IELTS Stands for “International English Language Testing System”
It is a test of English Language proficiency. It is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia.
There are two versions of the IELTS: The Academic Version and the General Version.
The Academic Version is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as medical professionals and nurses who want to study or practice.
The General Training Version is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or employment, for immigration purposes.
IELTS is accepted by almost all Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and more than 1800 US academic institutions. It is the only acceptable English test for immigration to Australian and also accepted by the UK and Canada.
The IELTS Test Structure
The IELTS test comprises of four Modules – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Scores are reported in “bands” for the individual modules and the overall tests. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules, while the Reading and Writing Modules differ depending on whether the candidate is taking the Academic or General Training Versions of the Test.
Total Test Duration 2 hours 45 minutes.
The first three modules – Listening, Reading and Writing (always in that order) – are completed in one day with no break in between. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test center. It is generally administered on the day of the test or on the following day.
An IELTS result or Test Report Form (TRF) is valid for two years.
PTE Academic is accepted by universities in the USA, UK, Australia, amongst others.
It was created by Person Language Tests part of the Pearson PLC group and endorsed by GMAC ® (Graduate Management Admission Council), owners of GMAT ® (Graduate Management Admission Test).
It is a computer-based exam that focuses on real-life English used in academic surroundings. Throughout the test, students will listen to a variety of accents and academic language encountered at higher education institutions in English speaking countries.
Test Modules
Speaking and Writing – These modules assess all communications skills of the test taker.
Module includes
Reading a Text Aloud
Repeating a sentence
Describing an Image
Re-telling a Lecture
Answering short questions
Summarizing a text
Listening – This module assesses the listening skills of the test taker.
Module includes
Summarizing spoken text
Multiple Choice Questions based on the recording
Fill blanks in a transcript based on a recording
Writing a diction
Reading – This module assesses the reading skills of the test taker.
Module includes
Reading Comprehension
Re-ordering Paragraphs
Filling Blanks in a text
PTE TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES
PTE Academic Structure:
The test is administered in an approximately 2-hour test session. The test is divided into three timed sections.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing (54–67 Minutes)
This is the longest section of the test. It tests your ability to communicate effectively in both spoken and written English.
Personal Introduction: 25 seconds to read a prompt and 30 seconds to speak. (Unscored, used for institutional familiarization).
Read Aloud: Read a short text (up to 60 words) into the microphone.
Repeat Sentence: Listen to a 3-9 second audio and repeat it exactly.
Describe Image: Describe a graph, map, or chart shown on screen.
Re-tell Lecture: Listen to or watch a short lecture and summarize it in your own words.
Summarize Group Discussion (New): Listen to a short discussion and summarize the key points.
Respond to a Situation (New): Provide a verbal response to a common everyday scenario.
Answer Short Question: Answer a question with one or a few words.
Summarize Written Text: Write a one-sentence summary (5–75 words) of a reading passage.
Write Essay: Write a 200–300 word essay on a specific topic in 20 minutes.
Part 2: Reading (29–30 Minutes)
This section uses integrated skills to assess your comprehension of academic texts.
Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks: Choose the best words from a dropdown menu to complete a text.
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers: Select all correct options based on a passage.
Re-order Paragraphs: Drag and drop text boxes to put a story or argument in the correct order.
Reading: Fill in the Blanks: Drag words from a list into blanks in a text.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer: Select one correct option based on a passage.
Part 3: Listening (30–43 Minutes)
This part uses audio and video clips that play automatically. You can only hear them once.
Summarize Spoken Text: Listen to a 60–90 second clip and write a 50–70 word summary in 10 minutes.
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers: Select all correct answers based on the recording.
Fill in the Blanks: Type the missing words into a transcript as you listen.
Highlight Correct Summary: Choose the paragraph that best summarizes the audio.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer: Select one correct answer based on the recording.
Select Missing Word: Predict the word(s) that should go at the end of a beeped-out clip.
Highlight Incorrect Words: Click on the words in a transcript that differ from what the speaker says.
Write from Dictation: Listen to a short sentence and type it exactly.
Test Scores
Test Scores are available online, typically 1-5 business days from taking the test. Test takers can report scores to any number of institutions for free. Selected institutions can retrieve scores online, usually within 48 hours.
Japanese Language Institutions are institutions where non-native speakers of Japanese can learn the Japanese language. There are courses for people who wish to learn Japanese before enrolling in a university, and for people who wish to learn business Japanese, among others. To be able to keep up with classes at Japanese schools, it is necessary to obtain a JLPT N1 or N2 certification. It takes approximately 600～900+ hours of studying to reach this level.
