What Is IELTS? Academic vs General Training

It is an English Language test; IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. This IELTS test is taken to check how well you can listen, speak, read, and write. Both modules have the same listening and speaking components in IELTS Academic & IELTS General. As there is a contrast between the IELTS Academic & IELTS General in the writing module.

Rushda Talat

1/10/20262 min read

a person working on a machine
a person working on a machine

What is IELTS?

It is an English Language test; IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. This IELTS test is taken to check how well you can listen, speak, read, and write. The purpose of conducting an IELTS test is to study abroad, work overseas, or migrate to the UK/ US or English-speaking countries. The core reason IELTS is taken for work or immigration determinations.

Academic VS General Training

IELTS Academic is a version of the IELTS test. This test is designed for the training of those students who want to enroll in higher studies, such as in college or universities, where the medium of language is English. The IELTS Academic test is based on four modules: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. IELTS Academic is required for those people who are ambitious for their enrollment in undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional registration in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.

IELTS General is a version IELTS test. It is designed for those people who have a desire to settle, migrate, and work in an English-speaking country. IELTS General also has four modules, like the IELTS Academic, including Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening, but the content is grounded in everyday English themes. Functional English is used in social and workplace situations. Further about IELTS General is that it is primarily required for immigration, work visa, and non-academic training programs in English-speaking countries like the UK, Australia, the US, and Canada.

There are some common areas when selecting between IELTS Academic and IELTS General. Both modules have the same listening and speaking components in IELTS Academic & IELTS General. Students can score from 0-9 on the band scale. This similarity is acceptable worldwide.

As there is a contrast between the IELTS Academic & IELTS General in the writing module. The IELTS Academic writing task 1 is set to ask for a description of graphs, charts, tables, or diagrams. The tone of this essay is formal. Conversely, IELTS General Writing task 1, students are trained for Letter Writing. The tone of this letter is formal, semi-formal, or informal.

In writing task 2 of IELTS Academic is based on essay writing. The essay topics are from these areas, such as technology, education, society, environment, and global issues. These types of essays could be solved through analytical thinking supported by arguments and relevant examples. On the contrary, in IELTS General writing task 2, Essay topics are constructed on everyday themes. The tone of this essay is slightly less academic. The topic chiefly comes from these areas: work, family, community, health, and daily issues. The pattern of solving this essay belongs to an idea-based essay that is answered through personal experiences. The tone of this essay is semi-formal or formal, but the preferred tone is formal.

IELTS Academic and IELTS General also have a contrast between the reading module test, as General or Academic. IELTS Academic Reading test topic/paragraphs originated from Academic texts and research-based; however, IELTS General test topic/paragraphs are based on daily life, workplace, and social texts.