English Grammar

IELTS [

International English
Language Testing System
English for international opportunity

Handbook
January 2002

Subject Manager (IELTS)

The British Council

The Manager, IELTS Australia

Manager, North America

University of Cambridge

Bridgewater House

IDP Education Australia

Cambridge Examinations and

Local Examinations Syndicate

58 Whitworth Street

GPOBox 2006

IELTS International

1 Hills Road

Manchester

Canberra

100 East Corson Street

Cambridge

M1 6BB

ACT 2601

Suite 200

CB1 2EU

United Kingdom

Australia

Pasadena, CA 91103

United Kingdom

USA
Tel: 61 2 6285 8222

Tel: 44 1223 553355

Tel: 44 161 957 7755

Fax: 61 2 6285 3233

Tel: 1 626 564 2954

Fax: 44 1223 460278

Fax: 44 161 957 7762E-mail: ielts@idp.edu.au

Fax: 1 626 564 2981

E-mail: ielts@ucles.org.uk

E-mail:
general.enquiries@britishcouncil.org

E-mail: bmeiron@ceii.org

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Test Centres

Test Centres

At the time of going to print IELTS can be taken at 251
approved test centres in over 105 different countries. The
test is administered centrally by UCLES but the test centres
supervise the localadministration of the test and ensure the
provision of qualified and trained examiners. The shaded areas
on the map below indicate countries where IELTS test centres
are located. For a full address list of centres please refer to
pages 27 to 36.

Academic and General
Training candidates
Candidates must select either the Academic or General
Training Reading and Writing Modules depending onthe
stated requirement of their sponsor or receiving institution.
The Academic Reading and Writing Modules assess whether
a candidate is ready to study or train in the medium of English
at an undergraduate or postgraduate level.
Admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses should
be based on the results of Academic Modules.
The General Training Reading and Writing Modules are notdesigned to test the full range of formal language skills
required for academic purposes.
The emphasis of General Training is on basic survival skills
in a broad social and educational context. It is suitable for
candidates who are going to English speaking countries
to complete their Secondary education, to undertake work
experience or training programmes not at degree level, or
forimmigration purposes to Australia and New Zealand.

Shaded areas indicate countries with IELTS test centres.

Test Dates

IELTS is not held on set dates during the year. Test centres
can arrange an IELTS administration at any time, according
to local need. Most centres conduct a testing session at least
once a month and more often at peak times. Special test
sessions are easily arranged forparticular sponsors or
institutions. Individual test centres should be contacted
for their current programmes.
Candidates are not allowed to repeat the test within three
months at any centre.

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Test Format

Test Format

All candidates are tested in listening, reading, writing
and speaking. All candidates take the same Listening and
Speaking Modules. There is a choice of Readingand Writing
Modules.

The modules are always taken in the following
order. The Speaking Module may be administered
before or after the other three test modules.
Listening

The first three modules – Listening, Reading and Writing –
must be completed in one day. The Speaking Module may be
taken, at the discretion of the test centre, either seven days
before or after the other threemodules (effective from
February 2002).

Time: 30 minutes

Candidates listen to a number of
recorded texts, which increase in
difficulty as the test progresses. These
include a mixture of conversations and
dialogues and feature a variety of
English accents and dialects.
The recording is heard only once, but
candidates are given time to read the
questions and record their answers.

A...