can. You have one hour for the reading test and you can use that hour as you wish. You can do passage three first if you want. You can skip questions & come back to them later.
There is no extra time to transfer your answers in the IELTS reading test. In listening, you have time to transfer your answers. In IELTS reading, you do not. You should write your answers directly on the answer sheet when you find them.
There are two parts. Writing task 1 is a report for the academic test and a letter for the General Training test. Writing task 2 is an essay for both tests.
It takes a total of 1 hour. You should spend 20 minutes on writing task 1 and 40 minutes on writing task 2.
You must write over 150 words for task 1 and over 250 words for task 2. 20 and 40 minutes respectively.
You should make notes and plan on the question paper before you start writing. You are not usually given extra paper for planning.
It is recommended that you spend the first 20 minutes writing task 1. However, if you choose to start with writing task 2, it is your choice. Do what work best for you.
No, it is not necessary to do that. It is better to leave one empty line between your paragraphs to help the examiner identify the paragraphs.
You can use either UK spelling or US spelling, but you can’t mix them. You need to choose which one you will use.
Yes, the examiner will pay attention to your spelling. This is part of the criterion of vocabulary. If you have a lot of spelling mistakes, you will get a lower score in that criterion.
Follow the order of the bullet points – don’t change that order. You will also have an opening line and closing line.
Yes, you need to imagine the information you will use to write your letter. But control how creative you are. These are functional letters, not creative writing. For academic candidates, you cannot include any made-up information or opinions in task 1 reports.
It is worth double the marks of writing task 1. So, make sure you give yourself the full 40 minutes to write your essay.
There are a number of different essay types: opinion essays, discussion essays, advantage /disadvantage essays, solution essays and direct question essays. Some teachers give these essay types different names.
It is marked by an examiner who will assess you on 4 criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Vocabulary and Grammar. Each criterion is equal and worth 25% of your task 2 marks.
Only give your opinion if the instructions ask for your opinion. For example, Do you agree or disagree? this is clearly asking for your opinion. Don’t give your opinion if it doesn’t ask for it. Read the instructions carefully.
You will receive a penalty from IELTS if you are under the word count. This will affect your band score for the criterion of Task Response.
You can have either 4 or 5. You must have an introduction and conclusion. You can have either two or three body paragraphs.
Yes, you do. It is vital that you conclude your essay. If you think you are running out of time, then jump to your conclusion.
There are common topics which appear frequently in the test.
No, you shouldn’t. The examiner has the essay title so you do not need to repeat it on your paper. Your first sentence should be the beginning of your essay.
Yes, it is. This is part of the grammar marking criterion. Try to avoid using; or: because they are not necessary. Just use commas and full stops.
There’s no difference. Teachers give essays different names. Some teachers call them opinion essays and some teachers call them argumentative essays. They are both essays in which you need to give your opinion because the task states “To what extend do you agree?” or something similar, directly asking what you think.
Yes, you can. Put your hand up and the exam supervisor will come to you. You can then ask for more writing paper.
The IELTS Speaking test will take around 11-14 minutes.
There are three sections in total in the IELTS speaking test. The first section is called “Introduction and interview” and it will last about 4-5 minutes. The second part or section lasts for 3-4 minutes and in this part, you will have a topic with supporting questions. This is known as “Cue Card”. The final part will take around 4-5 minutes and it is called ‘Two-way discussion”.
In part 1 you will be asked 12 questions. In part 2 you will be given a Cue card & it will have 2 additional round-of questions. In part three you will be asked 5 or more questions.
A certified IELTS examiner will talk to you in your IELTS speaking exam. Your conversation will be recorded and that would be assessed by another examiner.
You must bring the same identification documents you supplied on your IELTS Application Form and continue to use the same ID for each part of the test. Your ID will be checked by the authority before you enter the interview room for the speaking test.
Your Listening, Reading and Writing tests will be on the same day. However, the Speaking test could be on the same day of your other tests or can be on a different date. If it’s not on the same day, it would be on a different date up to seven days before or after the other tests. You will be properly notified about your exam date after your registration for the IELTS test.
IELTS Speaking test is a real-life test and you would not be asked any specialized question or any specific question related to IELTS. Think about a real-life conversation you might have with a relative who might ask your questions to know more about you. Questions in IELTS speaking test will comprise real-life situations as any exam of the similar kind could have been.
The IELTS examiner will assess you how well you can:
A. Communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common
experiences; to do this you will need to answer a range of questions.
B. Speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language.
C. Organize your ideas coherently. Express and justify your opinions.
D. Analyze, discuss and speculate about issues.
The part one of your IELTS speaking test is known as ‘introduction and interview’. As the name of this section implies, in this part the examiner will introduce himself/ herself. Then s/he will ask to introduce yourself and show your identity. Then s/he will ask you very common and familiar questions like your study, your job, your family, your hobbies, your interest etc. Every question asked in this section is pretty common in our real-life conversations. You should talk very naturally and relax to show that you have a natural fluency and command in speaking English.
The part two (also known as Cue Card or Individual long turn) consists of a Topic with 3-4 questions. You will have 1 minute to plan and take notes and then you need to talk about the topic for 1-2 minutes. The examiner will not interrupt you during this time and you are expected to talk fluently and continuously in this section. At the end of your speaking, the examiner will ask 1-2 relevant questions based on the topic you were given.
In IELTS speaking test you would be marked based on main 4 criteria. Those are,
A. Fluency and coherence
B. Lexical resource
C. Grammatical range and accuracy
D. Pronunciation
No. You should talk naturally and you won’t lose marks for your natural accent.
No, you should speak naturally and clearly. You won’t get a poor score just because of your accent.
It is always better to wear comfortable and formal dresses for your IELTS speaking exam. You can wear casual dresses as well and that would not create any negative impression.
The IELTS Cue card has a main topic and 3-4 connected questions. At the end of your speaking, you will be asked 1-2 rounding off questions on the same topic you had for the IELTS cue card. An example of a cue card and the rounding questions are given below to make it clear.
The examiner is only interested in hearing your English language. It is your choice if you want to use body language or not. Most people find it natural to use body language while talking so feel free to use it. It is important that you are relaxed & talk naturally during your test.
Yes, your answers would be more coherent if you speak about all the questions given to you on the cue card. You should finish your answer using sentences like, that is why, because of this, due to all these reasons, so, that is why at the end of your speaking to give an impression that you have answered all the questions accompanied with the cue card topic.
No, you cannot choose the Cue Card Topic in your IELTS Speaking exam. The examiner will give you a topic and you will have to talk about this topic.
If you can satisfactorily talk about your cue card topic for less than 2 minutes & can give an impression that you have finished speaking about the cue card, you should not get a poor score. Your fluency and ability to talk about a given topic would be accessed rather than how long you speak. However, it is generally suggested that you talk about just a little more than 2 minutes in the Cue card section.
After you finish your cue card section, you will be asked 2/3 round-off or follow-up questions related to the topic of the cue card. You need not give lengthy answers for the follow-up questions as the examiner through this will take the conversation to the part 3.
No, unlike part 2, you are not given any time for preparation in part 3. Your answers should be prompt and lengthy in this section.
Yes, you should always give longer answers in the part 3.
You should always give longer answers. Your fluency is an important factor to get a high band score and to show that you can speak fluently, give as much details as possible. For example: If you are asked, ‘Do you like to watch television?’ NEVER say ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Yes, I do’. Rather say that, “Yes I love to watch television very often. On an average, I watch television programs for 2-3 hours per day. I regularly follow some news channels as well as music channels that I like. Watching Television is one of my most favorite activities.
Be sure that you don’t have any option to change the Cue card topic. After the examiner gives you the topic, you should plan your answer promptly without giving any second thought to it.
No, you will not get a low score only because you asked the examiner to repeat or explain the questions you were asked. However, it would not be a good idea to ask him/ her to repeat more than twice.
Yes, you should correct any mistake you make during the exam. But don’t do that very frequently as it would make your speaking less fluent.
No, you are being tested and the examiner will give his /her own statement if required. You should not ask any personal questions as well as his/her opinion about an issue.
It is always a good idea to include your own experience or example while you talk. That would make your speaking natural and coherent.
There are four listening passages, or sections, and these always follow the same order:
Section 1 is a general conversation; Section 2 is a general monologue; Section 3 is an academic conversation; Section 4 is an academic monologue. You might hear, for example, a telephone interview, followed by a radio programme, followed by a seminar discussion & finally an academic lecture.
Before each section begins, you will have a short time of up to 30 seconds to preview questions. There will usually be one shorter break in the recording to preview further questions. That is why you should listen carefully to the instruction which tells you exactly which questions will be covered in the next part of the recording. For example: You now have some time to look at questions one to five.
Only once, if you miss the answer to a question, you should either leave it or quickly have a guess and then focus your attention entirely on the next question.
Since IELTS is accepted by institutions in all major English-speaking countries, you should expect to hear any standard variety of English, including British English, American English & Australian English.
Yes, you can write freely on the question paper in. After the recordings have been played, you will then have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
6 different types of questions are asked in IELTS Listening test. They are:
1. Multiple Choice QuestionsM
2. Matching
3. Map/Plan/Diagram labelling
4. Form/Table/Flowchart/Note/Summary completion
5. Sentence completion
6. Short Answer Questions
No, you do not lose any point for a wrong answer. If you do not know the answer, you can make a guess. But, you should never leave an answer blank.
Your answer will be marked wrong if you have spelled the word incorrectly.
Abbreviations/Short forms are not accepted in IELTS Test. For example, if the answer is New Zealand and you write NZ, you will lose marks.
Pearson PLC Group – the conducting body of the PTE Academic exam has not laid down any criteria to appear for the PTE Academic test. In order to take the PTE Academic test, the candidate must be at least 16 years old. Candidates below 18 years of age need to get a parental consent form signed by either parents or guardians before taking the test.
It is obvious that different universities would have different score PTE score requirements. Hence, candidates looking to study in Australia can check out popular universities in Australia along with their PTE score requirements, here.
Pearson PLC Group – the conducting body of the PTE Academic exam has not set a limit on the number of times a candidate can appear for the PTE Academic exam. However, candidates are required to take the PTE Academic exam with a gap of five days.
Candidates should note that PTE Academic is an English proficiency test that would be required by your university as part of their admission requirements/procedure. The Australian Student Visa would be based on your admission letter. You can know more about the Australian Study Visa, here.
Candidates who have prepared well for their PTE Academic exam would not find it difficult to achieve a desirable score. Candidates can refer to the official website of PTE Academic or refer to our PTE Academic preparatory guide, here.
Candidates should understand that there is no such thing as failing or passing the PTE Academic test. Your preferred university would require a certain PTE score and you will have to achieve that or higher to be considered for admission
The toughest section in the PTE Academic exam would depend on the candidates’ expertise. Students are advised to a holistic approach towards preparing for the PTE Academic exam, concentrating both on tough as well as easy sections.
Indian students looking to register for the PTE Academic exam would be required to pay a sum of Rs. 13,700. Special requests such as late registrations and date modifications would attract a penalty.
Yes. PTE Academic scores are accepted by a large number of Canadian universities & colleges. Students can take a look at popular universities accepting PTE scores in Canada, here.
Yes. The PTE Academic exam is primarily an online exam.
The CELPIP Test is fully computer delivered. However, the test must be completed in person at one of the test centres.
CELPIP Tests are now available internationally, with test sittings now available in UAE, USA, Philippines, India, and Singapore. Please check their website for updates regarding new testing locations.
Canadian English is the variety of English spoken in Canada. It contains elements of British English & American English in its vocabulary, as well as much distinctive Canadianism. Please note that both British and American English spellings are accepted on the CELPIP Test.
Currently, the CELPIP-General Test is not considered a designated English language test by the Quebec Immigration Office. Quebec establishes its own immigration requirements. To learn about that province’s requirements, visit Quebec’s immigration website.
Each component of the test is given a CELPIP Level and there is no pass or fail. It is recommended that you contact the institution to which you are applying about their English language requirements.
If you have a disability or special condition that might require special arrangements, please fill out the Special Accommodations Request Form and submit it to Paragon Testing Enterprises to request such arrangements. A minimum of 2 months’ advance notice prior to the registered CELPIP Test sitting date must be provided in order for the request to be considered. Requests must be accompanied by medical documentation (in English or translated by an authorized translator into English) issued within 2 years of the request date by a professional who is qualified to evaluate the test taker’s special needs. Each request is treated on a case-by-case basis and must be reviewed and approved by Paragon’s central CELPIP Office before special arrangements for a test sitting can be confirmed.
When Paragon acquired the CAEL Test, the company decided to retire its CELPIP-Academic Test. If you would like to take an academic English proficiency test, please visit www.cael.ca.