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IELTS General Training Test

The IELTS General Training test is perfect for those wishing to move to Canada for work. Not only will the test check that you are proficient in speaking English in a workplace, but it will also ensure you are ready for social settings and general Canadian life.

If you want to, or have already immigrated to Canada, the IELTS General Training certificate can be used as evidence for:

Express Entry (Skilled Immigrants)
Quebec-selected skilled workers
Provincial Nominee program.

You should take this test if you would like to:

study or train below undergraduate level
work in an English-speaking environment in Canada
move to an English-speaking region of Canada

The IELTS General Test Format

The Speaking and Listening sections are exactly the same for both the Academic IELTS test and General Training IELTS test.

The IELTS General Training Reading section

The General Training texts include three sections, which you will again be asked 40 questions on.

Section 1: Two or three short factual texts with topics relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country.
Section 2: Two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues.
Section 3: One longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest.

The General Training Writing section

Task 1: You are presented with a situation and asked to write a letter, either requesting more information on the situation or explaining it. The letter may be either informal, semi-formal or formal in style.
Task 2: You are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

Prepare with British Council to improve your score

We have lots of free resources and materials to help you prepare for your IELTS General Training test and get the best score possible.

Free access to a last-minute preparation course: Our ‘Road to IELTS’ course provides free pre-test support, over 100 interactive activities, 9 online video tutorials, and the incredible IELTS app.
Weekly IELTS webinars: Led by experts, these webinars are designed to help test takers understand as much as they need to know about the IELTS test and ask any questions they may have.
Online practice tests: Practice for your IELTS test ahead of time by taking our online mock tests. These will help you identify which areas of the test require more learning than others.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Book your IELTS General Exam online

With over 80 test locations across the whole of Canada, find a British Council test centre near you and book your IELTS General Training test online today.

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