IELTS General or Academic – Which one is the Best Path For you?

Finally, you have decided to take the IELTS test and are ready to book it. Don’t you think it's too early? Before doing IELTS preparation, you need to know which test format you’ll take. There are two types of IELTS tests: IELTS Academic Training and IELTS General Training.

Why Are There Two Different Tests?

Well, IELTS Academic and IELTS General tests are for different purposes. You need to know how each one is used. Moreover, there is a difference in test formats. Basically, the Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both tests, but you’ll find different subject matter in the Reading and Writing sections.

Here you will come to know the difference:

IELTS Academic

IELTS Academic training is mainly for:

• Academic purposes – for applying to Universities in the UK, the USA, Australia, or the county where English is considered as the main language.
• Training Institutes – Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, and Speech-Language Pathologists require more band scores for the GMC.
• Multinational companies – engineering, accounting, and law.
• Government departments – International firms e.g. marine engineering, accounting, educational institutes.
• Employers – IELTS is proof of your language level e.g. for government departments, finance, energy, aviation, tourism industry, and more.

IELTS General

IELTS General Training is a Requirement for:

• Immigration purposes – required for visa purposes just to be able to work and live in those countries such as Canada, Australia, UK, USA, New Zealand.
• Employment – in those countries, there are some jobs that require a Language certificate in order to apply for a job or for a promotion e.g. government departments.
• Promotion purposes – it helps you get a better job or a promotion in your home country.
• General immigration, such as to be near family.

we’ve outlined the main differences between the Academic and General tests, let’s take a look at how each test is structured.

Academic vs. General (Content)

Basically, In both the IELTS test, the listening and Speaking section is almost the same. If we talk about the test format, you’ll find the same topics and question types so whether you’re thinking about an Academic or General test, your preparation will be the same for these two sections. But the other two modules i.e reading and writing sections in the IELTS test are different. yet the format of these sections are similar – The reading module in both versions contains 40 questions and on the other hand, the Writing versions also contain two writing tasks – the content is considerably different. Here’s what you can expect:

Here’s what you can expect:

Academic Reading

• Assesses advanced English reading comprehension skills
• Includes passages from professional and academic journals, textbooks, magazines, and newspapers

General Reading

• Assesses general English reading comprehension skills

• Uses passages from guidebooks, advertisements, magazines, and similar written materials

Academic Writing

• Writing tasks based on topics found in academic and professional settings.

• You must answer informal style

General Writing

• Writing tasks such as basic essay and letter writing.
  

Academic Task 1

This could be a line graph, pie chart, or even a flowchart like the illustration below.

General Task 1

You have to write an informal, semi-formal, or formal letter. Below there is an example.

Academic vs General (Scoring Differences)

Let's check out the marking system and how the two IELTS formats are scored. Basically, Listening, Speaking, and Writing are scored almost the same in Academic and General formats, but Reading is not. It is having a different marking system. IELTS Academic and IELTS general are graded on the same scale (out of 40) but in the Academic Reading tests, vocabulary and content are too difficult yet if you answered the questions correctly then those answers are weighted higher. For instance, getting 30/40 marks in Academic Reading converted into a band score of 7. But on the General Training Reading, 30/40 marks resulted in a band score of 6. Hence, you need to rank higher in the correct answers on a General Training Reading test to get a higher band score.

Is IELTS General Test Really Easier Than IELTS Academic?

If you really want to perform well or want to score higher band on the academic tests, you need to put a lot of effort into advanced English reading and writing preparation, so if we compare the difficulty of both IELTS versions… yes, the IELTS General test is easier. However, this difference actually doesn’t matter at all. Maybe you are thing why does not it matter. Let me tell you. See if you’re applying to study at a foreign university and need to appear for IELTS, it does not mean you can appear for the IELTS General test. You can't. So you need to appear for IELTS academic test just to meet the criteria of the university. Therefore, it’s more important to know which test format you’ll be sitting for and understand what’s expected of you. Whether you’re planning to do Academic or General, having the right study plan and the best preparation is ultimately what will lead to success!

Also read: How is an IELTS Band Score Calculated?

Conclusion

As you have come to know the difference between IELTS academic and IELTS general, now you are able to decide which one to choose from both the IELTS versions. If you’re not sure which one you need, it’s a good idea to contact you to confirm which of the two you need before preparing and applying for your IELTS test. At Dr. Roma IELTS you can prepare for both IELTS tests from the comfort of your own home. You can get lifetime access to the IELTS course so that you can recall your concepts anytime you need. In addition, Take advantage of the free IELTS training and our live classes for extra support. Last but not least, We also provide feedback on your day-to-day performance and tips on how to improve your writing and achieve the band score you need.

So, begin your IELTS journey without delay and fulfil your purpose!