• British Council

Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests

Improve your English and prepare for tests, such as IELTS reading, writing, speaking and listening, with this free online course.

2,565,603 enrolled on this course

Somebody completing an IELTS application form
  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Anyone thinking about taking an English language test, such as IELTS, will find this course particularly useful, but all English language learners will benefit from the tips and advice given in the course.

The course focuses on the IELTS test (International English Language Testing System). IELTS is the world’s most popular English language test for higher education and global migration. IELTS is accepted by over 10,000 organisations worldwide including universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies. Over 3 million IELTS tests were taken globally last year.

This course will take you through each stage of the IELTS test — reading, writing, speaking and listening. At each stage there will be advice from our video tutor and a team of experienced IELTS educators. You will also be asked to share your experiences, tips and opinions with other learners.

By the end of the Understanding IELTS course, you will:

  • be familiar with all parts of the IELTS test
  • have some useful tips to help you achieve your IELTS goals
  • understand how the IELTS test is assessed
  • have an opportunity to have your written and spoken English assessed by other learners

The British Council has over 80 years’ experience in English language teaching and assessment and delivers IELTS tests in more than 100 countries. The course draws on the British Council’s expertise in online learning.

You can find out more about this course in this post for the FutureLearn blog: “IELTS: a global test for a global language.”

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at non-native English speakers at around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR) or above.

Who will you learn with?

I've been involved with English language teaching for over 20 years and now I split my time between online courses, teacher training and various work with UK universities.

Who developed the course?

British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Get a taste of this course

Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

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You can use the hashtag #FLEnglishIELTS to talk about this course on social media.