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IELTS General Training

IELTS General Training Practice

Choose a module below to start practising. Each one gives you a real exam-style task with instant feedback.

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Writing Practice

Practise Task 1 (letter writing — formal, semi-formal, or informal) and Task 2 (opinion essays). Get grammar corrections and a band score estimate.

You will

Read a prompt, write your response, then tap 'Check My Writing'

Start practising
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Reading Practice

Read passages and answer comprehension questions. See an explanation for every right and wrong answer.

You will

Read the passage, answer the questions, then tap 'Check My Answers'

Start practising
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Listening Practice

Listen to a recording and answer questions. After submitting, read the full transcript and see what you missed.

You will

Listen to the audio, answer the questions, then tap 'Check My Answers'

Start practising
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Speaking Practice

Record answers to Part 1, 2 and 3 questions. Get an instant band score estimate with AI feedback on fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

You will

Read the question, record your answer, then get instant AI feedback

Start practising

Understanding IELTS Band Scores

IELTS uses a band score from 1 to 9. For Canadian Express Entry you typically need Band 6.0 per skill (CLB 7 equivalent).

8.0 – 9.0
Expert / Very Good
6.5 – 7.5
Good / Competent
5.0 – 6.0
Modest / Limited
4.0 – 4.5
Basic

About the IELTS General Training Test

The IELTS General Training test is the version of IELTS designed for people who are planning to migrate to an English-speaking country for work or secondary education, or who need to meet immigration requirements for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. Canadian Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts IELTS General Training for all major permanent residency pathways, including the Federal Skilled Worker Programme, the Canadian Experience Class, and Provincial Nominee Programmes.

The test covers four skills. Listening (40 questions, 30 minutes) is identical to the Academic version and tests your ability to understand spoken English in social and workplace contexts. Reading (40 questions, 60 minutes) is structured in three sections: Section 1 contains short everyday texts such as ads, schedules, and notices; Section 2 contains workplace documents; and Section 3 is a longer analytical passage. Writing (60 minutes) requires a formal, semi-formal, or informal letter in Task 1 (at least 150 words) and a discursive essay in Task 2 (at least 250 words). Speaking (11–14 minutes) uses the same three-part format as IELTS Academic and is scored on the same four criteria.

For Canadian Express Entry, the minimum required is CLB 7 across all four skills — roughly equivalent to IELTS Band 6.0. Each half-band above the minimum earns additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points that meaningfully increase your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply. Reaching Band 7.0 or above in all skills can add more than 30 CRS points compared to the minimum threshold.

Bandleep provides free, unlimited practice for all four IELTS General Training modules. Writing tasks are analysed against official band descriptors and returned with grammar corrections, vocabulary suggestions, and an estimated band score. Reading and Listening tests include full answer explanations, and Speaking recordings receive AI band score feedback on all four criteria. Start practising now — no account required.

Applying to university or for professional registration? IELTS Academic has graph-description tasks.

Academic →

IELTS General Training — Common Questions

What is IELTS General Training Writing Task 1?▼
In IELTS General Training Task 1 you write a letter of at least 150 words. The letter may be formal (to an organisation), semi-formal (to a colleague or manager), or informal (to a friend or family member). The task specifies the purpose and bullet points to cover.
Who should take IELTS General Training?▼
IELTS General Training is for people applying for secondary education, work experience, or migration to English-speaking countries — particularly Canada, Australia, and the UK. Canadian Express Entry accepts IELTS General Training for all skilled worker programmes.
Is Task 2 the same for Academic and General Training?▼
Yes. IELTS Writing Task 2 — the essay — is identical in format for both Academic and General Training. The main difference is Task 1: Academic requires graph/chart description; General Training requires letter writing.
What band score do I need for Canadian Express Entry using IELTS General Training?▼
Canadian Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programmes typically requires a minimum of CLB 7 in all four skills. For IELTS General Training, CLB 7 is equivalent to approximately Band 6.0. Higher bands earn more CRS points and improve your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply for permanent residency.
What does the IELTS General Training Reading test include?▼
IELTS General Training Reading has three sections and 40 questions in 60 minutes. Section 1 contains short everyday texts such as notices, advertisements, and timetables. Section 2 contains workplace texts such as job ads, contracts, and staff handbooks. Section 3 is a longer, more complex passage similar in difficulty to IELTS Academic Reading.
Is the IELTS General Training Speaking test different from Academic?▼
No. The IELTS Speaking test is identical for both General Training and Academic. It consists of three parts with a human examiner and is scored on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
How many times can I take IELTS General Training?▼
There is no limit on how many times you can take IELTS. You can retake the test as often as you wish. Most candidates see improvement after consistent structured practice over four to eight weeks. Your latest score is reported, and immigration bodies typically accept scores from within the last two years.
Can I switch between IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic?▼
Yes. You can register for whichever version suits your purpose — or even take both on separate dates. If you are applying for both Canadian immigration and university admission, you may want to take IELTS General Training for immigration and IELTS Academic for university entry.