Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training?

Both have 40 questions in 60 minutes over three sections. Academic Reading uses texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers on topics of general interest to university students, 2,150–2,750 words in total, with at least one text containing detailed logical argument (ielts.org).

General Training Reading moves from everyday texts such as notices and timetables (Section 1), to work topics like job descriptions and contracts (Section 2), to one longer general-interest text (Section 3), 2,150–2,375 words in total (ielts.org).

Task 1 is the difference. In Academic you describe visual information, such as a graph, table, chart or diagram, in at least 150 words (ielts.org). In General Training you write a letter responding to a situation, for example asking for information, in at least 150 words (ielts.org).

Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words discussing a point of view, argument or problem in both tests. In both, Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, and the same four criteria are used.

Both Reading tests use the same 9-band scale, but because Academic texts can be harder, General Training usually needs more correct answers for the same band. ielts.org publishes average raw marks out of 40; the exact cut-offs vary slightly by test version (ielts.org). Try the IELTS band score calculator to convert your practice scores.