| Aspect | IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | For higher education or professional registration. | For migration to an English-speaking country for work or living. |
| Reading Section | Focuses on academic texts such as journals, articles, and research papers. | Includes texts from newspapers, magazines, advertisements, and general interest sources. |
| Writing Section | Task 1: Describe visual info (charts, graphs). Task 2: Write an essay with an argument or viewpoint. | Task 1: Write a letter based on a situation. Task 2: Write an essay on a general topic. |
| Listening Section | Assesses understanding of academic discussions and lectures. | Focuses on everyday contexts such as social interactions and common situations. |
| Speaking Section | Same for both formats: A one-on-one conversation with an examiner. | Same for both formats: A one-on-one conversation with an examiner. |
| Difficulty Level | More challenging due to complex texts and critical thinking. | Less challenging, focused on practical, everyday English. |
| Scoring System | Both follow the same band score scale (0 to 9). | Both follow the same band score scale (0 to 9). |
| Best For | Higher education, professional registration. | Migration for work or living in an English-speaking country. |
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