IELTS General Training: How it works

What is IELTS General Training?

The IELTS General Training test is for people who wish to live and work abroad in an English-speaking country. The test features everyday English language skills that you will need in social and workplace environments.

Most importantly, this test helps test takers explore and open doors worldwide. It is the only English language test accepted for migration by all four governments in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK. 

To get a taste for what's involved in the test and to prepare yourself for the exam, we've put together this brief overview of the IELTS General Training test.

This test features everyday English. It includes four sections: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Learn More

IELTS General Training Writing free practice questions

IELTS General Training Reading free practice questions

IELTS General Training

Do I need to take IELTS Academic or General Training?

IELTS General Training Reading

This part of the test checks your understanding of reading materials you are likely to encounter daily in everyday life. Common items like extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines.

The Reading test is in three parts:

- Part 1 contains several short texts

- Part 2 contains two more short texts

- Part 3 contains one longer text.

IELTS General Training Writing

The General Training Writing test includes two tasks that are based on topics of general interest.

Task 1: You are presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining a situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.

Task 2: Also, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal in style compared to an Academic Writing task. You should support your point of view with relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

IELTS General Training Listening

In this section of the test you’ll listen to four recordings, then answer 10 questions for each section of the Listening test.

You listen to four recordings which are a mix of monologues and conversations from a range of native speakers, and you can only hear each recording once. There are 10 questions for each section of the Listening test.

These questions test your ability to understand:

- Main ideas and detailed factual information

- The opinions and attitudes of speakers

- The purpose of a statement
- The ability to follow the development of ideas

IELTS General Training Speaking

The Speaking test assesses your use of spoken English. The test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes, where you discuss a variety of topics with an IELTS examiner. Your test takes place in a quiet room with an examiner who encourages you to keep speaking.

There are 3 parts to the Speaking test.

Part 1: The examiner asks you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.

Part 2: You are given a task card and the examiner asks you to talk about a topic. You have 1 minute to prepare, before speaking for up to 2 minutes. The examiner may then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.

Part 3:You will be asked more questions about the topic in Part 2, but the discussion might be around different areas of the topic. This part of the test lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.

Ask IELTS

What is the difference between IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training?

If you plan to migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, taking an IELTS General Training test makes sense. Or if you are planning on studying in secondary education, or enrolling in vocational training, this might still be the right choice.

But if you plan to study in higher education or want professional registration in an English-speaking country, you might need to take an IELTS Academic test.

Can I do all parts of the test on the same day?

The Listening, Reading, and Writing parts of the test are completed immediately after each other on the same day. In some test centres, you will sit the Speaking test on the same day, or up to 7 days before or after your test date.

If you take IELTS on computer, the Speaking test will be taken on the same day, either before, or after the other three parts of the test.

What band score do I need to migrate abroad?

The band score you need to migrate to a particular country varies. Check our Who accepts IELTS page to check which band score you need.

What order will I complete the IELTS test in?

If you take IELTS on Computer, you will do the tests in the following order on the same day: Listening, Reading and Writing, with the Speaking test before or after this test session.

If you take IELTS on Paper, you will do the tests in the following order: Writing, Reading and Listening. Depending on the test centre, the Speaking test can be done on the same day, or up to 7 days either before or after the test date.