About the IELTS

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. IELTS is internationally available, internationally recognized, internationally focused and internationally owned. It opens doors for you to the 3800 educational institutions, government agencies and professional organizations across 120 countries which recognize IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English. In every sense, IELTS is a truly global test which can take you where you want to go. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills：

• Listening

  Listening Section

  Approximate Length	30 minutes（including answer transferring time of 10 minutes to your answer sheet）
  Format	4 Listening Sections
  # Question	40
  Topics Tested	Listening comprehension Vocabulary Idioms Verbal memory

  The first section on the IELTS test is the Listening section. The Listening Sub-test takes 40 minutes: approximately 30 minutes to listen to the tape/CD and answer the questions, and 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an Answer Sheet provided with the test booklet. The test consist of 4 sections, and you will hear the tape/CD once only. There are 40 questions in total.

  • Listening Passages become more difficult as you progress through the test. Section 1 is based on social or life situations: for example, travel arrangements, visiting a new city, or making arrangements to go out. This is usually a conversation between at least two speakers. Section 2 is also based on social or life situations: for example, a news broadcast, or a description of college facilities. This is usually a passage with only one person speaking. Section 3 is usually based on education and training situation: for example, a group of students planning a project, or a tutor and a student discussing career options. This is often a conversation with up to four speakers. Section 4 is also based on education and training: for example, a lecture or a talk of general academic interest.
  • Listening Questions will be presented in several forms, as blank filling on various kinds of tables, multiple choices, summary fulfilling, etc. Your listening skills will be examined both in the general and detailed scale.
• Reading

  Reading Section

  Approximate Length	60 minutes（including time for answers transferring）
  Format	3 Reading Passages
  # Questions	40
  Topics Tested	Reading Detailed information Sentence and paragraph structure

  The second section on the IELTS test is the Reading section. The Reading Sub-test contains takes 60 minutes and is in 3 sections. There are three passages with a combined length of 2500-3000words and a total of 40 questions.

  • Reading Passages are taken from journals, magazines, book and newspapers. All the topics are of general interest and are not specialized texts. The reading passages may contain diagrams, charts or graphs, and at least one passage will include an argument.

  Reading Questions may usually come after the reading passages in the examination booklet, and instructions and examples are given at the beginning of a new group of questions. The questions may ask you to accomplish several tasks, for example, fulfilling a summary; completing annotations on a picture which you can get some clues about in the passage; linking up the theories or opinions with the right appellation; choosing the best answer; or ordering several sentences representing a paragraph’s general meaning.

• Writing

  Writing Section

  Approximate Length	60 minutes
  Format	2 Tasks
  # Questions	2
  Topics Tested	Writing Reading Chart information comprehension Sentence and paragraph organization Analytical reasoning

  The Writing section takes the third position on the IELTS test. This section consists of one chart information comprehension and one integrated writing task. You are required to use accurate terms based on these two different tasks, especially the first one.

  • For the First task, you have approximately 20 minutes to complete it and you will be given one or several charts (probably in forms of table, graph, bar chart, flow chart and so on) which you are supposed to write a short essay (a minimum of 150 words), based on a certain topic. To do well on this task, you might have to compare sets of data, or use a set of data to support a given statement. Alternatively, you might be required to describe the stages of a process, describe an object, or explain how something words, or how it is used.
  • The Second task requires you to write a formal essay or a report in which you might have to offer a solution to a particular problem, present and justify an opinion, compare information given in the question task, or evaluate and challenge a given argument (a minimum of 300 words).
  • In both tasks you must write in the formal academic style appropriate to the question task. You will also be marked on your ability to organize your writing, and on your choice of content within your answers. The question tasks do not require you to have any specialized knowledge of a particular subject.
• Speaking

  Speaking Section

  Approximate Length	11 to 14 minutes
  Format	3 Sections
  # Questions	it depends
  Topics Tested	Speaking and communication Listening comprehension Reading Sentence and paragraph organization

  The Writing section takes the third position on the IELTS test. This section consists of one chart information comprehension and one integrated writing task. You are required to use accurate terms based on these two different tasks, especially the first one.

  • For the First task, you have approximately 20 minutes to complete it and you will be given one or several charts (probably in forms of table, graph, bar chart, flow chart and so on) which you are supposed to write a short essay (a minimum of 150 words), based on a certain topic. To do well on this task, you might have to compare sets of data, or use a set of data to support a given statement. Alternatively, you might be required to describe the stages of a process, describe an object, or explain how something words, or how it is used.
  • The Second task requires you to write a formal essay or a report in which you might have to offer a solution to a particular problem, present and justify an opinion, compare information given in the question task, or evaluate and challenge a given argument (a minimum of 300 words).
  • In both tasks you must write in the formal academic style appropriate to the question task. You will also be marked on your ability to organize your writing, and on your choice of content within your answers. The question tasks do not require you to have any specialized knowledge of a particular subject.

The IELTS test takes about three hours to complete the paper-based section, and about 11 to 14-minutes’ speaking test.

• Your IELTS Score

  You will receive your IELTS test score report by mail about 10 working days after taking the test. Your score report will provide information about your performance in the four skill areas tested, as well as an overall IELTS test score. IELTS test scores are valid for two years from the date of the test. In addition to numerical scores, your score report will also include feedback about your performance on each section of the test.

  Your official IELTS test score report will include the following information.

  Test Section	Score Range
  Listening	0 to 9
  Reading	0 to 9
  Speaking	0 to 9
  Writing	0 to 9
  Total Score	0 to 9 (an average score)

  What your TOEFL iBT score means to the institutions that receive them:

  Your Score	Score Expression
  9 Expert user	Appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding.
  8 Very good user	Only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies.
  7 Good user	Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.
  6 Competent user	Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.
  5 Modest user	Likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field.
  4 Limited user	Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language.
  3 Extremely limited user	Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
  2 Intermittent user	Not real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.
  1 Non user	Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.
  0 Did not attempt the test	No assessable information provided.

  If you are taking the IELTS test as an entrance requirement to a college or university program, you should contact your program to find out what score is considered acceptable. Different institutions, and even different programs within the same institution, often have different minimum acceptable IELTS test scores. To learn more about which institutions accept IELTS test as admission condition or how your IELTS test scores are used, and to see the minimum acceptable scores at different colleges and universities, click here.

• How to Register for the IELTS

  Registering for the IELTS test is not difficult. Although you can register by mail or over the telephone, the easiest way to register for the test is online at the official IELTS test website. The current fee to take the IELTS test in China is RMB 1450, which is most easily paid by credit card via website or tele-money order. However, the test maker ESOT examination will also accept money orders, certified checks, and personal checks.

  The IELTS test is administered at pre-selected testing centers several times (generally between 15-30 times per center) throughout the year. Most test dates are on Saturdays and Sundays. In order to be assured of securing your date and location of choice, you should register for the test at least one month in advance.

  One more important note about registering for the IELTS test: you may take the test once every 7 days. Beyond this restriction, there is no limit to the number of times you can take the test.

  To be directed to the official IELTS test registration website, click here.

  IELTS tel: 010-6279 8811

  Working time:
  Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m.—5:30 p.m.;
  Sat: 7:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.