The official IELTS by IDP app is here! Download it today.
The General Training test looks at your English-language capabilities in a work or social environment. If you plan to study in secondary education, enroll in vocational training, move abroad for work or migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, you might need to take an IELTS General Training.
The test assesses your English-language proficiency across four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. While the Listening and Speaking part of the IELTS General Training are the same as the IELTS Academic, the Reading and Writing parts differ.
Ask IELTS
IELTS Academic and General Training are two wholly separate types of test, for two different purposes. While some individual organisations may accept an Academic result in the place of General Training, this decision is up to them. You will need to contact your specific organisation to learn more.
As IELTS is an international test, a variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used in both the General Training and Academic tests.
Of course! Every test question that appears on the IELTS test is designed, screened and tested by Cambridge Assessment English (CAE) to ensure it meets standard requirements before being released as test material. This can take up to two years to ensure every question complies with our high standards for all test takers.
Our research ensures IELTS remains fair and unbiased for anyone who sits the test, regardless of nationality, background, gender or lifestyle. Our highly trusted team ensures every version of the test is of comparable difficulty.
For both IELTS on paper and IELTS on computer, you will not be able to bring your own paper into the test for security reasons. If you are sitting IELTS on computer, we will provide you with a pencil and paper. You also receive paper for your Speaking test to help you organise your thoughts as you speak with the examiner.
Since IELTS is an individual English-language proficiency test, no other test results will be able to count towards your IELTS score.
Everyone speaks with an accent and you are not expected to change your accent for the IELTS test. Instead, focus on speaking clearly and at a natural pace so that the examiner can understand you. Practising your English every day and listening to different native speaker accents will help you to more clearly pronounce difficult words.
IELTS Academic or General Training: Which do you need?
Find out the differences between IELTS Academic and General Training so you can choose which one is best for you.
IELTS Speaking hears accents
IELTS Speaking examiners understand a variety of accents and can communicate effectively with you in a face-to-face conversation.
How is IELTS scored?
To help you work towards the IELTS score you need, watch this short video and find out how IELTS is scored in all four parts of the test.
Learn More
Featured news and articles
IELTS tests
Progress Check for IELTS General Training
Take an official mock test for IELTS General Training. Get a feedback report with indicative band scores marked by qualified IELTS markers.