What is IELTS?

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English proficiency test for people looking to work, study or live in English speaking countries. It is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, European, Irish and New Zealand academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and by various professional organisations across the world.

I’ve heard that there are 2 types of IELTS examinations… Is that correct?

Absolutely! There are 2 types of IELTS tests – Academic and General Training – and you need to choose the right one based on what your purpose to move abroad is.

  • IELTS Academic The IELTS Academic, as is clear by its name, is suited to those who wish to study in an English-speaking environment, especially those who want to pursue a graduate degree of higher.
  • IELTS General Training The IELTS General Training test is suitable for those applying to study below a graduate degree. It can also be taken for work experience or other employment training. The IELTS General Training is also required for migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Why should I prepare for the IELTS at CILA?

That’s a good question! Here are 5 reasons why:

  • We are endorsed by IDP IELTS. CILA has had a long-standing relationship with IDP IELTS; we are an official referral agent and have been an official IELTS examination preparation and registration centre for IDP since 2013. This means we are caught up with any changes or updates in the system and receive all the latest training and practice materials from the source itself!
  • Our trainers are highly-qualified. We employ only the best because we want to give you the best. All our teachers have a certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Trinity College London or a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) from the University of Cambridge, both highly regarded and internationally recognised certifications. You can get to know them better here.
  • Because of our unique approach to training. At CILA we do not believe in simply preparing you for the IELTS, but facilitating the development of your communication skills to face the real English-speaking world as well, be it at university, work or in your personal or social life. We aim to inculcate skills that stay with you for a lifetime.
  • Because we take care of everything from A to Z. From the moment you enrol at CILA, you do not have to worry about anything except getting here on time for your sessions everyday. From all the resources you need – IELTS approved coursebooks, practice worksheets, notebooks and even stationery – all the way to assistance booking your test and going abroad after you’ve achieved your desired scores, we cover it all.
  • We are certified partners of Cambridge University Press. For the past 5 years, CILA has been one of the largest consumers of authentic training materials from the Cambridge University Press in the country. We provide you only the best, be it the Empower series for general English improvement or our IELTS and OET training materials.

If I do the IELTS preparation course at CILA, which modules will I be covering?

The IELTS, as any other language proficiency examination tests 4 skills in a candidate – reading, listening, speaking and writing. While the Listening, Reading and Writing sections of all IELTS tests are completed on the same day, the Speaking section, can be completed up to a week before or after the other tests. At CILA we will be covering all 4 modules, along with one extra module – Objective IELTS.

Module Time Taken + Raw Score Description
Reading Academic Total Time = 60 min
Raw Score = 40
The test consists of 3 long descriptive, factual, discursive or analytical texts taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. Candidates are expected to read and answer 40 questions in total based on these texts. These 40 questions are a mix of different types of questions including multiple choice, identifying information, identifying the writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion and short-answer questions. You can find out more about the IELTS Academic Reading Test here.
General Training Total Time = 60 min
Raw Score = 40
The test consists of 3 sections and 40 questions in total. These 40 questions are a mix of different types of questions including multiple choice, identifying information, identifying writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions. The 3 sections are as follows:  Section 1 – This section contains 2-3 short texts pertaining to social survival in an English-speaking country and generally includes texts like notices, timetables, advertisements, etc.  Section 2 – This section comprises 2 texts pertaining to workplace survival in an English-speaking country and generally includes texts like job descriptions, contracts and staff development and training materials  Section 3 – This section consists of 1 long text for general reading usually from newspapers, magazines and fictional and non-fictional book extracts.
Listening Listening time = 30 min approx.
Writing/Transfer time = 10 min
Total = 40 min approx.
Raw Score = 40
This is the same for both Academic and General Training IELTS. The test consists of 4 audios and 10 adjoining questions for each audio, bringing it to a total of 40 questions. These questions are a mix of multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion
The audios are presented to candidates in the following manner:
  • Audio 1 – a conversation in an everyday social context
  • Audio 2 – a monologue in an everyday social context
  • Audio 3 – a conversation in an academic, educational or training context
  • Audio 4 – a monologue in an academic, educational or training context
You can find out more about the IELTS Listening Test here.
Speaking Part 1 = 4 to 5 min
Part 2 = 3 to 4 min (including 1 min to prepare)
Part 3 = 4 to 5 min
Total = 11 to 14 min
Raw Score (NA)
(Students are simply marked on a band-9 scale on 4 different criteria – Fluency and Coherence, Grammar, Vocabulary and Pronunciation)
This is the same for both Academic and General Training IELTS. The test consists of 3 parts:
  • Part 1 (The Introduction and Interview) – This is the simplest part of the test. Candidates are asked general questions about themselves and other familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests.
  • Part 2 (The Long Turn) – Candidates are then given a cue card with a topic and certain pointers they can use to talk about the same. They are given 1 minute to prepare and then can speak about the same for up to 2 minutes. They will then be asked 1-2 questions about the same.
  • Part 3 (The Discussion) – The topic in Part 2 is now discussed in more detail with the examiner, as the candidate is asked questions aimed at encouraging them to explore abstract ideas and issues pertaining to the same.
You can find out more about the IELTS Speaking Test here.
Writing Academic Task 1 = 20 min
Task 2 = 40 min
Total = 60 min
Raw Score (NA)
Students are simply marked on a band-9 scale on 4 different criteria for each task)
There are 2 parts to the Writing Test of the IELTS, which are as follows:
  • Task 1: In this task candidates are expected to describe visual information in their own words. This visual information can be presented in the form of process diagrams, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, tables, maps and combinations of these. Their descriptive text must be at least 150 words in length.
  • Task 2: Candidates are expected to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. They will be instructed whether the essay should provide general factual information about the topic, outline and/or present a solution, justify an opinion or evaluate evidence and ideas. The essay is required to be at least 250 words in length.
You can find out more about the IELTS Academic Writing Test here.
General Training Task 1 = 20 min
Task 2 = 40 min
Total = 60 min
Raw Score (NA)
(Students are simply marked on a band-9 scale on 4 different criteria for each task)
There are 2 parts to the Writing Test of the IELTS, which are as follows:
  • Task 1: In this task candidates are expected to write a formal, semi-formal or personal letter based on a situation and provided pointers for the same. The letter must be at least 150 words in length.
  • Task 2: Candidates are expected to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. They will be instructed whether the essay should provide general factual information about the topic, outline and/or present a solution, justify an opinion or evaluate evidence and ideas. The essay is required to be at least 250 words in length.
You can find out more about the IELTS General Training Writing Test here.

How is the IELTS course structured at CILA?

The IELTS Preparation course at CILA is an 8-week course. However, if you wish to do a crash course focusing only on specific modules, this is possible as well. You can also attend extra exam practice batches if you feel you need more practice before the exam! The complete IELTS course at CILA is structured as follows; please note, they will not necessarily run in the same order; however, for each student taking up the complete course, all 5 modules will be covered in no particular order before they begin the exam batch.

Course Duration:
8 weeks
Modules or skills covered Description of the course
4 weeks Mindset for IELTS Level 2 & 3 covering Listening Skills, Reading Skills, Speaking Skills and Writing Skills in detail. The Mindset for IELTS classes focus on introducing listening, reading, writing and speaking skills in depth which they can use when practising these skills over the next 3 weeks. Students also work on basic grammar topics like the Parts of Speech, Tenses, the Voice, Determiners, Types of Sentences, etc. It also focuses on honing a student’s general vocabulary and pronunciation skills in preparation for the other modules. This is attended by both Academic and General Training IELTS students. Students will also practice several practice tests during these weeks. At the end of this course students will be acquainted with all the skills pertaining to IELTS exams along with ample practice and correction feedback.
1 week (For General Students) Intensive 1 week Writing Task 1(General) and Writing Task 2 Classes (Common) General Training: Task 1 - Students learn how to write personal, semi-personal and formal letters in this module, while covering all the criteria students are scored on for the General Training Writing Task 1 of the IELTS.

Task 2: This module aims guiding students to write essays that can provide general factual information about the topic, outline and/or present a solution, justify an opinion or evaluate evidence and ideas, while covering all the criteria students are scored on for the Academic and General Training Writing Task 2 of the IELTS. As the Writing Task 2 for both Academic and General Training IELTS is the same, this is attended by both Academic and General Training IELTS students. Students will practice essays during this week.
1 week (For Academic Students) Intensive 1 week Writing Task 1(Academic) and Writing Task 2 Classes (Common) Academic Task 1 – Students learn how to interpret and describe one or two different types of charts or diagrams every day, namely process diagrams, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, tables, maps and combinations of these, while covering all the criteria students are scored on for the Academic Writing Task 1 of the IELTS. They will also practise Writing Task exercises in this week.

Writing Task 2 - This module aims guiding students to write essays that can provide general factual information about the topic, outline and/or present a solution, justify an opinion or evaluate evidence and ideas, while covering all the criteria students are scored on for the Academic and General Training Writing Task 2 of the IELTS. As the Writing Task 2 for both Academic and General Training IELTS is the similar, this is attended by both Academic and General Training IELTS students. Students will practice a number of essays during this week.
3 weeks Exam Batch – Practicing all modules with individual correction for Writing and Speaking skills Exam Batch Students practice all four modules every day to get students accustomed to performing all the 4 skill-based tasks in a single day. They also receive personal feedback based on their performance in the Writing and Speaking modules. Should they choose to, they can also do extra Reading and Listening Practice tests between 3:30 and 5 pm.
All Saturdays Mock Exam Practice Every Saturday, we hold mock exam practice sessions which allow students who wish to attend these a chance to experience exactly how the IELTS test environment is. Attendance for this is optional however recommended for those whose exams are around the corner.
Everyday from 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm Extra Listening and Reading Tests Students can choose to practice either a Listening test or a Reading Test every day, irrespective of the fact that they are attending other classes. This means, they can practice one Listening task or a Reading task everyday while attending classes for the other skills, thereby honing the listening and reading skills simultaneously with regular practice. This can be done between 3:30 and 5 pm, not during class hours.

How much would I have to pay?

Course Type Description Fee
Complete Course The complete 8-week course covering all modules and 3 weeks of exam practice. 16,000 INR including textbooks, notebooks, practice materials, stationery etc.
Crash Course 6-week course covering 2 weeks of Mindset Level 2, 1 week writing Task 1 & 2 and 3 weeks of exam practice. 14,000 INR including textbooks, notebooks, practice materials, stationery etc.
Complete Course (Online) The complete 8-week course covering all modules and 3 weeks of exam practice, generally conducted via Zoom in the evening. 15,000 INR including textbooks, notebooks, practice materials, stationery etc.
Customised 1 or more modules of your choice and/or exam practice weeks. 2500 INR per week
Extra Exam Practice Extra exam practice beyond the initial 3 weeks for previously enrolled students who completed the 8-week course. An additional 1500 INR per week
I would like to apply… where do I turn in my application? – Right here!

If you’d like to turn in your application physically you can visit us

INKEL Tower 1, Near TELK, Angamaly South, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India, 683573

Apply for the IELTS here

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Do you have any further questions? Here are some FAQs!

About the IELTS

Your performance on the IELTS is scores on a 9-band scale, with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest. A candidate is scored on each module and the four individual scores are then averaged to produce an overall band score. The descriptions of the band scores are as follows:

The score that you need to secure in the IELTS depends on the university or organisation you wish to study/work at. Every institution that necessitates you to take the IELTS has its own requirements and as such we recommend you look into this before you begin your IELTS journey. You can find more information about this here: How IELTS is Scored and here: Entry Requirements for Organisations that accept IELTS.

You can do this at CILA. CILA will take care of the entire procedure for you! All you have to do is pay the exam fee and provide us a copy of your passport and we will book your exam to your preferred date and venue.

The IELTS can be taken by anyone who wishes to, even if you do not wish to go abroad and simply want to assess your English language proficiency; however, it is not recommended for those below the age of 16.

Now this is a tricky question! But we have an answer – prior to joining the IELTS course at CILA, you will be required to take a short assessment to check your proficiency in the English language. Based on your results, we will choose to place you directly in the IELTS course or in our English Language Empowerment program which will help you polish your English to the level required by the IELTS.

Right here on their official website. And if you’d like to check out a few sample tests for each module, you can find them here: IELTS Sample Tests.

About the IELTS at CILA

Classes at generally held from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Students are given a short break between 11:00 and 11:30 and a lunch break from 1 pm to 2 pm. However, the break timings are flexible and may be adjusted by 5-10 minutes by the teacher’s and students’ discretion.

CILA is easily accessible by any mode of public transport:
  • Cabs can easily be booked via Ola and Uber to drop you to the location; it is easy to find on the map and generally well known in the area in case you have trouble navigating.
  • There is also a bus stand right outside the main gate of INKEL Business Park and a rickshaw stand right opposite. Once you get to the main gate, a we run a bus service in the morning and the evening that you can peruse to get to the institution.
  • If you fancy a walk from the main gate, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the institute. As long as the scorching Kerala heat isn’t boring down your neck, it is a quiet and serene walk cutting through lush greenery, allowing you to experience a slice of God’s own Country every morning.

Yes, CILA has a bus service that will pick you up from the main gate of INKEL Business Park and drop you to the entrance of the building. We run multiple bus rounds depending on how many students require the service during fixed timings in the morning and the evening. We understand it is a long walk and do not want any of our students to suffer in the sun! You can catch our bus here. The timings for the bus are as follows:
Morning Between 9:00 to 9:25
Evening Between 3:15 to 5:30

Currently we provide offline classes for the IELTS. CILA also provides IELTS online evening classes from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm.

Yes! You can choose to attend training for only 1, 2, 3 or all 4 modules at CILA. You can also choose only to attend the exam batch, should you wish too. You can also attend the exam batch for as many weeks as you like! Details regarding this can be found here: Course Structure and here: Fee Structure.

No, there is nothing you need to do, apart from show up to class! However, it is recommended that you look through the official IELTS website and do a little reading before you come to class so that you have an idea of what you are getting into. You can look up some things here: Read up on the IELTS!

Yes, we can! We have our very own sister company at Vostek Global which provides consultancy services to guide you through your IELTS journey right from the moment you step into CILA till the day you settle in your dream country! Vostek Global will help you with Counselling, Admission, Scholarships, Education Loan, Visa, Travel, Accommodation and Post Landing Services. Find out more about Vostek Global here.

Course Date

Every Monday

CILA is the right place for IELTS aspirants for getting high scores. The institution is supported by eminent faculties who are fully dedicated to make the students attain their desirable scores. Continuous practice sessions shoot up the confidence level of the students in a tremendous rate. Thanking the whole CILA crew for your valuable and limitless support and motivation.

Jesvin Joseph

Great coaching for IELTS. Intensive writing classes for Task 1 and 2 for 2 weeks were very helpful. Reading and Speaking classes 1 week each also were really good. Well planned course and efficient and friendly staff. Amazing facilities. I am glad that I made the right choice to join CILA for IELTS training.

Evelyn Maria Martin

Many people suggested me different institutions for IELTS training. I visited most of them in Angamaly, and Aluva. But the best one in terms of providing quality teaching, modern classrooms and state-of-the -art facilities in CILA Angamaly. I wonder why some people write negative comments on such a highly successful training centre that has excellent passing rate for IELTS. Before you make a choice visit CILA and other institutions and then decide. Decision is yours...!

Mary Mathew

I have got excellent coaching for IELTS in Cochin International Language Academy. All facilities are of high standard. Language improvement programmes are really outstanding. Students are given individual attention and training. I got band 7 in each module.

Juliya Varghese

I failed in my initial attempts but CILA helped me identify my problems in writing and speaking. With proper guidance I scored individual 7 and now I’m in Australia doing my adaptation in nursing bridging program. Thanks to CILA and the excellent staff there.

Limiya Moideen

It was such a great experience studying at CILA. CILA has a good atmosphere and infrastructure. I think it is the best IELTS coaching centre in Angamaly. It's sure that you can improve your language with CILA. I must say that they have highly qualified and talented teachers. Ms. Priya is one among them. I mentioned only her name because I haven't met any teachers who take this much effort for their students. I strongly recommend CILA for those who are interested in improving English and studying IELTS. Thank you CILA💕

Arun Varghese

Initially, I was on the fence to decide which institute to choose to prepare for IELTS. Then, my cousin told me to go for CILA which is near to my house. I did some research online and found that CILA is the only institute in India which is associated with Trinity College of London for its cert Tesol course. The trainers are experienced and help us a lot in improving our abilities to speak, write, read and listen. I would suggest all the students and everyone who are planning to migrate to a foreign country to come to CILA. The institute also got pick and drop facility from main gate.

Krishna Kumar T.K

Thankyou CILA for the unconditional support throughout my journey. I received a perfectly structured theory classes, study materials and daily practice tests for IELTS so that I made it to a band of 7.5 at the very first time. I'm so glad to recommend CILA for all the beginners who wish to accomplish the dream of abroad education. A special thanks to all my excellent mentors who dedicated their valuable time for not only identifying my weaknesses but also for providing strategies to overcome the same. Thanking entire CILA team for the motivation and it was great to be a part of the CILA family....

Megha Maria Mathew

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