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British Council

Get the IELTS score you need with our free online materials. Join our Understanding IELTS courses on FutureLearn to prepare for your IELTS test. Practise with other learners. Perfect your English.

IELTS is the world's most popular English language test for higher education and global migration. If you want to study in another country or to move abroad for work, you may need IELTS to prove your English language ability.

IELTS is a task-based test covering the four language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking). The test is developed to provide a fair, accurate and reliable assessment of your English language proficiency.

This program of four courses explains each section of the test, what is being tested and what you have to do to demonstrate your language proficiency to the examiner.

Find out more or register on the links below. 

UNDERSTANDING IELTS: LISTENING

This course focuses on the Listening test. You’ll explore the format of the test and develop learning strategies to help you tackle the different types of tasks you’ll meet.

You’ll also look at general English listening strategies that will help you cope with the kind of complex texts on unfamiliar topics that you’ll meet in your IELTS studies.

UNDERSTANDING IELTS: WRITING

This course focuses on the Academic Writing test. You’ll explore the test format and develop strategies for each type of task.

You’ll look at graphs and charts in Task One, how to approach the task and the language needed for a successful answer. You’ll examine Task Two questions and learn how to plan, write and check academic essays.

You’ll also look at the assessment criteria, what the examiner looks for and how to write successfully for IELTS.

UNDERSTANDING IELTS: SPEAKING 

This course focuses on the speaking test. You’ll look in detail at the three parts of the test and learn about the four criteria that will be used to assess your spoken English.

The tips and techniques will help you improve your English speaking and build techniques to help you succeed. Through practice activities, you’ll build confidence and feel fully prepared on test day.

UNDERSTANDING IELTS: READING

This course focuses on the reading test. You’ll explore the format of the test and the kinds of text you need to read, and develop learning strategies to help you tackle the different task types, from multiple choice to true, false, and not given.

You’ll also look at general reading strategies that will help you cope with the kind of complex texts on unfamiliar topics that you’ll meet in your IELTS studies.

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