Online Preparation
IELTS General Training

What Is the IELTS General Training and Who Is It for?

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English language test designed to assess the level of English of its candidates. Unlike the IELTS academic test, which is aimed at students, the IELTS General test is primarily aimed at candidates with a professional project (training or employment) in an English-speaking country. It is also required by many English-speaking countries for certain immigration procedures, such as obtaining a visa. As one of the three most widely taken English language tests in the world, along with TOEFL and TOEIC, IELTS is a recognised world reference in the professional world and in higher education institutions. The test is designed and run by the British Council, the University of Cambridge and IDP Education Australia.

How To Register?

With prices ranging from €175 to €260, registration for the IELTS test is done online through the British Council website. In France, there are nine approved test centers: Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Strasbourg and Toulouse

Centers offering the paper test:

• Aix-en-Provence
• Bordeaux
• Lyon
• Nantes
• Nice
• Paris
• Strasbourg
• Toulouse

Centers offering the computer-based test:

• Paris
• Marseille

Grading / Scoring

Each IELTS test (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) is scored from 0 to 9. The average of these 4 tests then gives an overall score which can vary from 0 to 9. The overall score corresponds to a specific level of English:

0: candidates not present at the tests

1: «non user»

2: «intermittent user»

3: «extremely limited user»

4: «limited user»

5: «modest user»

6: «competent user»

7: «good user»

8: «very good user»

9: «expert user»

The Tests

Listening Comprehension
It involves listening to recordings and then answering questions about the recordings. The questions can be in different formats: either MCQs or other formats such as fill-in-the-blank texts.
40 questions
40 minutes

Written Comprehension
This test requires reading several texts and then answering questions related to the texts. Again, the questions can be in different formats: "True, False, Not Given", or the association of titles with certain pargraphs of the text. Depending on the version of the test, there may be between three and five texts to read, and between 8 and 14 questions.
40 questions
60 minutes

Written Expression
This test is divided into two parts. The first part requires writing a letter. The second part consists of a short essay based on a question.
60 minutes

Oral Expression
The oral test takes place with an examiner, and is very often held the day before the written tests.
Part 1 (max 5 minutes): This part is about presenting yourself to the examiner by answering questions on different subjects: family, projects, hobbies, etc. Part 2 (max 4 minutes): The candidate is given a topic on paper. The candidate then prepares for one minute and then speaks to the examiner for two minutes. The examiner can then ask questions. Part 3 (max 5 minutes): The candidate and the examiner discuss a given topic, usually the same as in Part 2.
11 to 14 minutes