IELTS 2024 : Exam Dates, Registration, Fees, Eligibility, Syllabus, Question Papers, Results

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is fundamentally divided into two formats that are IELTS Academic and IELTS General. Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening are the four components of the IELTS Syllabus. The syllabus is structured in such a way that it examines a candidate's grasp of the English language from all angles. The IELTS Test Score is widely accepted by prominent universities due to the thorough and transparent format of the IELTS Syllabus.

For academics as well as general the IELTS exam syllabus is defined by its officials, which are the Cambridge ESOL Examinations, and IDP. Speaking, writing, reading, and listening are the four components of the IELTS syllabus. The IELTS syllabus for Listening and Speaking is the same for all candidates, however, the IELTS syllabus for reading and writing varies depending on the General and Academic Test. You can learn more about the various portions of the IELTS syllabus here. 

IELTS Academic

• Individuals who wish to study in an English-speaking environment or pursue higher education or degree programmes might consider this option.
• Professional registration criteria can also be met by taking IELTS Academic.
• The test determines whether or not a candidate is ready to begin English studies. It has a vocabulary that is comparable to that found in an academic atmosphere.

IELTS General 

• This test is appropriate for applicants who want to apply for studies at a lower level than a bachelor's degree. It includes a school or college that teaches English.
• Individuals can also use IELTS to gain work experience or other job-related training.
• It is required for entry into New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
• The IELTS general syllabus covers every English language skill required in social and professional settings.

• IELTS Reading Syllabus
• IELTS Writing Syllabus
• IELTS Speaking Syllabus 
• IELTS Listening Syllabus

IELTS Reading Syllabus

The IELTS Syllabus for the reading module consists of three general-interest works that address topics relevant to candidates for postgraduate or undergraduate programmes. Both reading modules have three passages or sections with a total of forty questions in each. Multiple-choice, sentence, or summary completion questions, identifying facts for short-answer questions, matching lists or phrases, and recognising writers' views/attitudes are all examples of question kinds.

Below are the various types of questions asked in the IELTS Syllabus for Reading Section with a few example. 

1. Multiple Choice:

• Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage?
• Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
• According to the passage, what is the significance of...?

2. Identifying the writer's views/claims:

• What is the author's opinion on...?
• Which of the following statements would the author agree with?
• What does the author suggest about...?

3. Identifying Information:

• What is the main topic of the passage?
• Who is/are the main subject(s) of the passage?
• Where does the event described in the passage take place?

4. Matching Information:

• Match the heading with the appropriate paragraph.
• Match the definition with the appropriate term.
• Match the person with the appropriate description.

5. Matching Features:

• Match the city with its landmark.
• Match the type of music with the country of origin.
• Match the author with the literary work.

6. Matching Headings:

• Which heading would be most appropriate for paragraph 2?
• Which heading best summarizes the passage?
• Which heading describes the author's view on...?

7. Matching Sentence Endings:

• Complete the sentence: "The main character in the story was..."
• Which sentence best completes the paragraph?
• Which sentence from the passage is being referred to in the following statement?

8. Summary, note, table, flow chart completion:

• Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the passage.
• Complete the summary of the passage in your own words.
• Fill in the table/chart with the relevant information.

9. Sentence Completion:

• Complete the sentence: "The main reason why...is because..."
• What is the meaning of the word...as used in the sentence?
• Which word would best complete the sentence?

10. Short-answer Questions:

• What is the name of the author of the passage?
• What is the significance of the event described in the passage?
• How many steps are there in the process described in the passage?

11. Diagram Label Completion:

• Label the parts of the diagram.
• Fill in the missing labels in the diagram.
• Match the labels with the appropriate parts of the diagram.

Note: All the above scores are approximate number

Candidates are required to complete an academic writing programme in IELTS exam syllabus. Short essays or general reports are written in response to the academic writing module and are aimed at an educated non-specialist audience. Two tasks must be completed. Candidates are given 150 words to look at a diagram, table, or data and express the information in their own words in Task 1. All applicants are given a point of view, argument, or problem and asked to provide basic factual information, present a solution, justify a viewpoint, analyse ideas and evidence, and so on in Task 2.

Task 1: Candidates must use tablets, charts, graphs, and diagrams to describe, summarise, or explain facts, occurrences, or processes. 

Task 2: Candidates must respond to a viewpoint, argument, or problem with an essay. 

IELTS Task 2 Question Types

• Opinion
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Problem & Solution
• Discussion
• Two-part Question

Two different examiners score the two IELTS writing assignments individually. The IELTS writing band is determined using the four primary criteria listed above, and the scoring mechanism for both tasks is described below:

Candidates are given scores based on each of the four criteria, such as

• Task Completion: Band 8
• Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7
• Lexical Resource: 6
• Grammar: 8

8+7+6+8 = 29/4 = 7.25 is the total. The candidate's total IELTS writing score is 7.25.

The Speaking part in IELTS exam Syllabus is arranged like an interview, with a focus on general speaking abilities. It determines if candidates possess the necessary knowledge and abilities to converse effectively with native English speakers. 

A total number of questions: 3 parts

• Personal Interview
• Short Speech
• Discussion

The four levels of the IELTS speaking exam determine how well you speak. The arithmetic mean of all four criteria (for example, 6+7+&+8/4=7) is used to determine the IELTS Speaking Score.

To give you an idea of the IELTS speaking score, here is the IELTS speaking band score chart:

There are four sections to the Listening IELTS syllabus. The first two dialogues are about social needs, whereas the third and fourth are about issues that are more intimately tied to schooling. They'll all last about three minutes. The interactions may be monologues or dialogues. These exchanges can only be heard once. Multiple-choice and short-answer questions, note completion, phrase completion, diagram labelling, and other types of questions are asked.

6 Common Types of Questions of IELTS Listening

• Form, table, note, summary completion, flowchart.
• Multiple choice
• Plan, diagram labelling, map
• Short answer question
• Sentence completion

Note: All the above scores are approximate numbers