What is IELTS?
The International English Language Test System (IELTS) is the most popular English proficiency test for higher education and global immigrants in the world.
How does IELTS work?
You’ll be assessed on the following elements:
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
Listening
The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a wide range of listening skills, including how well you
- understand main ideas and specific factual information
- recognize the opinions, attitudes, and purpose of a speaker
- follow the development of an argument
| Format | You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.
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| Timing | The IELTS Listening test takes approximately 30 minutes, and you are allowed an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers from your question booklet to your answer sheet. |
| Number of Questions | 40 questions |
| Task Types | A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion. |
| Marks | Each correct answer receives one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands. |
| Answer sheet | Download the Listening test answer sheet. (329KB) |
Take a free listening practice test.
You will need to read quickly and efficiently and manage your time. You will be asked to read three different passages and respond to related questions in your IELTS Reading test. The content of the Reading test is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests.
The IELTS Reading test is designed to assess a wide range of reading skills, including how well you
- read for the general sense of a passage
- read for the main ideas
- read for detail
- understand inferences and implied meaning
- recognize a writer’s opinions, attitudes, and purpose
- follow the development of an argument
Academic Reading
| Format | Three long texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. These are taken from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. They have been selected for a non-specialist audience but are appropriate for people entering university courses or seeking professional registration. |
| Timing | 60 minutes including the transfer time |
| Number of Questions | 40 questions |
| Task Types | Fill gaps in a passage of written text or in a table, match headings to written text to diagrams or charts, complete sentences, give short answers to open questions, answer multiple-choice questions |
| Marks | Each correct answer receives one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands. |
| Answer sheet | Download the Reading test answer sheet (97KB) |
General Training Reading
| Format | Extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English-speaking environment. |
| Timing | 60 minutes including the transfer time |
| Number of Questions | 40 questions |
| Task Types | Fill gaps in a passage of written text or in a table, match headings to written text to diagrams or charts, complete sentences, give short answers to open questions, answer multiple-choice questions |
| Marks | Each correct answer receives one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands. |
| Answer sheet | Download the Reading test answer sheet (97KB) |
Take a free reading practice test.
The IELTS Writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills, including how well you
- write a response appropriately
- organize ideas
- use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately
Academic Writing
| Format | Write in a formal style in the IELTS Academic Writing test. In Task 1 you will be presented with a graph, table, chart, or diagram. You will be asked to describe, summarise, or explain the information in your own words. This might involve describing and explaining data, describing the stages of a process or how something works, or describing an object or event. In Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem. You should find the issues interesting and easy to understand. |
| Timing | The IELTS Writing test takes 60 minutes. Spend 20 minutes on Task 1, and 40 minutes on Task 2. You will need to manage your own time, so make sure you move on to Task 2 after 20 minutes. |
| Number of Questions | 2 questions |
| Task Types | Two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2. You will be asked to write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2 |
| Marks | Your Writing test will be marked by a certified IELTS examiner. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the IELTS Writing test. Scores are reported in whole and half bands |
General Training Writing
| Format | The topics used in the IELTS General Training Writing test are of general interest. In Task 1 you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation. You can write the letter in a personal, semi-formal, or formal style. In Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem. You can use a fairly personal style. |
| Timing | The IELTS Writing test takes 60 minutes. Spend 20 minutes on Task 1, and 40 minutes on Task 2. You will need to manage your own time, so make sure you move on to Task 2 after 20 minutes. |
| Number of Questions | 2 questions |
| Task Types | Two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2. You will be asked to write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2 |
| Marks | Your Writing test will be marked by a certified IELTS examiner. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the IELTS Writing test. Scores are reported in whole and half bands |
Take a free writing practice test.
You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS Speaking test. The test is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get. A variety of accents may be used, and the test will be recorded.
The content of the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests.
The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills.
The examiner will want to see how well you can
- communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences; to do this you will need to answer a range of questions
- speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
- organize your ideas coherently
- express and justify your opinions
- analyze, discuss and speculate about issues
Make sure that you relax and talk fluently. You will need to speak naturally.
| Format | Part 1: The examiner will introduce him or herself and ask you to introduce yourself and confirm your identity. The examiner will ask you general questions on familiar topics, e.g. home, family, work, studies, and interests. This section should help you relax and talk naturally.
Part 2: The examiner will give you a task card that asks you to talk about a particular topic, including points to include in your talk. You will be given one minute to prepare and make notes. You will then be asked to talk for 1-2 minutes on the topic. You will not be interrupted during this time, so it is important to keep talking. The examiner will then ask you one or two questions on the same topic. Part 3: The examiner will ask you further questions that are connected to the topic of Part 2. These questions are designed to give you an opportunity to discuss more abstract issues and ideas. |
| Timing | 11-14 minutes |
| Marks | You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certified IELTS examiners. You will be marked on the four criteria: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, pronunciation. Scores are reported in whole and half bands. |
Take a free speaking practice test.
IELTS test fees
| Test type | Fee | Book |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic and General Training – paper-based test | BDT 17,500 | Book now |
| IELTS Academic and General Training – computer-delivered test | BDT 17,500 | Book now |
| IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (Academic and General Training) | BDT 19,700 | Book now |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) | BDT 13,100 | Book now |
IELTS Resources:
Www.facebook.com/221257264717077/posts/1624002047775918/
Www.mypiebd.com/
Sarah Zaman’s Success Story & Some Advice About IELTS
I would like to give some short tips that might help you:
Listening
Read the questions and options in advance whenever the narrator gives instructions (we all know what he/she will tell. so no need to bother listening to that) and gives time to check your answers. Practice as much as you can from Cambridge books, other available sources aren’t official and sometimes demotivates us due to the level of difficulty.
Cambridge books:
The IELTS Listening Test: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIgELCOfrcYA9jWF4TOJUnQ
Reading:
Follow the keyword method from Simon’s video to find the specific line for the answer and then read the whole sentence or nearby sentences and to find the actual meaning and understand it well. As time management is a crucial part of reading if you can’t find an answer to any question then quickly move to the next one. (All the questions come in order from the passages) Suppose, The 1st ques is from line 1 and you can’t find the answer to the 2nd ques. Then quickly move to find the answer to the 3rd one. If the 3rd ques and is from the 5th line then you can limit the passage lines from the 2nd to 4th line where you can find the answer to the 2nd ques. This method works well for me. Especially for True, False, Not given. I’ve followed Asad Yaqub’s channel and the paid videos of Simon
IELTS Reading lessons: https://ielts-up.com/reading/true-false-not-given-lesson.html
Writing:
I’ve followed the videos of IELTS Liz (Both website & Youtube) and Simon’s videos for structure and writing methods. I believe that making your essay and report unnecessarily lengthy and complex is completely useless. Rather, I used my natural skill to keep the continuity with a few linking words. For computer-delivered test pls practice with a full-size keyboard(The ones we find on desktops)
IELTS Liz: https://www.youtube.com/user/ieltsliz
IELTS Writing Task 01 Sample: https://www.ielts-exam.net/academic_writing_samples_task_1
IELTS Writing Task 02 Sample: https://www.ielts-exam.net/ielts_writing_samples_task_2
Speaking
I was so nervous on that day. So, my only suggestion is DON’T get nervous even if you get 
IELTS Speaking: https://ielts-up.com
>>>>IELTS SPEAKING TECHNIQUES<<<<
Firstly, here’s one thing to depress you. You need luck in your favor in order to get 9 in the speaking module even after you perform to perfection at the test. But here’s some light of hope, you will surely get an 8+ band score if you manage to talk with a confident upright voice.
So let’s get into the business straight away.
(a) Get yourself used to the environment first. Before the actual test begins, there’s at least two minutes’ time for you to interact with the examiner. Most people often stay silent during this period. But that’s a wrong strategy. You need to interact with the examiner so that you get comfortable. For example, before entering the room you could ask for permission to enter. When you are asked to pass your passport, don’t just give in silently. Say words like “yes ma’am here it is.” When you get it back don’t forget to say thank you. There are no marks for this but this helps a lot once the actual test begins. Fear of unknown factor gets eliminated if you can utilize the first two minutes as I said.
(b) You need to talk at a slow pace. Trust me, this is the key to fluency. We often tend to talk in a very fast manner without even knowing what we are telling which results in mumbling and fumbling. Think before you speak out. Organize your thoughts and speak at a calm and gentle pace.
(c) There is a thumb rule in speaking test which is, if you are out of ideas, think of examples. Remember, you can brag examples for any topic on earth. I was asked about the importance of sleep and I ran out of ideas, so I dragged my insomnia factors and managed to keep talking effortlessly.
(d) For part 2 there are two things you need to keep in mind. Background and Relevance. Now here’s a trap set by them, if you only focus on answering 3/4 questions in the cue card, you’ll be done within 30 seconds. So you’ll need to think of background and relevant factors for each question so that you’re able to make up a story. For example, if there’s a question, “Which time of the year did you go to that picnic in your childhood?” Now you can pull a background story here mentioning how you spent all year without any vacation and then finally after you’re done with your final exam, you got long holidays. Also, your parents managed to get a day off so finally, your year-long dream had come true to go for a family picnic.
See what I did there? There is a background and I dragged my parents as part of relevance.
(e) Try to talk about real-life examples. You’ll have a lot to talk about because no one knows better about yourself than you.
(f) Don’t bother about the impression in part three. The examiner won’t judge you if you take the side of a controversial issue. All s/he will see is if you can defend your logic with correct grammar.
(g) Avoid informal and colloquial vocabularies such as; like, stuff.
(h) Don’t panic if you mumble, fumble, repetition of words or don’t understand the question. You are allowed to make a few mistakes because it will be a conversation, not a written exam, nor an interview.
(i) Usually in part 2, you need to talk about sth which has happened in past. So don’t mix up between tenses. The Thumb rule is to use the past tense in every sentence.
(j) Eye contact isn’t necessary for part 2. You can keep talking by looking at your notes.
(k) Use your indigenous accent. Never ever try a fake accent. The examiner respects your mother tongue, so don’t feel inferior if you do not have a cool accent. You just need to pronounce every word correctly, not stylishly. I guess that’s not too hard.
I hope this post finds you well especially if you are one of those people