IELTS – Academic or General
The first question to ask when you discover that you have to do the IELTS exam is:
“Which version of IELTS should I take? The Academic version or the General?”
This is important because the scores are not interchangeable so there is no point in the study to appear for the wrong examination . We encourage you to find out specifically in your case, what version of the exam you need to do, based on the requirements of your host institution.
The Academic IELTS test is the most advanced. This version is generally used to determine whether applicants are eligible to enroll in undergraduate programs and postgraduate students where English is the medium of instruction.
General IELTS test is the simplest. It focuses on basic English skills in social and educational environments. It is generally requested for candidates who are applying for immigration, working in certain professions, or studying at a non-degree level.
The simple chart below shows the main similarities and differences in the General and Academic IELTS.:
|
Same
|
Different
|
| Listening Module | Reading Module |
| Speaking Module | Writing Module |
The chart below shows the difference between two modules:
| General Reading
Types of Exercises:
Details:
|
Academic Reading
Types of Exercises:
Details:
|
|
General Writing
Types of Exercises:
– 1 letter (150 words) – 1 essay (250 words)
Details:
|
Academic Writing
Types of Exercises:
-1 descriptive report, based on a graphic (150 words) -1 essay (250 words) Details:
|
The detailed chart below shows the requirements for each version of the IELTS exam.
Listening(Same test for Academic and General Versions)Types of Questions:
Details:
|
| Speaking
(Same test for Academic and General Versions) Live, oral interview of about 11-14 minutes with an examiner. Details: 3 sections Section 1 – Candidate asked personal information, like at first meeting Section 2 – Candidate delivers monologue of 1-2 minutes on given subject Section 3 – Candidate answers more advanced questions to expand on Section 2 |
Perfect!