IELTS Academic vs General

IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training, both are your answers depending on what you are thinking of pursuing, either your dream education or a career abroad. The IELTS administration has devised both the exams for abroad aspirants for their education and career needs. According to the administration, IELTS Academic helps you to secure a place in higher educational institutions such as Universities or Colleges or sometimes helps you to get even employed, while IELTS General Training is purely for seeking employment in abroad countries, where English is the preferred communication language.Â
Today, IELTS is accepted by more than 140 countries worldwide in their 11,500 organisations, including universities, training institutes, government departments, employment bodies and immigration offices.
But, when it comes to your employment, the employment bodies will decide which IELTS you should attend. Since both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are considered for employment by some countries, it is their sole decision to choose the format.
Task |
Questions |
Time |
Listening |
40 (4 sections) |
30 minutes+10 minutes to transfer the answers to the sheet. |
Speaking |
Variable (3 sections) |
11-14 minutes |
Reading |
40 (3 sections) |
60 minutes |
Writing |
2 (2 sections) |
60 minutes |
Task |
Questions |
Time |
Listening |
40 (4 sections) |
30 minutes+10 minutes to transfer the answers to the sheet. |
Speaking |
Variable (3 sections) |
11-14 minutes |
Reading |
40 (3 sections) |
60 minutes |
Writing |
2 (2 sections) |
60 minutes |
The IELTS Academic Reading section tests the comprehension (understanding) skills of the students. A passage of about 3000 words will be given, taken from current books, newspapers or journals, etc. The passage will be appropriate for students entering university or seeking employment in English-speaking countries. Besides their comprehension skills, their other skills like skimming, scanning, attention to detail, logical argument, and recognising the writer’s opinions, attitude and purpose will be tested.
The skills tested in the General Training Reading section are the same as that of the Academic. But the passage here is more appropriate for students seeking employment in English-speaking countries.
The GT Reading section has 40 questions, with each of different type. Similar to Academic, GT Reading section too is timed for 60 minutes.
The IELTS Academic Writing section tests students’ competency to understand and organise ideas while utilising vocabulary and grammar properly to convey them.
There are two questions asked in the writing section. Question 1 will be in the form of a graph/table/chart/diagram. Students should summarise the given visual information in their own words using proper vocabulary and grammar. Question 2 asks you to write an essay of about 250 words. The total time given for completing both the tasks is 60 minutes, and both should be addressed in a formal style of writing.
The General Training format of the writing section also assesses the same as the Academic. The format, too, is the same, with 60 minutes allocated for the section.
The Speaking section doesn’t differ so much between the two formats - IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The speaking test will be conducted by an IELTS examiner, and it will be a 1-1 verbal interview between the examiner and the candidate. The Speaking section will analyse the Spoken English skills of the students and their ability to sustain themselves in an English-speaking environment.
Whether it is information or training for the exam, we can help you out. At AECC, our counsellors are more experienced and can provide precise information about the IELTS. Moreover, we also have professional trainers who can train you thoroughly to achieve a high band in the exam. To avail of either of our services, reach out to us now and take the next step in your journey abroad.