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IELTS is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for study, work, and migration, and we’re here to support you achieve your international goals. With IELTS, you can be confident that you are taking a test that is trusted by 12,000 institutions and organisations globally and taken by more than 4 million test-takers each year.
To help you get the best score possible, IDP India, a co-owner of IELTS, provides top-notch preparation materials. So, start preparing with us and succeed with confidence in your IELTS.
“IELTS makes the world a bigger, more open place and it allowed me to become a citizen of the world.”
- An IELTS test taker at a large accounting firm.
Level up your practice with free and paid online courses covering a wide range of IELTS topics.
Familiarise yourself with the structure of the IELTS test. Understand its format and the types of questions that you can expect to get a desired band score.
The IELTS test is measured on a band scale of 0-9 — Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking is reported as a band score on a scale of 0 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). All parts of the test and the overall band score are reported in whole or half bands (e.g. 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, etc.).
9 | Expert | The test taker has a fully operational command of the language. Their use of English is appropriate, accurate, and fluent, and shows complete understanding. |
8 | Very good | The test taker has a fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriate usage. They may misunderstand some things in unfamiliar situations. They handle complex and detailed argumentation well. |
7 | good | The test taker has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings in some situations. They generally handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning. |
6 | competent | The test taker has an effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings. They can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
5 | modest | The test taker has a partial command of the language and copes with overall meaning in most situations, although they are likely to make many mistakes. They should be able to handle basic communication in their own field. |
4 | limited | The test taker’s basic competence is limited to familiar situations. They frequently show problems in understanding and expression. They are not able to use complex language. |
3 | Extremely limited | The test taker conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. There are frequent breakdowns in communication. |
2 | Intermittent | The test taker has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. |
1 | non-user | The test taker cannot use the language except for a few isolated words. |
0 | Test not attempted | The test taker did not answer the questions. |
Here are some handy tips to help you know how an IELTS test day is run. Understanding your test day is one of the best ways to approach a test with confidence! It helps you to be fully prepared to focus on achieving your goal.
Arrive early for check-in and security procedures
Bring your ID (passport/national identity card) used in your IELTS application
Stay calm to perform your best
Listen to the test supervisor’s instructions
Raise your hand for assistance if you have any issues or feel unwell
IELTS test centres try their best to help people who need special assistance. So, if you have specific needs, like learning difficulties, hearing or visual problems, medical conditions, or are infant feeding, IELTS offers a comprehensive service to support you.
If you need special arrangements during the test, such as extra time or a different version of the test, you must inform the test centre at least six weeks before the test date.
You will receive a Test Report Form (TRF), which reports a score for each of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking), as well as an overall band score.
Your TRF is the official record of your results on that test day, so make sure you keep this document safe. If you do need a replacement due to unforeseen circumstances, speak to your test centre. You can request copies of your TRF to be sent directly to up to five recognising organisations per application. This includes academic institutions, government agencies, professional bodies, and employers. It doesn’t include migration or education agents.