Here is a Detailed Description of all 4 modules of IELTS
1. Listening Module (30 minutes)
The Listening module of the IELTS test is designed to evaluate a candidates ability to understand spoken English in various contexts. It consists of four sections, each with a different type of audio recording. These recordings can be conversations between people, monologues, or dialogues in everyday situations. Heres a breakdown of the Listening module:
Section 1: A conversation between two speakers in a social context, such as booking a hotel room or discussing travel plans.
Section 2: A monologue, usually a speech or talk about a familiar topic, such as a tour guide describing a historical site.
Section 3: A conversation among multiple speakers, often in an educational or training context, such as a university lecture or seminar discussion.
Section 4: A monologue on an academic topic, typically from a university lecture.
Candidates will answer a series of multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, and complete sentence tasks based on the information they hear in these recordings.
2. Reading Module (60 minutes)
The Reading module assesses a candidates ability to understand, analyze, and interpret written English texts. It consists of three sections, each with a different type of reading material. Heres an overview of the Reading module:
Section 1: This section contains texts taken from everyday situations, like advertisements, brochures, or timetables. Candidates are required to answer multiple-choice, matching, and sentence completion questions.
Section 2: This section includes two or three texts focused on work-related or general topics. Candidates must answer questions like identifying information, True/False/Not Given, and matching headings.
Section 3: This section features a longer academic text, often an article or essay on a complex subject. Candidates need to answer questions on topics like identifying the main ideas, summarizing information, and matching headings.
3. Writing Module (60 minutes)
The Writing module assesses a candidates ability to express ideas clearly and coherently in written English. It consists of two tasks:
Task 1 (Academic): In the Academic version of the test, candidates are presented with a visual representation of information, such as a graph, chart, or diagram. They must write a descriptive report based on the data provided, summarizing key trends and comparisons.
Task 1 (General Training): In the General Training version, candidates are given a situation and asked to write a letter in response. This could be a formal letter, semi-formal letter, or informal note, depending on the context.
Task 2 (Both versions): In Task 2, candidates are required to write an essay in response to a question or statement. They must present an argument, provide evidence, and offer their perspective on the topic. This task assesses the candidates ability to express ideas and arguments logically and coherently.
4. Speaking Module (11-14 minutes)
The Speaking module evaluates a candidates ability to communicate verbally in English. It is a face-to-face interview with an examiner and is divided into three parts:
Part 1 (Introduction and Interview): The examiner introduces themselves and asks the candidate to introduce themselves. Then, the examiner asks a series of questions about familiar topics like hobbies, family, studies, or work. This part lasts for about 4-5 minutes.
Part 2 (Long Turn): In this part, the candidate receives a cue card with a topic and some prompts. They have one minute to prepare and then must speak for 1-2 minutes on the given topic. This assesses their ability to speak at length coherently.
Part 3 (Discussion): The examiner asks follow-up questions related to the topic in Part 2. This part focuses on the candidates ability to discuss and elaborate on abstract ideas and issues in a more complex manner.