Improve your English and prepare for assessment of your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, with this free online course.

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

About the course

Understanding IELTS is a free online  course. It focuses on the IELTS exam  - the 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 9,000 organisations worldwide including universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies. Over 2.2 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.

What you’ll learn:

  • become 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 instructor, Chris Cavey, shares:

We are hoping that you can build your confidence over the six weeks of the course and that by the end, you feel ready to give the best account of your skills in English.

About the instructor:

Chris Cavey is an Open Learning Manager at the British Council. He is the lead developer and lead educator on the Exploring English: Language and Culture MOOC course with FutureLearn. He has been developing products for learners and teachers of English, including at the British Council, for the last seven years.

Starting date: 11 July 2016

Duration: 6 weeks

Language: English

Institution: British Council

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