IELTS General Training – prove you have practical, everyday English language skills

IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and tests reflect both workplace and social situations.

Take this test if you would like to:

  • train or study at below degree level
  • work or undertake work related training in an English speaking country
  • emigrate to an English speaking country
  • get a better job in your own country.

You can choose between IELTS on paper or IELTS on computer IELTS General Training. Both test formats will take place at one of our official test centres.

If you want to emigrate to the UK, find out more about IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Fee for the IELTS General Training test: 1.089 BRL for IELTS General Training and 1.210 BRL for IELTS General Training for UKVI

What does the fee include? Our IELTS test fee includes exclusive preparation materials, free practice tests and much more. 

Duration: 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Format: There are four sections to the test: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. In Brazil, the written part of the exam (Listening, Writing and Reading) starts always at 1pm (local time).

If you choose an IELTS on paper, your Speaking interview will be scheduled directly by us. It may be scheduled on the morning of the test day or up to a week before (working days and hours included). You will receive notification in advance if your Speaking test is on a different day. For candidates who are travelling to take the exam, Speaking interviews are usually scheduled on the morning of the test day or 1-2 days before the written test date.

If you choose a IELTS on computer test, you have a free choice of Speaking test date and time.

IELTS General Training test Part 1: Listening Tasks

Duration: 30 minutes +10 minutes to transfer your responses to the answer sheet

Format:  4 audio recordings in varying accents (in Brazil, we do not provide headphones). 

You will write your answers using:

  • multiple choice
  • matching points
  • diagram labelling 
  • sentence completion

You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.

  • Recording 1 – a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.
  • Recording 2 - a monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.
  • Recording 3 – a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.
  • Recording 4 - a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of your ability to understand the main ideas and detailed factual information, the opinions and attitudes of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and evidence of your ability to follow the development of ideas.

Please note:

*In the computer-delivered Listening test, the timings are slightly different from the paper-based test. This is because the paper-based test requires users to transfer answers to an answer sheet. This step becomes redundant when answering directly on a computer. 

  • Before the start of each part of the Listening test you will have some time to read the questions.
  • After the end of each part of the Listening test you will have some time to review your answers.
  • At the end of the Listening test, you will have 2 minutes to check your answers.
  • The timing of the Listening test is between 30 – 34 minutes.

IELTS General Training test Part 2: Reading Tasks

Duration: 60 minutes (no extra time to transfer your responses to the answer sheet)

Format:

Three reading passages with tasks:

  • Section 1 - two short or three short factual texts
  • Section 2  - two short work-related, factual texts
  • Section 3 -  one longer text on a topic of general interest

The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument and recognising writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose.

This includes 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.

IELTS General Training test Part 3: Writing Tasks

Duration: 60 minutes (no extra time to transfer your responses to the answer sheet)

Format:

  • Letter writing task (minimum 150 words)
  • Short essay writing task (minimum 250 words).

Topics are of general interest. There are two tasks:

  • Task 1 - you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.
  • Task 2 - you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be fairly personal in style.

IELTS General Training test Part 4: Speaking Tasks

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

 Format:

  • Face-to-face interview.
  • Short questions and speaking at length about a familiar topic.

Please note: Depending on the test centre location, you may be required to book the Speaking section of your test on a different day.

The Speaking section assesses your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.

  • Part 1 - the examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.
  • Part 2 - you will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic.
  • Part 3 - you will be asked further questions about the topic in Part 2. This will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues. This part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.

The Importance of IELTS General Training 

IELTS General Training is indispensable for individuals seeking to migrate or work in English-speaking countries. It assesses practical communication skills in everyday situations. This exam is a crucial requirement for visas and employment in many nations, ensuring that candidates are capable of interacting effectively in English in workplace and social settings. 

 

Many countries that use English as an official language, such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, require applicants to demonstrate their English proficiency through IELTS General Training as part of their immigration and visa processes. Moreover, numerous organizations and employers in these countries also request this score as part of their hiring requirements. This is because IELTS General Training verifies candidates' ability to communicate in real-life scenarios, which is critical for a successful transition to a new environment. 

From September 2020 some of our IELTS test centres will start delivering the IELTS Speaking test via video calls. This means more flexibility and more availability of IELTS Speaking tests. 

You will take the Video-Call Speaking test at an official IELTS test centre with the same high standard of identity verification. The test will be exactly the same as the in-person Speaking test in terms of content, scoring, timing, level of difficulty, question format and security arrangements.  Delivered by an IELTS Speaking Examiner, the video-call Speaking test will maintain the face-to-face feature of the in-person Speaking test. 

For more information, please contact your local test centre.

Book your IELTS General Training test

Success starts with IELTS. If your goal is to study below degree level or emigrate to an English speaking country, then you will need to take the IELTS General Training test.

At the British Council, we are committed to providing you with the support you need to enable you to do well in the test. When you book with us, you get free unlimited access to Road to IELTS Last Minute course. This includes nine videos giving advice and tutorials, 100 interactive activities and two IELTS General Training practice tests for each of the four skills.

Find an IELTS General Training test date. 

Before booking your test, make sure to check which test you need with the organisations you are applying to.
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