IELTS Academic or General: Which is the Easiest Test?

Having a stellar IELTS score is the key to moving to a foreign country to pursue higher education or a better lifestyle. The IELTS test is of two types: IELTS Academic (AC) and IELTS General Training (GT). Candidates can take either of the tests based on their purpose of entering foreign countries such as the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland.

Both test types serve two different purposes. Over 3 million students attempt the IELTS test every year. The test scores are accepted by over 140 countries and 11,000 institutions across the world. 

Basic differences at a glance: 

• The IELTS Academic is for academic purposes and assesses your English language capabilities to study and thrive in an academic environment. 
• The IELTS General Training test is for other general purposes and analyses your language capacity to sustain everyday circumstances.

While the IELTS Speaking and Listening modules remain the same for both the test types (Academic and General), the passages and question types vary from each other in the Reading and Writing modules.

Considering the differences in purpose and structure, it is important for you to understand both test types in detail. Let us compare and contrast to find which is the easiest one and which suits your purposes the best. 

IELTS Academic vs General Training: Major Differences

The IELTS Academic test is for candidates who want to pursue higher education in English-speaking countries. Since the language of instruction is primarily English in these countries, IELTS Academic ascertains the feasibility of the student to understanding course material during their higher studies.

On the other hand, IELTS General Training is typically asked as a requirement for non-English natives migrating to English-speaking countries. The IELTS General Training score is required by authorities to ensure that the applicant adequately speaks and understands English.

The format of both tests is almost the same. The first step is choosing which test best suits your needs and preparing for it accordingly. So, let’s take a closer look at them to see which one is most suited for you.

Which IELTS Test is Best For You? 

The best test for your journey depends upon the purpose of your trip. The test you need to take differs if you are a student or going to work. 

Below are some of the common purposes of moving abroad and the most appropriate tests for them. 

Purpose	Test Type
Below degree level	IELTS General
Undergraduate level	IELTS Academic
Postgraduate level	IELTS Academic
Doctorate	IELTS Academic
Post Doctoral	IELTS Academic
For Professional Registration	IELTS Academic
Migration	IELTS General
Work or training	IELTS General
Permanent Residency	IELTS General

IELTS Academic VS IELTS General Training

Now let us compare both the test types in their format, structure, content, and purpose. This will help you understand both the test in detail.

Check out the comparison below:

Feature	IELTS General Training	IELTS Academic
Purpose	Primarily for university admissions (Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD)	Primarily opted for work and immigration
Content	Based on Academics	Based on everyday situations
Number of Modules	4 (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening)	4 (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening)
Duration	2 hours and 44 minutes	2 hours and 44 minutes
Reading test	Passages sourced from newspapers, magazines, or journals	Passages sourced from advertisements, instruction manuals, or guidebooks
Writing Test	Task 1: Describe visual information Task 2: Essay Writing (on academic topics)	Task 1: Draft a letter Task 2: Essay Writing (on general topics)
Popularity	Most widely preferred	Limited
Application Fee	INR 16,250	INR 16,250

Now let us look at each of the features individually.

Read More: All About IELTS 

IELTS Academic vs General: Test Format

IELTS Academic and IELTS General have a common Listening and Speaking test with different Reading and Writing tests. Hence, it is recommended that applicants understand the difference in the IELTS Academic and General Training exam formats.

Here is a detailed explanation of the difference in the Reading and Writing sections of both the tests.

Reading

The duration and number of questions for the IELTS Reading test are the same for both the IELTS Academic Reading and IELTS General Training Reading tests. Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General candidates get 60 minutes to answer 40 questions set in the test.

You might come across some of the 14 different question sets in the IELTS Reading test.

The IELTS Reading question types are:

• Matching Headings
• Matching Paragraph Information
• Matching Features
• Matching Sentence Endings
• True/False/Not Given or Yes/No/Not Given
• Multiple Choices
• List of Options
• Choose a Title
• Short Answers
• Sentence Completion
• Summary Completion
• Table Completion
• Flow Chart Completion
•  Completion Diagrams

These questions assess the candidate’s ability to read, skim through passages, understand written English, and understand the logical argument. Here’s how both the tests are designed differently.

IELTS Academic Reading Test

The IELTS Academic Reading test has three long reading passages that assess the candidate’s factual, descriptive, and analytical knowledge.

Each long passage is followed by questions based on the test.

Questions in this paper range from matching headings and information, sentence formation and sentence completion, summarising, table and flowchart completion, and labeling flowcharts to subjectively answering short questions.

IELTS Academic Reading Test Overview:

Duration	60 minutes
Number of Questions	40
Number of Section	3
Number of Passages	3
Marking	One mark for each right answer; no negative marking
Band Score	0-9

The passages in the exam are not specialised or in-depth but are generic and invoke interest. Each passage chosen for the exam is taken from journals, articles, magazines, and news media to assess the candidate’s ability to study in English.

Each correct answer is awarded one mark, while there is a penalty for spelling and grammatical errors.

IELTS General Training Reading Test

In stark contrast to the IELTS Academic Test, the IELTS General Training Reading test has multiple short passages and one long passage spread across three different sections.

IELTS General Reading Test Overview:

Duration	60 minutes
Number of Questions	40
Number of Section	3
Number of Passages	4-6
Marking	One mark for each right answer; no negative marking
Band Score	0-9

The passages are distributed as follows:

• Section one: 2-3 short texts
• Section two: 2 short texts
• Section three: 1 long text

The test assesses the candidate for similar tasks as with the Academic Test in the first section. In the second section, the passages and questions are tailored to the realm of the workplace. Be prepared to answer questions in the context of job descriptions, workplace ethics, or staff training material.

The long passage will be slightly complicated compared to the Academic Test and test the candidate’s critical thinking, analytical, and instructive skills.

Each question carries one mark, and there is a penalty for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Writing

The IELTS Writing Test is different from the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Writing tests. While both the test types consist of two tasks, the task types vary from one another. 

The word limit for task 1 is 150 words, and task 2 is 250 words.

Both tests are scheduled for 60 minutes. The recommended time for the first task is 20 minutes, and task 2 is 40 minutes.

Here’s how they differ.

IELTS Academic Writing Test

Get an overview of the IELTS Academic Writing Test: 

Duration	60 minutes
Number of Tasks	2
Writing Task 1	Summarise/describe/explain the given (visual) information
Writing Task 2	Essay Writing
Word Limit for Task 1	150 words
Word Limit for Task 2	250 words
Marking	Writing Task 2 is worth twice as many marks as Task 1
Band Score	0-9

In the IELTS Academic Writing test, you have two tasks.

The tasks are:

• Task 1: You are asked to explain/summarise data presented in a table/chart/diagram/graph. Furthermore, you may be required to explain specific data, process the information, or draw a flowchart to reach a logical conclusion.

• Task 2: Task 2 is to give a written response to an argument in under 250 words. One crucial thing to remember is that the answer must not be articulated in bullets or pointers but thoughtfully written on the answer sheet. Additionally, the second task carries more marks than the first one.

IELTS General Training Writing Test

Get an overview of the IELTS General Writing Test: 

Duration	60 minutes
Number of Tasks	2
Writing Task 1	Letter Writing
Writing Task 2	Essay Writing
Word Limit for Task 1	150 words
Word Limit for Task 2	250 words
Marking	Writing Task 2 is worth twice as many marks as Task 1
Band Score	0-9

The tasks for the IELTS General Training Writing tasks are below.

The tasks are:

• Task 1: Compose a formal or informal letter requesting information or explaining a situation in 150 words.
• Task 2: In the second task, the candidates will have to write an essay to respond to an argument/problem in 250 words. You will be required to explain, request something, or defend your position to a specific authority. Relevant examples should back the ideas and viewpoints expressed here, and the writing style should be personal/formal based on the context.

Speaking

The IELTS Speaking test remains the same for both Academic and General tests. The test does not differ in structure, format, or question types.

IELTS Speaking Test Overview:

Duration	11-14 minutes
Number of Parts	3
Part 1	Introduction (4-5 min)
Part 2	Individual Long Turn/Cue Card (2-3 min)
Part 3	Discussion  (4-5 min)
Band Score	0-9

The Speaking test format comprises a verbal interview between the candidate and the examiner. All speaking tests are videotaped for efficient marking.

This portion assesses the English-speaking skills of the candidate and can last from 11 to 14 minutes.

This test component is divided into three sections, each designed to serve a distinct purpose in terms of interaction pattern, task input, and candidate output.

The IELTS Speaking parts are:

Part 1 (Interview): The examiner would ask broad questions about the individual, spanning from self-introduction to aspects like your interests, family, studies, and job. This round lasts around 4-5 minutes.

Part 2 (Individual Long Turn/Cue Card): This round is also the card IELTS Cue Card section. For this round, the candidate picks a card with a topic and has a generic talk over the subject. Candidates are given 1 minute to prepare for the topic and 2-3 minutes to speak. The examiner may follow up with questions on the subject.

Part 3 (Discussion): The examiner can question the candidate further about the topic covered in Part 2. This section lasts 4-5 minutes and allows the applicant to justify their opinions and discuss the topic in-depth.

Listening

The IELTS Listening section is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General tests.

You are expected to listen to four English recordings and answer a series of questions. Each recording is followed by 40 questions based on it.

IELTS Speaking Test Overview:

Duration	30 minutes
Number of Questions	40
Number of Recording	4
Transfer Time	10 minutes (for paper-based tests only)
Types of conversations	Chat, Monologue, Academic Conversations
Band Score	0-9

This test lasts 30 minutes in total. The primary goal of this segment is to understand the candidates’ capacity to comprehend critical concepts, factual information, and the viewpoints and attitudes of speakers.

The IELTS Listening recording is as follows:

• Recording 1: The first recording would feature a chat between two people in a typical, everyday social setting.

• Recording 2: The second recording is a monologue set in an ordinary social setting.

• Recording 3: This recording is a conversation between four people in an educational or training setting.

• Recording 4: Finally, a monologue on an academic subject will be played.

IELTS Academic VS IELTS General (Reading and Writing): Major Differences

The basic difference between the IELTS Academic test and the IELTS General Training test occurs in their Reading and Writing modules. 

Let us check the basic differences: 

• The IELTS Academic Reading test contains three long passages. Each passage is distributed into each section of the test. 
• The IELTS General Reading test contains 4-6 passages. 2-3 short passages are available in section 1, 1-2 short passages are there in section 2, and one long passage is available in section 3. 
• The reading passages in the IELTS Academic test are of different types, including descriptive, factual, and analytical texts, and can also contain charts, graphs, and diagrams.
• The reading passages in the IELTS General test are shorter and easier ones. They are mostly on general and everyday topics. 
• Task 1 in the IELTS Academic Writing test is to explain the given information. The information is mostly provided in graphs,m pie charts, or diagrams. 
• Task 1 is the IELTS General Writing test in letter writing. 

IELTS Academic vs General: Score Comparison

The test score for the IELTS exam is marked on a band scale of 1 to 9 for each part of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. 

The total IELTS band score is determined by averaging the scores from all four modules, rounding to the nearest whole or half band. If the average score has a decimal of .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it’s .75, it’s rounded up to the next whole band. If the average has any other fraction, the score is rounded down.

The IELTS band score and corresponding skill level are below:

Band Score	Skill Level
9	Expert
8	Very good
7	Good
6	Competent
5	Modest
4	Limited
3	Extremely limited
2	Intermittent
1	Non-user
0	Did not attempt the test

Final Decision

Wondering which is easier, the IELTS Academic or General Training?

The final decision for your doubt between the IELTS Academic and General can be subjective. The easiest test for your plan can vary depending on the purpose of the journey.

Typically, the IELTS General Training test is likely to be less complicated than the Academic IELTS Test. Summarising a complicated graph or table can be more straightforward than writing a brief letter! 

The primary reason for this is that the Academic test requires expert comprehension skills and the ability to briefly summarise complex ideas precisely, clearly, and concisely. So, if you are preparing for the Academic test, then make sure you read and practice more texts and practice materials that are related to academic topics. Get a hang of the language usages and terms. 

The General Training Test is primarily based on the candidate’s ability to speak and understand English in a general social setting. However, it’s subjective to say since it varies from candidate to candidate. While preparing for your general test, make sure you read texts of different kinds, such as magazines, newspaper articles, and fictional pieces. 

Rather than ease, the need is more significant while making your decision. Consider the test type that is required for your plan.

IELTS General vs Academic: Which is Easy? Finding the best option for your study-abroad plan is important, and choosing the right guidance for your test is even more important. Leap’s IELTS Experts can aid you in your decision-making. Book a free call to get access to quality classes, practice tests, IELTS resources, and more.

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