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IELTS
Life Skills

IELTS Life skill

IELTS Life Skills

The IELTS Life Skills exam is designed for those who need to exhibit their English speaking and listening skills as part of a visa or immigration application.
 
IELTS Life Skills is offered at the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages levels A1, A2, and B1 (CEFR). The exam activities are centred on ordinary topics like work, transportation, and the weather, and they mirror the experience of conversing in an English-speaking nation. It is a single exam that covers both speaking and listening abilities.

Did You Know?

This is the test to take if you want to apply for any of the following UK visas: Extension of family, spouse, or partner visa, indefinite leave to remain, or citizenship

* Check the English language requirements for your visa category before enrolling for your exam. If you are in the United Kingdom, please contact UK Visas and Immigration (part of the UK Home Office). If you are in another nation, you should contact the British Embassy or High Commission in that country.

IELTS Lifeskills - Key facts

The IELTS Life Skills is a newly Secure English Language Test (SELT) version certified by the UK Government. This test is for individuals who wish to demonstrate their English speaking and listening abilities to obtain the necessary visa. Your abilities will be evaluated using the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels A1 and B1.
Fortunately, you may retake the IELTS Life Skills exam as often as you choose. However, if you pass the test, you cannot reapply for it within two years.

Particulars

Details

IELTS Life Skills A1

This exam is designed for applicants who wish to prove their English speaking and listening abilities. Executives from multinational corporations, athletes, and family members (spouse and parents)

IELTS Life Skills A2

This exam is for individuals who want to demonstrate English speaking and listening abilities in order to be considered for family extension visas.

IELTS Life Skills B1

This exam is for individuals who want to prove their English speaking and listening abilities in order to be granted the indefinite right to remain.

What’s in the test?

The Life Skills test will solely measure your listening and speaking abilities. A skilled and qualified IELTS examiner will evaluate your English abilities in these two areas. To be hired by test centres, all IELTS examiners must have suitable teaching qualifications. They use well-defined assessment standards and subject all their markings to quality control methods. All of this is in place to guarantee that your findings are fair and accurate.

IELTS Life Skills is available at three levels

  • IELTS Life Skills – A1 Speaking and Listening
  • IELTS Life Skills – A2 Speaking and Listening (offered in the UK only)*
  • IELTS Life Skills – B1 Speaking and Listening

Examiners will grade you on your abilities to gather and present information, talk to communicate, and engage in conversation in the IELTS Life Skills. In addition, no band scores are provided in the Life Skills test; your results will simply be a pass or fail.

Results for IELTS Life Skills tests

Your IELTS Life Skills results will be accessible online at 12:00 a.m. GMT on the seventh day following the test.

Your official Test Report Form (TRF) will be mailed to you by your IELTS test centre.

IELTS on computer: Your TRF will be available three to five days following your exam date.

Paper IELTS: Your TRF will be mailed to you 13 days after your exam date.

*Some test centres will not be providing results by mail due to Covid-19. Please check with your test centre about additional options for accessing your results.

IELTS Life Skills - A1 Speaking and Listening

This table shows the kind of assignments you can be assigned for your IELTS Life Skills A1 test.

Focus:

You will be expected to:


  • Listen to and respond to spoken language, which may include short narratives, assertions, questions, and one-step directions.
  • fundamental knowledge, sentiments, and views about well-known issues
  • Discuss familiar things with another individual in a comfortable setting.

Tasks may include:

  • describing 
  • providing opinions 
  • giving personal information 
  • stating preferences 
  • commenting 
  • asking for information or descriptions 
  • agreeing and disagreeing 
  • Explaining
  • giving reasons or justifying 
  • deciding 
  • to suggest 
  • selecting.

IELTS Life Skills - A2 Speaking and Listening

The following table shows the focus and indicative tasks that you may be asked to complete:

Focus:

  • listening to and responding to spoken language, including basic facts, brief narratives, explanations, and directions
  • sharing knowledge, thoughts, and views about well-known subjects
  • conversing with one or more persons in a familiar context to create shared knowledge about familiar themes.

A2 tasks may include, in addition to the tasks of A1 listed above:

  • comparing
  • prioritising
  • planning
  • persuading

IELTS Life Skills - B1 Speaking and Listening

The following table shows the focus and indicative tasks that you may be asked to complete:

Focus:

You will be expected to:

  • Listen and respond to spoken language, including basic facts and narratives, and follow basic explanations and commands.
  • Using appropriate formality, explain information, sentiments, and opinions about common themes.
  • Discuss known issues with one or more individuals in a familiar setting, making pertinent arguments and responding to what others say.

In addition to the A2 tasks shown above, the B1 tasks may include:

  • demonstrating contrast, cause, reason, or purpose describing past or future occurrences conveying future certainty or potential

How are IELTS Life Skills assessed?

IELTS Life Skills examinations are given in front of an examiner and one other test taker. You will be required to have a structured discussion and demonstrate your ability to listen and respond to various tasks.

These challenges are intended to simulate the type of conversational English required for living in the United Kingdom. You will be asked to speak about ordinary topics like as:

  • personal details/experiences
  • family and friends
  • buying goods
  • work
  • health
  • leisure
  • education/training
  • transport
  • housing
  • weather.

AECC can help you with anything related to the IELTS Exam! We represent renowned universities and educational institutions throughout the world and offer complete counselling and application management services to students interested in studying abroad in areas like Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

FAQ About IELTS Life Skills

IELTS Life Skills examinations are accessible in places listed by UK Visas and Immigration across the world (UKVI). Other testing sites' findings will not be accepted by the UKVI.