IELTS Exam Syllabus for Filipinos

The IELTS exam has two categories:

• IELTS Academic Exam 
• IELTS General Exam

The candidate can choose between one of these tests depending on the requirement (to study overseas/migrate/work).

IELTS writing comprises two sections i.e IELTS Academic Writing and IELTS General Writing

This IELTS Academic comprises two tasks, i.e., IELTS Academic writing task 1 and IELTS Academic writing task 2.  The topics focus on general topics and are related to students looking to apply for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

IELTS Academic writing task 1: The candidate will be given a sheet containing a table and a graph or an illustration. The candidate will then have to summarise the information and explain the given data in their own words. In the IELTS writing task 1, the explanation has to be coherent with a clear conclusion.

IELTS Academic writing task 2: The candidate must write an essay based on the summarised content from the given data. In the IELTS writing task 2, the candidate must support their arguments with data and examples in strictly formal language.

The General Writing section also comprises two tasks, i.e., IELTS General writing task 1 and IELTS General writing task 2. However, this is comparatively easier.

IELTS General writing task 1: This involves writing a letter based on a particular situation. The language can be formal, semi-formal or personal depending on the situation.

IELTS General writing task 2: This involves writing an essay based on the content of the letter from task 1. The candidate must present their opinions and arguments with suitable examples.

IELTS reading comprises two sections i.e IELTS Academic Reading and IELTS General Reading.

The IELTS reading section comprises three long passages that are analytical, discursive, descriptive and factual. These are authentic texts taken from newspapers, research papers, journals, books and magazines.

The IELTS reading section is similar to academic reading. In this section, the passages are taken from ads and brochures. The language in this section is relatively more accessible.

The IELTS Listening section consists of four parts. All the audio recordings are 3 minutes long, and they are a combination of monologues and dialogues. The audio will be played only once, and the candidate will have to answer a range of questions based on the audio inputs. The questions can be multiple-choice, note/sentence completion, brief-answer questions, and even labelling a diagram. 

• IELTS listening section 1 and 2 are based on daily social situations.

Audio 1: A conversation between two people in a regular social situation.

Audio 2: A simple monologue based on a daily life situation.

• IELTS listening section 3 and 4 are based on educational or professional situations.

Audio 3: A conversation between four people in an educational or training setup.

Audio 4: A monologue on a particular academic subject.

This section is a formal, structured, one-to-one interview between the examiner and candidate. The interview will focus on the candidate's general speaking skills and assess if they have sufficient knowledge and language skills to communicate effectively.

No. of Questions: 3

• Personal Interview
• Speech
• Discussion

Personal Interview: This is a brief interview where the examiner will pose questions about the candidate's background, family and interests.

Speech: For this section, the candidate will be given a flashcard with a particular topic. The candidate will be given two minutes to prepare before they start their speech. The examiner will then pose questions based on the candidate's response.

Discussion: This section involves in-depth discussions on specific abstracts; profound and essential topics.