First, the thing most GT students get wrong
General Training is not "easier IELTS". Two of the four papers are exactly the same test as Academic, and the two that differ are marked to compensate for their easier texts. A General Training candidate who practises on Academic material and marks it with an Academic table will believe they are half a band to a full band higher than they are.
In Reading, 30 correct answers out of 40 is a band 7 on Academic — but only a band 6 on General Training. You need 34 for a 7. Ten wrong answers is a band 6.
What changes, and what doesn't
| Paper | Academic vs General Training | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Identical. Same recordings, same 40 questions, same band table. | Use the main Listening module |
| Speaking | Identical. Same three parts, same four criteria. | Use the main Speaking module |
| Reading | Different texts and a stricter band table. Three sections instead of three passages: notices and advertisements, then workplace documents, then one long article. | GT Reading module |
| Writing | Task 1 is a letter, not a chart description. Task 2 is an essay with the same rules but more everyday topics. | GT Writing module |
Your modules
GT Reading
Five sessions. Notices and advertisements, workplace documents, and the long Section 3 article. Closes with a full 40-question timed mock marked on the GT scale.
GT Writing
Five sessions. Formal, semi-formal and informal letters for Task 1, then the GT essay. Timed drafting with instant AI feedback tuned for letters.
Listening
The same test for every candidate. Work through the main module exactly as the Academic group does — nothing here is Academic-only.
Speaking
Also identical. Parts 1, 2 and 3, the question banks, the Part 2 practice tool and the solo mock all apply to you unchanged.
The GT Reading band table
Print this or screenshot it. Use it — and only it — whenever you mark a General Training reading practice test. Highlighted rows are where the two tests part company.
| Correct answers / 40 | Academic band | General Training band |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 9 | 9 |
| 37 | 8 | 8 |
| 35 | 8 | 7.5 |
| 34 | 7.5 | 7 |
| 32 | 7 | 6.5 |
| 30 | 7 | 6 |
| 27 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| 23 | 6 | 5 |
These thresholds are the standard published conversion. The exact cut can move by a mark on a given live paper, so treat this as a reliable working scale rather than a guarantee.
Tools you can use right now
How each session runs
- Open the handout before class. Every session is broken into timed 🕒 blocks.
- Do the end-of-class drill. It marks itself and shows you the answers when you're ready.
- Do the homework the same evening, while the session is still fresh, and submit it by email from the button at the bottom of the page.
- Writing tasks mark themselves. Press Get AI Evaluation for indicative bands on all four criteria — then submit by email so your teacher sees it too.