IELTS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The IELTS Academic test is usually for those applying for higher education or professional registration in an English-speaking environment. It reflects features of academic language.

The IELTS General Training test focuses on basic survival skills in broad social and workplace contexts. It is typically required for migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, or for secondary education, training programmes and work experience.

Both tests assess Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both tests, but the Reading and Writing sections differ.

Read more about Test Format

Yes, the 'IELTS One Skill Retake' (OSR) option allows test takers to retake one of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking) if they didn't achieve their desired score in that specific section on their initial attempt.

However, OSR is currently only available in certain locations and for specific test types (usually computer-delivered IELTS). Availability is expanding.

Learn more about One Skill Retake

Your overall band score is the average of your scores for the four sections (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking). The average score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band.

For example, if your scores are Listening 7.0, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.0, and Speaking 7.0, the average is (7.0 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 7.0) / 4 = 6.625. This average is rounded up to the nearest half band, resulting in an overall score of 6.5.

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