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What is the difference between the Speaking section in academic and general training versions?

IELTS.WORK IELTS FAQ # 1711687385

There are two versions of the IELTS Speaking test: Academic and General Training. While both tests assess speaking skills, there are some key differences in terms of the content and focus of the questions asked during the test. Here's a brief overview of these differences:

1. Topics of Discussion:
In the Academic version, topics tend to be more related to academia, such as studies, research, or future plans for studying. In contrast, the General Training version focuses on general topics that are relevant in everyday life and work situations, such as hobbies, travel experiences, and work experience.
2. Purpose of Speaking Test:
The main purpose of the Academic version is to assess an individual's ability to communicate effectively in an academic context, while the General Training version aims to evaluate a candidate's overall spoken English proficiency for non-academic purposes, such as work or immigration applications.
3. Complexity of Questions:
The questions and discussion topics in the Academic version tend to be more complex and abstract than those in the General Training version. This is because the test aims to assess a candidate's ability to understand and discuss complex academic concepts and ideas.
4. Language Use:
In the Academic version, candidates may encounter more specialized or technical language related to their field of study. In contrast, the General Training version focuses on more general English vocabulary and expressions commonly used in everyday conversations and work situations.
5. Test Structure:
While both tests follow a similar structure (Introduction, Interview, and Conversation), there are some minor differences in the topics and types of questions asked during each part of the test, as well as in the overall focus of the conversation.
6. Evaluation Criteria:
The evaluation criteria for the Academic and General Training versions are largely the same, focusing on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. However, the specific weighting given to each criterion may vary slightly depending on the version of the test being taken.

In summary, the main differences between the Speaking sections in the Academic and General Training versions of IELTS lie in the topics of discussion, the complexity of questions, language use, and some minor variations in test structure and evaluation criteria.

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