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Difference Between IELTS Academic and General Writing

The difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing is given here for those who are confused to choose between IELTS Academic and General Writing for going abroad.
authorImageSupriya Shrivastava25 Oct, 2024
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Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing

Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing : The specific differences between IELTS academic and general writing exams will be covered in this article. Your requirements will decide how the differences between IELTS academic and general writing. If you wish to pursue academics, such as admission to top institutions or a profession, the IELTS Academic test is the one to take.

IELTS General Training prepares you for everyday language difficulties, making it ideal for anyone considering migrating or starting a career abroad. Here, this article will try to tell the difference between IELTS academic and general writing.

Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing Test Format

IELTS exams come in two different types: Academic and General Training. You must finish two writing tasks for each of the exam sections. You must write a report or letter of at least 150 words for Writing Task 1, and you must write an essay of at least 250 words for Writing Task 2. You have 60 minutes to do each task. Check the following comparison to better understand the primary differences:
Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing
IELTS Academic Writing Duration 60 minutes
Writing Task 1 Report
Writing Task 2 Essay
IELTS General Writing Duration 60 minutes
Writing Task 1 Letter
Writing Task 2 Essay
Note : The IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay is the same for the General Training and Academic Writing exams. The essay topics in the IELTS General Training module are a little bit easier.

Difference Between IELTS Academic and General Writing Syllabus

In this section, students will get an overview of IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2 of both IELTS Academic and General Writing.

Academic Writing IELTS Task 1 Report Writing

In Academic Writing IELTS Task 1, students must write a 150-word paragraph analyzing the data from the provided sources. Students have 20 minutes to do this task. Students must use the given graph, table, or chart to write a 150-word report. Students will get one of the following:
  • Bars
  • Graphs
  • Pie charts
  • Tables
  • Diagrams
  • Maps
  • Process diagrams
  • Line and bar chart
  • Pie and bar chart

Academic Writing IELTS Task 2- Essay Writing

IELTS Academic writing is used to evaluate the student's understanding and ability to speak about academic topics for university and professional applications all over the world. It is recommended to study and examine academic material's vocabulary, sentence structure, and grammar to get ready for the IELTS writing exam.
  • Books
  • Journals
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers

IELTS General Writing Task 1 Letter Writing

IELTS General writing task 1 involves writing letters, compared to academic writing task 1. Writing a letter can take several formats, depending on the title: official, semi-formal, or informal. Choosing the correct format requires an understanding of the title.

IELTS General Writing Task 2- Essay Writing

The second task, essay writing, is the same for both the Academic and General versions of the IELTS exam. You have 40 minutes to write the task, and the word count is 250, the same as for academic writing. The IELTS Academic Training essay subject is more difficult than the IELTS General Training Task 2 essay question. Compared to IELTS academic writing, general writing essay topics are easier to write.

Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing Tasks Scored

IELTS Writing Task 1 makes up one-third of your final writing score, while Task 2 scores for two-thirds. Task 1 should not take more than 20 minutes, and Task 2 should not take more than 40 minutes. A band or half a band, such as 6.0 or 6.5, is used to represent the final result. Since the IELTS Writing task makes up for 66% of the total score, performing well on this task is important. The following explains how the score is divided:
Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing Tasks score
Task Response 25%
Coherence and Cohesion 25%
Vocabulary 25%
Grammar 25%

Other Important differences between IELTS Academic and General Writing

Technical writing, general writing, casual writing, creative writing, academic writing, and more are among the several writing formats that can be used, depending on the exam requirements or the stated writing objective.
Differences between IELTS Academic and General Writing
Academic Writing General Writing
Use to highlight a certain topic when preparing for research examinations. Writing about broad topics that are interesting to readers is known as general writing.
Abbreviations are completely prohibited in academic writing. You can use abbreviations in general writing.
Academic writing requires attention to punctuation and grammar standards. Spelling and grammar are important, but they are not as strict as in academic writing.
Academic writing can be written in a formal style. There are three types of language: formal, semi-formal, and informal.
Objective and clear writing style. It is up to the writer to keep the readers engaged, there is no set format.

PW IELTS

Physic Wallah provides online I ELTS coaching that improves the preparation process by offering an organized approach to becoming ready. PW provides both general and academic training for IELTS coaching. A band score of 8 or above on the IELTS exam is required for those who take part in PW’s IELTS coaching program.
IELTS Exam Other Related Links
IELTS Exam IELTS Full Form
IELTS  Registration IELTS Eligibility Criteria
IELTS Exam Pattern IELTS Syllabus 2024
IELTS Exam Dates IDP IELTS Test Centers
IELTS Cut Off IDP IELTS Slot Booking
IELTS Mock Test IELTS Academic Vs General
IELTS Books and Study Guide IELTS Band Score

Difference between IELTS Academic and General Writing FAQs

Q1- What is the difference between IELTS Writing General and Academic?

Ans- Where you want to use your exam results will decide the exam you should take. The IELTS Academic exam is usually taken to get admission to a university. IELTS General Training is used for immigration. The requirements are defined by the organization where you intend to work or study.

Q2- What is the difference between IELTS Writing and academic writing format?

Ans- You must write a letter (150 words) and a short essay (250 words) for the General Training Writing exam. The Academic Writing exam is somewhat more formal. The first task requires you to write a 150-word description of a table, chart, or diagram.

Q3- Which is more difficult Academic or general IELTS?

Ans- The IELTS Academic and General Training exams are very similar. IELTS Academic is perhaps more difficult. IELTS Academic and General Training preparation might take 2 to 4 months.

Q4- What is common between IELTS general and academic?

Ans- There are a lot more matches than differences between the IELTS academic and general training exams. Both examinations have the same format and time (four sections total of two hours and 45 minutes that test speaking, reading, writing, and listening).
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