IELTS Academic or General: Which You Should choose?

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English language test designed to help people to work, study, or migrate to a country where English is the native language. IELTS is the only English proficiency test that provides test takers with a choice between Academic and General Training tests. Whether to choose IELTS Academic or General depends on the purpose of writing the test.

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What is IELTS academic?

The IELTS Academic test is designed to assess English-language skills, especially those that are required when studying at undergraduate or postgraduate levels. You can take the test either on paper, or on computer at IELTS official test centers. There may also be an option to take the test online.

The IELTS Academic test is made up of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Let us have a look at each of these section in detail:

Listening

This section has four parts, with ten questions each – part 1 and 2 deal with everyday, social situations and parts 3 and 4 deal with educational and training situations.

The questions are in the same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on. You will hear the recordings once only in different accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American.

You can listen to the audio for 30 minutes and you will have 10 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.

This section consists of 40 questions of 1 mark each. Marks will be deducted for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Reading

This section includes texts come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources. The  topics are of general interest to students at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Texts may contain diagrams, graphs, technical vocabulary or illustrations.

There will be 3 parts with total text length of 2150 to 2750 words. There will be 40 questions of 1 mark each. The duration of the test is one hour.

Writing

The writing section has two tasks:

1. In Task 1, you have to describe some visual information in your own words (a graph, table, chart or diagram). You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
2. In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

You must write your answers using full sentences and not as notes or bullet points. This section is of one hour and the marking for Task 2 will be twice that of Task 1.

Speaking

The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an examiner and is recorded. There are three parts in this section:

1. In Part 1 you will be asked about yourself and about familiar topics, such as home and family, studies or interests.
2. In Part 2 you are shown a card asking you to talk about a particular topic. After a minute to prepare, you must speak for up to two minutes and then answer general questions on the topic.
3. In Part 3 further questions will be asked about the topic in more detail.

The time duration for this section is 11 to 14 minutes.

What is IELTS General?

You need to do IELTS General Training test if you wish to migrate to a country where English is spoken, (e.g. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and UK) or if you wish to train or study in these countries at below degree level.

The IELTS General test is made up of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The Speaking and Listening tests are the same in both the Academic and the General Training tests, but the Reading and Writing tests are different. Let us have a look at each of these section in detail:

Listening

This section has four parts, with ten questions each – part 1 and 2 deal with everyday, social situations and parts 3 and 4 deal with educational and training situations.

The questions are in the same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on. You will hear the recordings once only in different accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American.

You can listen to the audio for 30 minutes and you will have 10 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.

This section consists of 40 questions of 1 mark each. Marks will be deducted for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Speaking

The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an examiner and is recorded. There are three parts in this section:

1. In Part 1 you will be asked about yourself and about familiar topics, such as home and family, studies or interests.
2. In Part 2 you are shown a card asking you to talk about a particular topic. After a minute to prepare, you must speak for up to two minutes and then answer general questions on the topic.
3. In Part 3 further questions will be asked about the topic in more detail.

The time duration for this section is 11 to 14 minutes.

Reading

There are three sections of increasing difficulty:

1. The texts in Section 1 deal with everyday topics, and they are the sort of texts that a person would need to be able to understand when living in a country where English is spoken. You will need to pick out important information, e.g. from notices, advertisements and timetables.
2. The texts in Section 2 focus on work topics, for example, job descriptions, contracts, staff development and training materials.
3. The text in Section 3 deals with a topic of general interest. This section is longer and more complex than the other two. The texts in this section are taken from newspapers, magazines, books and online resources.

There will be 3 parts with total text length of 2150 to 2750 words. This sections consists of 40 questions of 1 mark each. The duration of the test is one hour.

Writing

There are two Writing tasks:

1. In Task 1, you have to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, asking for information or explaining a situation. You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
2. In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

You must write your answers using full sentences and not as notes or bullet points. This section is of one hour and the marking for Task 2 will be twice that of Task 1.

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General vs Academic –  Which Exam Should You Choose?

IELTS General is for people who wish to live and work abroad in an English speaking country. It focuses mainly on assessing a person’s proficiency, confidence and comfort when communicating in English in daily situations. This prepares them to encounter situations in a native English-speaking environment.

The IELTS Academic test is for students who are interested in pursuing higher education overseas. It is designed to assess whether a test taker is ready and able to use English as a medium of study.

These two IELTS tests are designed to help you reach your goal. Knowing the difference between the two kinds of tests makes it easier to choose which may serve you best for what you want to achieve.

The IELTS Listening and Speaking tests are the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training test whereas Writing and Reading tests are different in the Academic and General Training tests.

The Academic test will contain topics suitable for anyone entering university or professional institutions. The General Training test will contain topics based on general interest. The organization where you plan to work or study sets the requirements, so it’s good to check with them to know which test is right for you.

Is IELTS Academics Easier Than IELTS General?

IELTS General is relatively easier than IELTS Academics. The Speaking and Listening tests are the same in both the Academic and the General Training tests, but the Reading and Writing tests are different.

For Academic Writing task 1, you need to describe and analyze data in a bar/ pie chart, graphs, tables or diagrams. On the other hand, for General Test Writing task 1 you should write a letter which can be a formal or informal letter to someone you don’t know.

The difference in the tasks might make IELTS General test easier, but you shouldn’t choose it because you think it’s easier. You should select the test that is right for you.

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