The International English Language Testing System or IELTS was established in 1989 and is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.

It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment. It is one of the major English-language tests in the world, others being the TOEFL, TOEIC, PTE:A and OPI/OPIc.

Test Format

It assesses abilities in listening, reading, writing and speaking – in less than 3 hours.

There are two types of the IELTS test: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Listening and Speaking are the same for both tests, but the subject matter of the Reading and writing components differs depending on which test take.

The Listening, Reading and Writing components of all IELTS tests are completed on the same day, with no breaks in between them.

The Speaking component, however, can be completed up to a week before or after the other tests.

The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Scoring

It is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. The nine bands are described as follows:

9
Expert User
Has full operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding.

8
Very Good User
Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and in appropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well

7
Good User
Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.

6
Competent User
Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, in appropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.

5
Modest user
Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field.

4
Limited User Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Have frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language

3
Extremely Limited User
Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.

2
Intermittent User
No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.

1
Non User
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.

0
Did not attempt the test
No assessable information provided at all.

IELTS and the CEFR

IELTS Band Score CEFR Level
8.5 And higher C2
8 Borderline C2/C1
7.5 C1
7 C1
6.5 Borderline C1/B2
6 B2
5.5 B2
5 Borderline B2/B1
4.5 B1
4 B1