IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System, which is a global state sanctioned trial of English language capability for non-local English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English.
There are two types of IELTS test: Academic and General Training. Listening and Speaking are the same for the both tests, however the topic of the Reading and Writing sections differs relying upon which test the candidate takes. IELTS can be taken either on paper or computer depending on the choice of the test taker. The test score is valid for two years from the test date.
The Listening, Reading and Writing sections of all IELTS tests are completed on the same test date, without any breaks in the middle of them. The Speaking section, notwithstanding, can be finished as long as seven days prior or after other test date.
IELTS is acknowledged by more than 10,000 associations in excess of 140 nations. These include: colleges, schools, universities and training organizations, government divisions and immigration authorities.
There is no pass or fail in IELTS. It is scored on a nine-band (0-9) scale, with each band comparing to a predetermined capability in English.