One of the most prestigious English language certificates is certainly IELTS. This stands for “International English Language Testing System” – simply put, it is an international English language test for proficiency amongst those whose first language is not English. Most importantly, students often sit for this test. As it is the most respected English exam in the world, and it is a common requirement for entry to many international universities and an asset on one’s curriculum vitae.

The exam is divided as follows:

In brief, the listening and speaking tasks are the same for both Academic and General Training examinations. However, what makes the Academic and General Training exams different from each other?

Both Academic and General Training Reading exams consist of 40 questions each. In the Academic Reading section, students are given three long texts starting from more descriptive to more factual, discursive and analytical. They are targeted at a non-specialist audience but are an asset for university and professional registration. These texts are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. Similarly, the General Reading texts are extracts from these media, but are shorter in length, and consist of materials one is likely to encounter daily in an English-speaking environment. This section of the General Training is divided into parts:

1. “Social Survival” — 2 or 3 short texts or several shorter texts regarding factual information and argumentative texts;
2. “Workplace Survival” – 2 texts focusing on everyday working environments;
3. “General reading” – one long text emphasising on descriptive and instructive English.