Test format Total test time: LISTENING 4 sections, 40 items, 30 minutes ACADEMIC READING 3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes GENERAL TRAINING READING 3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes ACADEMIC WRITING 2 tasks (150 & 250 words), 60 minutes GENERAL TRAINING WRITING 2 tasks (150 & 250 words), 60 minutes SPEAKING 11-14 minutes Total test time: 2 hours 44 minutes (+ 10 minutes transfer time)

Candidate performance Candidates must do all four parts of the test IELTS provides: - A score for each of the four language areas, and - An overall Band score IELTS tests the full range of proficiency levels, from non-user to expert user, on a 9 band scale

How are IELTS results presented? 9 Band Scale 9 expert user 8 very good user 7 good user 6 competent user 5 modest user 4 limited user 3 extremely limited user 2 intermittent user 1 non-user How are IELTS results presented?

How are Listening and Reading rated? Objectively marked Listening and Reading papers contain 40 items Each item is worth one mark Each candidate’s Listening or Reading paper is marked and awarded a score out of 40 Each paper has a band score conversion table which converts the raw score to a band score

Listening Band score Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35   Band score Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35 Academic Reading 15 General Training Reading 4 34

Speaking Test is with a real person IELTS has made a commitment to retain the F2F speaking interview though other test providers are using computers. Whilst more costly, it is overwhelmingly favoured by stakeholders who see it as the only way to demonstrate authentic oral communication. All interviews are conducted to a standardised framework so they are consistently delivered, and are recorded for monitoring purposes, or appeals processes etc. Speaking Test is with a real person

How are Writing and Speaking rated? As these are productive skills, they are marked by language Examiners Four equally weighted criteria, each one marked according to the nine band scale