IELTS
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IELTS PREPARATION
Target audience: Those wishing to study a program delivered in English.
Required by: Institutions offering programs in English (including English-taught degrees in non-Anglophone countries). IELTS results are also accepted as proof of English language proficiency in countries where this is required to obtain a visa.
Purpose: To test a proficiency in English, for an academic or general context.
Duration: Two hours and 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes for the speaking test.
Test content: There are two versions of the test: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Both are divided into four sections, with the same content for the Listening and Speaking sections, but different Reading and Writing sections. The Academic version focuses more on English in a higher education context, while General Training focuses more on workplace and social situations.
- Listening: 40 questions based on four recordings of conversations and monologues. The audio content features a range of different accents (30 minutes).
- Reading: 40 questions based on three passages of text. For the IELTS Academic, these texts may include graphs or illustrations, and may be taken from sources including books, journals and newspapers (one hour).
- Writing: Two tasks. For the IELTS Academic, these are a short formal essay and a task in which candidates must describe or explain a table, chart or other diagram (one hour).
- Speaking: A face-to-face interview, in which test-takers must answer general questions about themselves and familiar topics, speak about a particular topic (given on a card), and participate in a structured discussion. This section can be taken up to seven days before or after the other three sections (which are taken at the same time) and lasts for 11-14 minutes.
Scoring: Each of the four sections is marked on scale from one to nine, with band one indicating a non-user and nine an expert user. Candidates also receive an averaged overall score on the same scale. Institutions are responsible for setting their own target scores. There is no limit on the number of times the test can be retaken.
Cost: NPR 16950.00
Valid for: Two years.
Points to note: Before taking an English proficiency exam, be sure to check which tests are accepted by the institution you are applying to.
Resources: The official website offers practice materials and free sample questions.
TEST FORMAT IN DETAIL
Paper format
There are four sections with ten questions each. The questions are designed so that the answers appear in the order they are heard in the audio.
The first two sections deal with situations set in everyday social contexts. In Section 1, there is a conversation between two speakers (for example, a conversation about travel arrangements), and in Section 2, there is a monologue in (for example, a speech about local facilities). The final two sections deal with situations set in educational and training contexts. In Section 3, there is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, two university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor), and in Section 4, there is a monologue on an academic subject.
The recordings are heard only once. They include a range of accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian.
Timing
Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer time).
No. of questions
40
Task types
A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion.
Answering
Test takers write their answers on the question paper as they listen and at the end of the test are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an answer sheet. Care should be taken when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.
Marks
Each question is worth 1 mark.
Paper format
Three reading passages with a variety of questions using a number of task types.
Timing
60 minutes
No. of questions
40
Task types
A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following; multiple choice, identifying information, identifying the writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion and short-answer questions.
Sources
Texts are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers, and have been written for a non-specialist audience. All the topics are of general interest. They deal with issues which are interesting, recognisably appropriate and accessible to test takers entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration. The passages may be written in a variety of styles, for example narrative, descriptive or discursive/argumentative. At least one text contains detailed logical argument. Texts may contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms a simple glossary is provided.
Answering
Test takers are required to transfer their answers to an answer sheet during the time allowed for the test. No extra time is allowed for transfer. Care should be taken when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.
Marks
Each question is worth 1 mark.
There are three sections. Section 1 may contain two or three short texts or several shorter texts. Section 2 comprises two texts. In Section 3, there is one long text.
Timing
60 minutes
No. of questions
40
Task types
A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, identifying information, identifying writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.
Sources
The first section, ‘social survival’, contains texts relevant to basic linguistic survival in English with tasks mainly about retrieving and providing general factual information, for example, notices, advertisements and timetables.
The second section, ‘Workplace survival’, focuses on the workplace context, for example, job descriptions, contracts and staff development and training materials.
The third section, ‘general reading’, involves reading more extended prose with a more complex structure. Here, the emphasis is on descriptive and instructive rather than argumentative texts, in a general context relevant to the wide range of test takers involved, for example, newspapers, magazines and fictional and non-fictional book extracts.
Answering
Test takers are required to transfer their answers to an answer sheet during the time allowed for the test. No extra time is allowed for transfer. Care should be taken when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.
Marks
Each question is worth 1 mark.
Paper format
There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed.
Timing
60 minutes
No. of questions
2
Task types
In Task 1, test takers are asked to describe some visual information (graph/table/chart/diagram) in their own words. They need to write 150 words in about 20 minutes. In Task 2, they respond to a point of view or argument or problem. They need to write 250 words in about 40 minutes.
Answering
Answers must be given on the answer sheet and must be written in full. Notes or bullet points are not acceptable as answers. Test takers may write on the question paper but this cannot be taken from the examination room and will not be seen by the examiner.
There are two Writing tasks to complete.
Timing
60 minutes
No. of questions
2
Task types
In Task 1, test takers are asked to respond to a situation, for example, by writing a letter requesting information or explaining a situation.
In Task 2, test takers write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.
Answering
Answers must be written in full in the answer booklet. Notes or bullet points in whole or in part are not acceptable as answers. Test takers may write on the question paper but this cannot be taken from the test room and will not be seen by the examiner.
Paper format
The Speaking test consists of an oral interview between the test takers’ and an examiner. All Speaking tests are recorded.
Timing
11–14 minutes
Task types
There are three parts to the test and each part fulfils a specific function in terms of interaction pattern, task input and test takers output.