Planning
Academic vs General Training IELTS
Same Listening and Speaking — different Reading and Writing. Pick the right one.
Published May 17, 2026 · 3 min read
Modules that are identical
Listening and Speaking are the same in Academic and General Training — same format, same band scoring, same difficulty.
Reading differences
Academic Reading uses three long academic texts (journals, textbooks). GT Reading uses everyday texts — ads, notices, workplace documents — plus one longer passage.
Writing Task 1 differences
Academic Task 1 is a report on a graph, chart, or diagram. GT Task 1 is a letter (formal, semi-formal, or informal). Task 2 essay is the same for both.
Which should you book?
University and professional registration → Academic. Migration, work visas, and some secondary training → General Training. Booking the wrong type invalidates your result for that purpose.
