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    General Training IELTS

    IELTS General Training for work and migration

    Confirm you need GT and not Academic, learn how its Reading and letters differ, and prepare each paper on the clock.

    Practise General Training
    • GT vs Academic explained
    • Letter tones worked
    • Both modules supported

    In short

    IELTS General Training is the version for emigrating, working abroad, or studying below degree level — but professional registration bodies often require Academic even when you are migrating, so the first step is confirming which version your authority accepts. GT shares Listening and Speaking with Academic and differs in Reading (everyday texts, 34 correct for Band 7) and Writing Task 1 (a letter, not a graph). This guide walks through the decision and the differences; SpeakMetry's simulators support both modules.

    Which version does your goal need?

    More candidates waste money on the wrong version than on any question type. Get this right first.

    1. Take General Training if you are emigrating to an English-speaking country, taking up work or work-related training there, or studying below degree level. Take Academic for university admission or professional registration. Listening and Speaking are identical either way, so this decision only changes your Reading and Writing preparation — but it changes them completely.

    2. The expensive mistake is assuming migration always means GT. Nursing registration in the UK and Australia requires Academic even though you are moving for work, and the US nurse screening programme likewise asks for Academic with a high Speaking score. A General Training result, however good, does not count where Academic is required. Before booking anything, read your registration body or immigration authority's requirement in its own words — not a summary, the requirement itself.

    3. One further variant exists: some UK visa routes require IELTS for UKVI, taken at an approved centre, rather than the regular test. If the United Kingdom is your destination, check whether your route is one of them. Whatever your route, confirm the version, the scores, and how long results stay valid with the authority that will judge them — those three answers are your entire preparation brief.

    General Training vs Academic, paper by paper

    The two versions are the same test in Listening and Speaking and different tests in Reading and Writing Task 1.

    AspectGeneral TrainingAcademic
    Reading textsEveryday and workplace materials: notices, ads, handbooks, one longer general textThree long analytical texts from books, journals and newspapers
    Band 7 in Reading34 correct answers out of 4030 correct answers out of 40
    Writing Task 1A letter of at least 150 words in a matched tone: formal, semi-formal or informalA 150-word description of visual information: graphs, charts, processes
    Writing Task 2The same essay task, same timing, same criteriaThe same essay task, same timing, same criteria
    Listening & SpeakingIdentical: same recordings, same three-part interviewIdentical: same recordings, same three-part interview
    Taken forEmigration, work abroad, below-degree studyUniversity admission, professional registration

    GT Writing Task 1: the three letter tones

    Half the Task 1 mark is tone control: the same request written to a manager, a landlord and a friend should read as three different letters. Rehearse all three.

    Formal: complaining with distance

    No contractions, polite but firm, every paragraph earns its place. About 20 minutes, at least 150 words.

    1. You recently stayed at a hotel where the service was very poor. Write a letter to the manager. Describe the problems you experienced, explain how they affected your stay, and say what you would like the hotel to do.

    Semi-formal: requesting with clarity

    Polite and direct. You do not know the reader well, so warmth stays professional.

    1. You rent an apartment and the heating has stopped working. Write a letter to your landlord. Describe the problem, explain why it is urgent, and suggest a suitable time for a repair visit.

    Informal: writing as yourself

    Contractions and conversational language are fine. The structure — purpose, detail, close — still holds.

    1. A friend is visiting your city next month. Write a letter inviting them to stay with you. Describe what you plan to do together and ask about their arrival time.

    These are illustrative practice prompts written in the official format, not official IELTS questions. They show you the shape of each part so you can rehearse out loud before your mock.

    From decision to test day

    A migration timeline has no room for a retake caused by the wrong preparation.

    1. 1

      Confirm version, scores and validity in writing

      Which test, which overall and per-paper minimums, and how long results count. Save the source — requirements change and memories blur.

    2. 2

      Sit a baseline mock in that exact module

      A GT baseline for a GT booking. Scores from the wrong module measure the wrong skills and mislead the whole plan.

    3. 3

      Train the unfamiliar parts first

      Letters if you have never written one under time, GT Reading sections if journals were your background. New formats repay early attention.

    4. 4

      Run full mocks on the real clocks

      Sixty minutes for Reading and Writing, the single hearing for Listening, eleven-plus minutes aloud for Speaking — the version-specific stamina matters as much as the English.

    5. 5

      Book with a retake buffer

      Schedule the test so one retake still lands before any application deadline. A buffer removes the pressure that ruins first attempts.

    GT readiness checklist

    Tick every line before you book.

    • The required version is confirmed with the authority itself, not a summary
    • All three letter tones practised under twenty minutes at 150+ words
    • Task 2 essay method in place — it is the same essay as Academic
    • Reading target set against the GT table: 34 correct for Band 7
    • Listening and Speaking prepared exactly as Academic candidates prepare them
    • Result validity window checked against the application timeline

    Explore more ways to prepare

    Frequently asked questions

    Should I take General Training or Academic for working abroad?
    For most work and emigration routes, General Training. But professional registration is the exception: nursing and medical boards typically require Academic even when you are migrating for work. Confirm with your employer or registration body — the answer depends on who judges the result, not on the country alone.
    I am a nurse — which version do I need?
    Almost certainly Academic: nursing registration bodies in the UK and Australia require it, and a General Training result will not count toward registration no matter how high it is. Check your specific board's current thresholds before booking, since they are updated periodically.
    Is General Training easier than Academic?
    Different, not easier. Its Reading texts are everyday rather than analytical, but the bar is set higher to match — Band 7 needs 34 correct answers instead of 30. And its Writing Task 1 demands tone control across formal, semi-formal and informal letters, a skill Academic candidates never face.
    Are Listening and Speaking the same in both versions?
    Yes. Both modules share the same four recordings and forty questions in Listening and the same three-part interview in Speaking. Prepare for those two papers identically whichever version you book.
    What does GT Writing Task 1 require?
    A letter of at least 150 words in about 20 minutes, in the tone the situation demands: formal for complaints and authorities, semi-formal for landlords and neighbours, informal for friends. Task 2 is the same essay as in Academic and counts double.
    What is IELTS for UKVI — do I need it?
    Some UK visa and immigration routes require the IELTS for UKVI version taken at an approved centre instead of the regular test. Whether it applies to you depends on your specific route, so check the official UK visa guidance for it before booking.
    How can I practise the General Training papers?
    SpeakMetry's simulators support both modules: Reading with GT passages and Academic texts, Writing with letters and visual descriptions, plus the shared Listening and Speaking papers. Your first sitting of each paper is free.

    Next step

    Prepare the version you will actually sit

    GT passages, real letters, shared Listening and Speaking — each paper on its real clock.

    Practise General Training