What is IELTS?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a globally
recognized exam that assesses English proficiency for study, work, and
migration. There are two versions:
• Academic: Required for university admissions and professional registration.
• General Training: Needed for work and migration purposes.
Each version evaluates four essential language skills:
1. Listening
2. Reading
3. Writing
4. Speaking
Scoring Criteria
Writing & Speaking Assessment
Your score is determined by the following factors:
• Grammar: Accuracy and range of sentence structures
• Vocabulary (Lexical Resource): Range, precision, and usage
• Coherence & Cohesion: Logical flow and use of linking words
• Task Response (Writing) / Fluency & Pronunciation (Speaking)
Each section is equally important and contributes to your overall band
score.
Writing Overview
Academic Writing
• Task 1: Describe a graph, table, chart, process, or diagram
o 150 words
o 20 minutes
o Worth 1/3 of the total Writing score
• Task 2: Write a formal essay on a general academic topic
o 250 words
o 40 minutes
o Worth 2/3 of the total Writing score
General Training Writing
• Task 1: Write a letter (formal, semi-formal, or informal)
• Task 2: Write an essay on a general topic
Important Tip: Each writing task is graded by a different
examiner, so consistency in performance is key!
Speaking Overview
The IELTS Speaking Test is conducted face-to-face and lasts 11-14
minutes. It consists of three parts:
• Part 1: Introduction & Interview (4-5 minutes)
o Topics: Hobbies, work, studies, home, family
• Part 2: Individual Long Turn (3-4 minutes)
o You will be given a cue card with a topic and 1 minute
to prepare before speaking for 2 minutes.
• Part 3: Discussion (4-5 minutes)
o More complex questions related to Part 2
Scoring Criteria
1. Fluency & Coherence
2. Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
3. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
4. Pronunciation
Pro Tip: Use idioms, phrasal verbs, and strong collocations to
boost your score!
Reading Overview
Academic Reading
• 3 long texts from books, journals, and newspapers
• 40 questions
• 60 minutes
• Skills Tested: Skimming, scanning, understanding opinions,
and detailed reading
General Training Reading
• 5 texts (shorter and workplace-related)
• 40 questions
• 60 minutes
• Skills Tested: Identifying key information, reading for gist,
and following instructions
Tip: Read the questions before reading the passage to save
time!
Listening Overview
• Duration: 30-40 minutes
• Sections:
1. Conversation (daily situations)
2. Monologue (informational talk)
3. Conversation (academic setting)
4. Lecture (academic topic)
• Key Strategies:
o Listen actively.
o Predict missing words in completion tasks.
o Beware of distractors (e.g., corrections like "Oh no, I meant...")
o Read questions in advance.
o Answers must match word limits.
Listening Tip: Always check your spelling! Incorrect spelling means
losing points.
Final Tips for Success
Read the questions before listening to the audio.
Pay attention to synonyms and paraphrases in reading and listening.
Don’t leave blanks – make an educated guess!
Practice under timed conditions to improve your speed.
Check spelling and grammar in writing and listening.
Use idioms, collocations, and phrasal verbs to boost your speaking score.
Stay calm and confident during the test – nerves can affect fluency!
Essential Vocabulary from Class
1. Proficiency – A high level of skill in something
2. Cohesion – Logical connection of ideas in a text
3. Coherence – Overall clarity and organization of writing/speaking
4. Lexical resource – Range and precision of vocabulary used
5. Fluency – Ability to speak smoothly and naturally
6. Monologue – Speech given by one person
7. Distractor – Misleading information in listening tests
8. Paraphrase – Expressing the same idea in different words
9. Skimming – Quickly reading to get the general meaning
10.Scanning – Looking for specific information in a text
11.Cue card – A card with a topic used in IELTS Speaking Part 2
12.Task Response – How well the answer addresses the question in
writing
13.Band score – IELTS scoring system ranging from 0 to 9
14.Idioms – Phrases with meanings different from their literal words
15.Collocations – Words that naturally go together (e.g., "make a
decision")
For more IELTS tips, follow: Instagram → @hooman.teaches
