In today’s blog we are going to dscuss the format of the 3 main exams. Based on the formats you can decide which exam to take.
IELTS Format
IELTS tests four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. There are two versions:
IELTS Academic is for university admissions and professional registration. IELTS General Training is for work experience, secondary education, or immigration to English-speaking countries.
The four components break down like this:
Listening (30 minutes + 10 minutes transfer time) You listen to four recordings — two monologues and two conversations — and answer 40 questions. The recordings are played once only, which catches many candidates off guard. Sections progress from everyday social contexts to more academic or professional settings.
Reading (60 minutes) Academic: Three long passages from books, journals, and newspapers. 40 questions. General Training: A mix of shorter texts and one longer passage. 40 questions. Question types include multiple choice, matching headings, True/False/Not Given, and short answer questions. Time management is critical here — many students run out of time.
Writing (60 minutes) Academic Task 1: Describe a graph, chart, diagram, or map in at least 150 words. General Training Task 1: Write a letter in at least 150 words. Task 2 (both versions): Write an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem in at least 250 words. Task 2 carries more weight than Task 1.
Speaking (11–14 minutes) This is a face-to-face interview with a certified IELTS examiner. It has three parts:
- Part 1: General questions about yourself, your life, and familiar topics (4–5 minutes)
- Part 2: A long turn where you speak for 1–2 minutes on a given topic using preparation notes
- Part 3: A discussion on abstract themes related to the Part 2 topic
IELTS Speaking often takes place on a different day from the other three components.
Scoring: IELTS uses a Band Score system from 0 to 9, reported in 0.5 increments. Most universities and immigration pathways require an overall band of 6.0 to 7.5, with minimum scores in each individual skill.
PTE Academic Format
PTE is taken entirely on a computer at a Pearson test centre. The exam lasts approximately 3 hours and is divided into three main sections.
Speaking and Writing (54–67 minutes) This is the first and longest section. It combines speaking and writing tasks including:
- Read Aloud (you read a text on screen and speak into a microphone)
- Repeat Sentence (you hear a sentence and repeat it immediately)
- Describe Image (you describe a graph, chart, or image)
- Re-tell Lecture (you summarise a lecture you’ve just heard)
- Answer Short Question
- Summarise Written Text
- Essay (a 200–300 word argumentative essay)
Reading (29–30 minutes) Tasks include Multiple Choice, Re-order Paragraphs, and Fill in the Blanks. The reading section is often considered the most manageable part of PTE.
Listening (30–43 minutes) Tasks include Summarise Spoken Text, Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, Highlight Correct Summary, Select Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words, and Write from Dictation.
Scoring: PTE scores each communicative skill (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing) on a scale of 10–90. It also reports enabling skills (Grammar, Oral Fluency, Pronunciation, Spelling, Vocabulary, Written Discourse). Scores are available within 48 hours in most cases — a significant advantage over IELTS.
One important nuance with PTE: because it is AI-scored, your scores can be surprisingly affected by pronunciation and microphone clarity. Students who are strong writers but have heavy accents sometimes find PTE more challenging than expected.
OET Format
OET is available for 12 healthcare professions, with the Reading and Listening components being the same for all candidates, while Writing and Speaking are profession-specific.
Listening (approximately 40 minutes) Part A: Two consultations between a health professional and a patient. You complete notes while listening. Part B: Six short extracts from healthcare settings. Multiple choice questions.
Reading (60 minutes) Part A: Four short texts on a healthcare theme. You answer questions using information from across all four texts (15 minutes, no page-turning allowed). Part B: Six short texts from healthcare contexts. Multiple choice questions (45 minutes).
Writing (45 minutes) You write a letter — typically a referral letter, discharge letter, or transfer letter — based on a set of case notes. The letter must be approximately 180–200 words, appropriately formal, and targeted at a specific recipient. This is the sub-test that most candidates underestimate.
Speaking (approximately 20 minutes) Two role-plays, each lasting approximately 5 minutes, where you play the role of the health professional and the examiner plays the patient or carer. You receive a role-play card with patient information 3 minutes before each role-play to prepare.
Scoring: OET grades each sub-test from A (highest) to E (lowest), with numerical scores from 0 to 500. Most regulatory bodies require a B grade (350+) in all four sub-tests.
