IELTS Test in Australia – January 2024 (General Training)

 

Are you planning to move to Australia for your further education? Then you must make yourself aware that you can not move or go abroad (Australia) for your further education without having a stronghold in the native language of the country, which is English. You can not directly apply for the visa or your admission if you are a non-resident of Australia. For an international student, it is important to understand that there are prior examinations and assessments which need to be cleared or passed to move to a new destination. A student is expected to navigate the path of higher education in Australia, by mastering the IELTS examination to achieve academic and professional aspirations. IELTS is an exam that identifies and assesses one’s proficiency in the main and common source of communication in Australia which is English. To impart a common route of communication amongst the locals, having fluency and holding on to the English language is a must. Therefore the migrants need to take the International English Language Testing System examination so that they are considered eligible for studying in the new environment of Australia. Sneak peek into the blog to offer valuable insights and guidance to university students preparing for their own IELTS journey, equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to succeed in this pivotal assessment.

Hey ya! Welcome to the blog to embark on your journey to prepare for your IELTS general training exam for the year 2024
 

Not familiar with the IELTS general training test in Australia? 

No worries if you aren’t aware of the two diverse types of IELTS examinations that differ based on the needs and requirements of the students who are planning to move to Australia. There are two types of IELTS examinations held to check your proficiency and grip in setting communication in English. First is the IELTS Academic exam and the other one is the IELTS General Training exam. The difference they hold is that the general training IELTS module is designed for the ones migrating for work, secondary education, vocational training, or immigration purposes whereas the academic module is primarily designed for the ones who aim to pursue higher education or professional registration.  

Let us understand and delve deeper into the IELTS general training module.

IELTS general training module as mentioned above is for individuals who want to move to Australia to take admission in training courses or want to gain experience in any of the countries, specifically Australia here, where English is a major communicative language. The General Test assesses the candidate’s ability to use English practically in a professional and social setting. While it is understood that without having a hold over the native language of Australia you can not exchange your thoughts and even can not understand what the other person is trying to narrate to you.

The IELTS general module further consists of four major divisions which have their significance and help an individual in every aspect of establishing any sort of communication. 

These divisions are tailored to address different aspects of communication skills, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of candidates' linguistic abilities. Let's explore each division in detail:

1. Listening: A test which is used to evaluate candidates' ability to understand spoken English in a range of everyday situations, such as conversations, monologues, and presentations.

2. Reading: This test is taken to understand candidates' ability to read any comprehensive text whether it’s a variety of texts such as newspaper reading, article reading, advertisement, notices, and extracts from books or magazines.

3. Writing: It is conducted to evaluate the IELTS writing topic skills of a candidate. Writing skills are checked based on the level of understanding set by an individual, it includes expressing one’s thoughts in the form of writing. It is different from the writing IELTS academic, both of them differ based on the areas tailored to the needs and contexts of the test takers.

4. Speaking: The test undermines one’s ability to speak in the native language of the country which is English. This is a crucial part of the IELTS general exam as the main aim of the examiner is to examine whether the person moving to Australia can establish a general form of communication. 

Let us begin by immersing ourselves in the depth of these four papers of the IELTS general examination. With seeking knowledge of the format, significance, and contribution of each section to the overall score of the general training module of IELTS, along with some tips for approaching the exam with confidence.
 

A. LISTENING

1. Significance: To assess candidates' ability to understand spoken English in everyday situations, such as conversations, monologues, and presentations.

2. Format: Alike to other sections, This section too contains ten questions and there is a sequence which needs to be followed to move to the next approaching question. 

There are four recorded audio passages, and by the end of each recorded audio, a questionnaire is passed on to the candidate for evaluation. The test takers listen to each of these recordings and answer based on the heard information.

Parts 1 and 2 of this section deal with everyday, social situations. There is a conversation between two speakers in Part 1 (for example, a conversation about living arrangements). Only one person speaks in Part 2 (for example, a speech about simple living).

Parts 3 and 4 deal with educational and training situations. In Part 3 there is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, two university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor). In Part 4 only one person speaks on an academic subject.

The recorded audio is played once because of the time constraint and test takers are expected to read the questions before each section begins, and they have the opportunity to write their answers on the question paper while listening. At the end of the test, there is an additional 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet.
 

SECTION 1

1. Multiple Choice: Test-takers should listen to the conversation and based on the heard audio they are asked to choose the correct option from a list of choices based on information provided in the conversation.

2. Form Completion: A form has to be filled or a table with specific details mentioned in the conversation needs to be filled out by the candidate. 

3. Note Completion: Test-takers complete incomplete notes or sentences based on information provided in the conversation.

4. Matching: In this, the efficiency is tested as a candidate matches information (such as names, dates, or descriptions) to items in a list based on what they hear in the conversation.
 

SECTION 2

1. Sentence Completion: You are expected to complete sentences or notes with missing information based on what they hear in the monologue.

2. Labelling a Map or Diagram: Test-takers label a map, diagram, or plan with specific information mentioned in the monologue.

3. Short Answer Questions: You are needed to provide short answers (usually one or two words) to questions based on the information in the monologue.
 

SECTION 3

1. Matching: Here you need to match information (such as opinions, tasks, or descriptions) to speakers or items in a list based on what they hear in the conversation.

2. Note Completion: This includes the completion of incomplete notes or sentences based on information provided in the conversation.

3. Form/Note/Table/Flowchart/Summary Completion: Test-takers fill in a form, notes, a table, a flowchart, or a summary with specific details mentioned in the conversation.
 

SECTION 4

1. Multiple Choice: Test-takers are required to choose the correct option from a list of choices based on information provided in the lecture or monologue.

2. Form Completion: As heard in the monologue the candidate is expected to fill in a form or a table with specific details mentioned in the lecture or monologue.

3. Note Completion: Test-takers complete incomplete notes or sentences based on information provided in the lecture or monologue.

4. Matching: You need to match the information in the exam (such as definitions, categories, or descriptions) to items in a list based on what they hear in the lecture or monologue.
 

SUMMARY 

Time allotted: Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet)
Total number of parts: 4 
Number of questions: 40
Marking: Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Your final score is given as a band score in whole or half bands, e.g. 5.5 or 7.0.
 

B. READING

Significance: This section is included to evaluate candidates' reading comprehension skills, including the ability to understand main ideas, locate specific information, and infer meanings from context.

Format: There are three sections in the reading section of the examination in which the difficulty of each section increases. Each section contains approximately 13-14 questions, making a total of 40 questions for the entire Reading test.

Part 1 of the reading section deals with everyday topics, these include the topics that a person is expected to speak or use while they are moving to an English-speaking nation.

Part 2 of the reading exam includes workplace texts or topics, for example, job descriptions, contracts, staff development and training materials.

And finally part 3 includes topics of general interest, this is a little more complex than the other 2 parts of the reading section.
 

Section 1: Short texts related to everyday life

1. This section typically contains two or three short texts, such as advertisements, notices, or timetables. The folks are required to analyse the text to locate specific information, such as dates, times, prices, or locations.

2. Questions may include multiple-choice, matching headings to paragraphs, matching information, or completing sentences with the correct words or phrases.
 

Section 2: Workplace-related texts
 

1. This section contains two or three texts related to work or workplace situations, such as company policies, job descriptions, or staff memos. The people have to identify specific details, main ideas, opinions, or attitudes presented in the texts.

2. Questions may include multiple-choice, matching headings to paragraphs, matching information, sentence completion, or identifying the writer's views/claims.
 

Section 3: Longer texts related to general interest topics

1. This section contains one longer text, such as an article, essay, or passage on a general interest topic. The test takers are asked to read the text carefully and understand detailed information, main ideas, opinions, arguments, or attitudes presented.

2. Questions may include multiple-choice, matching headings to paragraphs, matching information, sentence completion, summary completion, or identifying the writer's purpose or tone.

 

SUMMARY

Time allotted: Approximately 60 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet)
Total number of parts: 3
Total text length: 2150–2750 words
Number of questions: 40
Marking: Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Your final score is given as a band score between 1 to 9 in whole or half bands, e.g. 5.5 or 7.0.
 

C. WRITING

Significance: This section of the IELTS general writing examination is considered to be a little more complex than the other one as your writing skills are checked through written English, including coherence, cohesion, vocabulary usage, and grammatical accuracy.

Format: There are two tasks allotted to the candidate taking part in the IELTS examination. And, you are expected to complete both of them. 

Task 1 requires candidates to write a letter or explain a situation based on provided prompts, while Task 2 involves writing an essay in response to a given argument, problem, or point of view.

TASK 1

Purpose of Task 1 of the Writing section - You are evaluated based on your understanding level and comprehension of situations or scenarios. You will be given a situation and you need to write a response of at least 150 words in the form of a letter. 

Candidates are required to understand the situation and have to comprehend the context based on which they will be writing your letter in formal, semi-formal, or informal style. 

The task typically requires test-takers to:

1. Begin the letter with an appropriate greeting.
2. Identify themselves and the purpose of writing.
3. Address the issues or requests mentioned in the prompt.
4. Provide relevant information or details as requested.
5. End the letter with an appropriate closing remark or sign-off.
 

TASK 2 

Purpose of Task 2 of the writing section - In this task, you are asked to write an essay which can be semi-formal/neutral based on the context of the prompt. 

The essay question typically presents an issue, problem, or argument, and test-takers are asked to express their opinion, provide arguments, discuss advantages and disadvantages, or propose solutions. You will have to write an essay of approximately and minimum of 250 words to answer for essay writing. 

The task may require test-takers to:

1. Clearly state their opinion or viewpoint on the given topic.
2. Provide supporting arguments or examples to justify their opinion.
3. Present and analyse contrasting viewpoints if applicable.
4. Draw conclusions or make recommendations based on the arguments presented.
 

SUMMARY 

Time allotted: Approximately 60 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet)
Total number of tasks: 2
Number of questions: there are two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2
Marking: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.
 

D. SPEAKING

Significance: The candidates are evaluated based on their communication skills. This is done by initiating communication with the examiner and the test taker. The candidate's ability to communicate verbally in English, including fluency, coherence, pronunciation, and lexical resources is taken into consideration by the examiner. 

Format: There are three parts to the Speaking test, and each part follows a specific pattern of tasks to test your speaking ability in different ways. It involves a face-to-face interview with the examiner wherein the test takers engage in conversation, express opinions, and provide information on various topics. 

The three parts of this section include: Introduction and Interview, Long turn, and Discussion. 
 

Part 1: Introduction and Interview (4-5 minutes)

1. Here is when you are required to set an impression on the examiner but that doesn’t mean to be overconfident at that moment. While you sit against him/ her make sure that you greet them politely and positively. The examiner will begin by introducing themselves and confirming the test-taker's identity.

2. The examiner asks the test-taker general questions about familiar topics such as work, studies, hobbies, interests, family, and home.

3. Test-takers are expected to provide brief answers to the examiner's questions, typically one or two sentences.
 

Part 2: Long Turn (3-4 minutes)

1. The examiner provides the test-taker with a task card containing a topic and prompts. Also, it would include the keywords or topics which you must include while speaking on the topic allotted. 

2. The test-taker is given one minute to prepare while making notes on the topic, and then after they are done with note-taking they are asked to speak at least for 2 minutes or more, addressing all the points on the task card.

3. The examiner may ask one or two follow-up questions related to the topic.
 

Part 3: Discussion (4-5 minutes)

1. The examiner asks the test-taker questions related to the topic in Part 2 but with a broader and more abstract focus. It just includes cross-questioning your critical thinking by the examiner. 

2. The discussion may cover issues, opinions, and hypothetical situations related to the topic

3. Test-takers are expected to engage in a more extended discussion with the examiner, providing detailed responses and supporting their opinions with examples or reasons.
 

SUMMARY 

Time allotted: Approximately 11–14 minutes
Total number of parts: 3 
Number of questions: there are 3 parts and in the discussion part at least 4-5 questions are asked by the examiner.
 

How can I apply for IELTS 2024 general training module exam?

Are you up to making your move to Australia for further education and looking to apply for IELTS 2024? Then you should know that the process to apply for the IELTS general module is simple and is a one-time process.

1. The very first step is to locate an official IELTS test centre near you so that you can undertake the General Training module training and exam as per the approaching schedules of the IELTS examination. You can find a list of authorised test centres on the official IELTS website or by contacting your local British Council, IDP Education, or Cambridge Assessment English office.

2. The next step is to check the dates of the upcoming IELTS test. This is the step after you've identified a test centre. Check the schedule for available test dates in the year 2024. IELTS exams are typically held multiple times throughout the year, so you should have several options to choose from.

3. Further you are likely to register for the IELTS General Training module exam through the official website of the test centre or by visiting their office in person. You may need to create an account on their online registration portal and provide personal details, such as your name, contact information, and identification documents. It is very similar to the process of filling out your university applications.

4. The next step involves you paying the required exam fee to complete your registration. Before you begin to submit your application make sure that you have cross-checked it as many times as possible. The fee amount may vary depending on your location and the test centre, so make sure to check the fee schedule provided by the test centre or on their website.

5. You will receive a confirmation email or a letter from the centre itself, after successful registration. This will be essential for confirming your exam registration and providing details about the test date, time, and venue.

6. The next step is indeed not a part of your application but you must utilise the time leading up to your exam date to prepare thoroughly for the IELTS General Training module exam. Familiarise yourself with the test format, practice with sample questions and past papers, and consider enrolling in an IELTS preparation course or using online study resources.

7. On the day of the exam, arrive at the test centre at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. Bring your identification documents (usually a valid passport or national ID card) and any other required materials as specified by the test centre.

8. By now you must have got the synopsis of the IELTS General Training module exam, which consists of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Follow the instructions provided by the test administrators and do your best on each section of the exam. Do not panic and make a fuss about anything that happens within the examination room or the hall. If you feel asking things in a much simpler way then you can ask your examiner to restate the things which he/she may have spoken earlier.|

9. After completing the exam, your results will be processed and made available to you typically within 13 days. You can access your results online or receive a physical copy by mail, depending on the option chosen during registration.
 

Conclusion

At the end of the blog, it is very evident to understand that you can not survive without a common source of language to be intermediate in communicating your thoughts. In an English-speaking nation like Australia, individuals must enhance their proficiency and hold over the language. The blog serves as an epitome of all the necessary information required to master the IELTS general training module examination in the year 2024. As you prepare for the IELTS General Training exam, remember that confidence and thorough preparation are key, but make sure that you do not ruin things because of being overconfident about everything. Listen to the things that your examiner asks you to do and then make effective efforts to answer the prompts mentioned in front of you. Approach each section with focus and determination, knowing that your hard work will pay off.

However, if you feel underconfident or still come across challenges related to IELTS exams then we welcome you to address us to support you throughout your journey. We can even be helpful in your academic journey, by sending your application to your dream university and offering you guaranteed scholarships. Now whom are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today.

Best of luck with your IELTS General Training exam, and remember that with preparation and perseverance, you can achieve your desired scores!

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