How IELTS General Training works

IELTS tests four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and gives a band score from 0 to 9 for each, plus an overall band. Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day, one after another, with no breaks between them. Speaking is a face-to-face interview with an examiner, sometimes on the same day and sometimes up to a week before or after.

Listening

Four recordings, each harder than the one before. Part 1 is a conversation about an everyday situation (booking, renting, enquiring). Part 2 is one person speaking about an everyday topic (a guided tour, a talk about local facilities). Part 3 is a conversation between up to four people in an education or training setting. Part 4 is a talk on an academic subject — a short lecture.

Reading (General Training)

General Training Reading uses texts you might meet in daily life and at work — notices, advertisements, handbooks, workplace guidance — and one longer text on a topic of general interest.

Writing

In Task 1 you write a letter of at least 150 words — to a friend, a company, a landlord — about an everyday situation. In Task 2 you write an essay of at least 250 words in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1, so give it about 40 of your 60 minutes.

Speaking

Part 1 (4–5 minutes): questions about you, your home, work or studies and familiar topics. Part 2 (3–4 minutes): you get a task card, have one minute to prepare, and then speak for up to two minutes. Part 3 (4–5 minutes): a discussion of more abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic.

Lesson quiz

Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.