Know the difference between IELTS Academic vs General
IELTS Academic vs General
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English proficiency test that is designed to evaluate the language skills of candidates who wanted to either work or study or migrate in a foreign land. In this article we will discuss about IELTS Academic vs General exam.
Before moving ahead it is important for us to discuss the two types that IELTS offer us.
They are:
IELTS Academic
IELTS General Training
Before discussing the main agenda of this particular article let’s have a brief introduction of
IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training
IELTS Academic Test IELTS Academic vs General
If you are one of those candidates who have the dream to study abroad, who want to pursue a bachelor or postgraduate degree programme or the ones who are seeking professional registration in the UK this is for you.
Professional registration means you will get certification in reference to your profession. You will be entitled to use qualification titles such as Engineer (Eng.), Doctor (Dr.) or Technician (Tech.) IELTS Academic vs General
IELTS General Training Test IELTS Academic vs General
If you are one of those who-who either planning to study, work or train in an English native land like Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the U.K. IELTS Academic vs General
In this exam, you will be evaluated on the basis of everyday usage of the language with the content or questions focussed on workplace and social situations.
But now you might have a baffling thought that what’s make them different? IELTS Academic vs General
Don’t worry we will discuss it in more detail but before that, we would like to give you an overview of the difference.
The difference between the Academic and General training version arises on the behalf of context, content, and purpose of the exam.
Rest of the features, such as timing allocation, length of written responses and reporting of scores, are identical.
As IELTS is a four-tier test, that is:
IELTS Listening Skill
IELTS Writing Skill
IELTS Reading Skill
IELTS Speaking skill
In the Academic IELTS Test and IELTS General Training, the two testing skills are exactly the same i.e. listening IELTS Module and Speaking IELTS Module.
But Reading IELTS Module and Writing IELTS Module are two testing skills that are completely different in two of the IELTS type.
Let’s see how the IELTS Writing Module is different in IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. IELTS Academic vs General
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IELTS Writing Skill
The first difference in IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training is represented in the no. of words you have to write, which is a minimum of 150 for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2.
Task 1 is of 20 minutes, in which you have to write at least 150 words whereas the rest 40 minutes are for task 2 where your write up must have at least 250 words. IELTS Academic vs General
| Academic | General Training | Timings | |
| Task 1
(150 words) |
Describe a graph, map, chart or diagram | Write a letter. | 20 minutes |
| Task 2
(250 words) |
Write an essay. | Write an essay. | 40 minutes |
You will be castigated if your answer is too short or not related to the topic.
No bullet points or use of notes is allowed but only a well-written answer in complete sentences. IELTS Academic vs General
Now, let’s have a detailed introduction of Writing Task along with examples which will help you to spot the difference between the two more clearly.
Writing Module in IELTS Academic IELTS Academic vs General
IELTS Academic Task 1
In the first section, you need to describe or explain a graph, diagram or table charts.
For example:
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. IELTS Academic vs General
The chart shows the percentage of Regional origins of English migrants in percentage.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons with relevant examples.
Write at least 150 words.
So, you will have to explain the graph in about 150 words, in place of this you might also get a pie chart or a map in this task.
IELTS Academic Task 2
Task 2 of the IELTS Writing Module is an essay writing task. You will have to write a response to the questions giving reason and example in support of your answer.
The topics are of general interest.
For example:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. IELTS Academic vs General
Write about the following topic –
Increased use of mobile phones a boon or bane for society.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give a reason for your answer and include a relevant example from your own experience or knowledge.
Write at least 250 words.
IELTS General Training Task 1 IELTS Academic vs General
In the IELTS Writing Module task 1, you will be asked to write a letter.
You will be presented with a situation or with information. It may be based on any three listed below.
- Personal
- Semi-formal
- Formal
Here is an example
You want to sell your car. You think a friend of yours might buy it from you. Write a letter to your friend regarding it.
- Explain why you are selling the car. IELTS Academic vs General
- Describe the car
- Suggest a date when your friend can come and see it.
Write at least 150 words.
You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follow:
Dear………
IELTS General Training Task 2
This is similar to IELTS Writing Academic Module.
You will ask to write an essay responding to a point of view or regarding any situation.
Though, the essay will be different from the one given to those of IELTS Speaking Academic Module. IELTS Academic vs General
It is slightly more personal type than for academic essay, but the attempt rules for the both are same.
So, above we have seen the difference between the tasks of the IELTS Writing Module Academic and IELTS Writing Module General Training.
Now let’s move further towards the IELTS Reading Module.
IELTS Reading Module IELTS Academic vs General
The IELTS Reading Module is a 60 minutes evaluation. Out of the four above mentioned IELTS module, besides IELTS Writing, this (IELTS Reading Module) is the only one that varies in both of the IELTS types; IELTS Academic Test and IELTS General Training.
Both IELTS Reading Module; Academic and General Training aim to assess the following mentioned skills:
- Whether you are able to understand the inferences and implied meaning.
- Whether you can recognize the central idea.
- Whether you can follow the development of an argument.
- Whether you are able to get details from the texts.
The main distinction between both of the types in the IELTS Reading Module arises on the basis of genre and text.
Let’s see the grounds of the similarities and differences of IELTS Reading Module in the more convenient way with the help of a table below:
| IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training | |
| Time | 60 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Number of questions | 40 questions | 40 questions |
| Sections | 3 sections | 3 sections |
| Text type | Text from:
Journal Magazines Newspaper Books |
Text from:
Notice Manual Leaflet Advertisement Newspaper Magazines |
| Interest | General Interest text for the non specialist audience. | Texts related to everyday life, work & general interest. |
Now it’s time to have a detailed view of the IELTS Academic Reading Module and IELTS General Training Reading Module.
IELTS Academic Reading Module IELTS Academic vs General
In this 60 minutes of evaluation of the IELTS Academic Reading Module, you have to answer 40 questions.
With each correct answer, you will be awarded one mark. IELTS Academic vs General
There will be three sections, each having different text. That means there sections equal to three texts.
Let’s get to know about the reading passages/texts
The Reading Passages/Texts
There are three texts in this IELTS Academic Reading Module, mounting up 2,150 to 2,750 words.
In all 3 sections of the IELTS Academic Reading Module topics are of general interest at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
They can randomly be taken from any newspaper, magazines, journal and online resources written for non-clerical audiences.
In three of the texts, at least one text will contain a detailed logical argument. Also, from the remaining one of the text may contain nonverbal materials such as graphs, illustrations or diagrams.
There is one great advantage that is given to the candidate if there are technical terms which you are unaware of, then at the end of the text, there is a glossary provided.
After knowing about the reading passages it’s necessary as well as beneficial to know about the types of questions too.
The Questions of IELTS Reading Module: Academics IELTS Academic vs General
In the IELTS Reading module of the IELTS Academic test, at first, you are provided with the instructions which are clear and easy to follow.
In fact, you will be provided with examples of any unfamiliar question types. IELTS Academic vs General
So, let’s have a proposition about the type of questions you can expect to see in the IELTS Academic Reading Module:
| Types of questions |
| 1.Multiple Choice Questions |
| 2. Short Answer Questions |
| 3.Identifying Information |
| 4.Identifying Writer’s View |
| 5.Labeling Diagrams |
| 6. Completing a summary using words taken from the text itself. |
The position of questions usually varies, that means some question may come before passage and some may come after.
One thing that you have to keep in mind from the very start of the IELTS Reading Module – Academic is that you must answer all questions on an answer sheet within 60 minutes itself.
There will be no extra time given at the end to transfer your answer to an answer sheet. So, time management is another key.
IELTS General Training Reading Module
Just like the IELTS Academic Reading Module, the IELTS General Training Reading Module is also a 60 minutes evaluation having 40 Questions and each one worth 1 mark.
Let’s get to know about the reading passages/texts. IELTS Academic vs General
The Reading Passages/ Texts
There are three texts mounting up 2,150 to 2,750 words, each text is harder than before.
Unlike of IELTS Reading Module – Academic, the reading passages of IELTS Reading Module – General Training are taken from notice, manual, leaflets, advertisement, newspaper, and magazines.
These are texts about the real-life situations in which you have to deal on a regular basis in an English speaking country.
Let’s have a quick look at the three sections of IELTS Reading Module: General Training
| Section | Description | Example |
| Section 1 | It either has two-three short texts or several shorter text, based on everyday life. | Timetables or notices – things a person would need to be familiar with while living in a non-native land. |
| Section 2 | It has two texts which purely deals with work. | Work contracts, Job description, and training material. |
| Section 3 | It has only one text which is more detailed, complex and longer from above. | A general text from newspaper, magazines, book or online resources. |
Now after getting familiar with reading passages it will be great to know about the types of questions too.
The Question of IELTS Reading Module: General Training
Though the texts in both of the IELTS Reading Module varies but the types of question in both are identical.
| Types of questions |
| 1.Multiple Choice Questions |
| 2. Short Answer Questions |
| 3.Identifying Information |
| 4.Identifying Writer’s View |
| 5.Labeling Diagrams |
| 6. Completing a summary using words taken from the text itself. |
Now as we have seen the grounds of difference between the two tests but you can surely get the detailed view of the two modules I.e. IELTS Listening Module and IELTS Speaking Module that is exactly the same in both the test below:
Now after knowing the detailed view about how these two IELTS test are different from each other, we must have a little view about what the two test consolidates together.
Consolidated features of IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training
IELTS Academic and General Training both consolidate the following features:
- IELTS evaluates on the basis of four skills; listening, reading, writing and speaking.
- A variation of accents and writing style has been presented in the same manner as they do in the test materials.
- The speaking test is a main component of IELTS which is duly conducted as a one to one interview with the evaluator.
- It follows a 9-band scoring, though there are no set bars to be called as “failed” or “approved”.
Now we have full pledge information about the two.
Conclusion
Here I would like to start with
“There are no safe choices, but only other choices.”
After getting to know about the main reason behind the decision to take this IELTS test, we can ourselves capable of taking the decision with which we have to move further.
This article has drawn the line of clarity in your minds and will help you to achieve & definitely score higher.
We have tried to explain everything regarding the same to you but still, if you have any doubts, we will love to hear and clarify the same in the comment section.
If any of you, have any experience, we wish to hear it and use that same thread to motivate others.
So, what you are waiting for, just tie your belts and get ready to touch the knot. All good wishes for your chance!
