IELTS Life Skills A1

Who is this test for?
This test is for people who plan to apply to UK Visas and Immigration for a ‘family of a settled person’ visa. What does this mean? If your husband\wife or future husband\wife is a citizen of the United Kingdom, you need to pass this test to apply to a visa.
What is the format of the IELTS Life Skills A1 test?
IELTS Life Skills A1 takes 16–18 minutes.
You take the test with another test taker and one examiner.
IELTS Life Skills A1 includes Speaking and Listening.
The test starts with a short introduction. An examiner will ask you and then the other candidate several questions such as:
-What is your name?
-Could you spell your name?
-What shall I call you?
-Where are you from?
-Could I have your marksheets (you will be given one before the test during the registration) and identification (your ID or passport)?
There are 4 phases in the test:
Phase 1a (4-5 minutes): you will be asked several (usually 3-4) questions about yourself on topics such as work\study, home, friends, hobbies etc. These topics are similar to topics from part 1 of the IELTS test.
Phase 1b (5 minutes): First, you will be asked to make some questions for the other test taker about something like his or her favourite film\music\weather etc. You will have 1 and a half minutes to prepare your questions (you will have paper and pencil). After that you will ask the other test taker your questions.
Instructions (taken from free test samples):
‘Now I'd like you to ask each other some questions. Angelina, I'd like you to ask Lora about her neighbours. Lora, I'd like you to ask Angelina about her favourite time of year. Now think about the questions you want to ask. You have one and a half minutes. You can write down your questions if you want to. If you don’t understand, please ask me. [Withdraw eye contact to signal start of preparation. Allow 1½ minutes for preparation.]
Angelina, are you ready? Please ask Lora your questions. [Allow up to 2 minutes.] Thank you. Lora, are you ready? Please ask Angelina your questions. [Allow up to 2 minutes.] Thank you.
Phase 2a (4 minutes): In this part of the test, you listen to two recordings and answer some questions. An examiner asks you a question, gives you booklets with pictures and you listen to 2 recordings. After that an examiner repeats a question.
Instructions: You hear two people talking about their plans for the weekend. [Hand each candidate the booklet open at the correct page.] Where do they want to go at the weekend? To a town, to the mountains, or to the park? Listen to the information. [Play CD.] Angelina, in the first recording, where does the woman want to go at the weekend? To a town, to the mountains, or to the park? Thank you. Lora, in the second recording, where does the man want to go at the weekend? To a town, to the mountains, or to the park? Thank you. [Take back booklets.]
Then an examiner asks you 2 more questions. And then you listen to the recordings again and an examiner will ask you these 2 questions again, making pauses between the questions for you to answer. Give short answers without unnecessary information.
Instructions: Now listen again, and answer these questions. Lora, in the first recording, who can the woman see in Littlegate? [short pause] And how much is a return ticket? Angelina, in the second recording, how many hours does it take to climb the mountain? [short pause] And what is the man worried about?
Phase 2b (3-4 minutes): An examiner gives you a topic and you have to discuss it with the other test taker. If an examiner sees that you stopped talking, they will ask you some questions related to the topic.
Instructions: Now you’re going to talk together about places you like to go to at the weekend. Talk to each other about places that you like to go to, and what you like to do there. [Repeat if necessary. Withdraw eye contact to signal start of activity.)
How is IELTS Life Skills assessed?
Assessment criteria:
obtaining information
conveying information
speaking to communicate
engaging in discussion
The performance of the other test taker paired with you in the IELTS Life Skills test will not affect the assessment of your own performance.
How soon can I get my IELTS Life Skills results?
Test results are normally available within seven days of your test.