IELTS Research Reports

Introducing IELTSIELTS stands for the International English Language TestingSystem. It is a test for people who intend to study or workwhere English is the primary language of communication.Since we introduced it in 1989, IELTS has been widelyregarded by both academics and students as the modelof English language testing. In four central areas –experience, authenticity, quality and global reach –it has proved itself time and again. For millionsof colleges, universities and companies aroundthe world it is, quite simply, the best way togauge the English skills of your studentsand staff.ExperienceIELTS is tried and tested: over the past 20 years, more than six million candidates have taken the test.Yet its development goes back to a decade before when a group of British academics asked themselveshow they could create a fair, accessible and effective test of English. Today’s exam, then, is theproduct of 30 years of our investment in development and fundamental research.The fact that IELTS is so well-established means that test administrators and candidates can restassured that IELTS contains a huge and continually refreshed bank of resources, so avoiding unwantedrepetition of materials. Ours is the test that is always innovating but – crucially – it is the test that isalways trusted.AuthenticityIELTS tests authentic skills for success. We recognise the central skill our stakeholders are looking for:the ability to communicate in real-life situations.IELTS has always used face-to-face interaction in the speaking test because it’s by far the mostrealistic option. It generates the most natural performance from the candidate and, not least, thecandidate feels more comfortable speaking to a real person rather than a computer.This attention to authenticity extends to all four parts of the IELTS test: listening, speaking, readingand writing. IELTS tasks reflect real language proficiency for academic use and everyday experiences.IELTS Research Reports Volume 111