IELTS LIFE SKILLS

What is IELTS Life Skills ?

People who need to prove they can speak and listen in English in order to get a UK visa must take the IELTS Life Skills exam. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) offers access to it at levels A1 and B1.

For certain visa categories and other immigration purposes, it is designed to satisfy UKVI requirements.

You will need to take the IELTS Life Skills A1 exam if you are applying for a "family of a settled person" visa. The IELTS Life Skills B1 exam is required if you're applying for a "indefinite leave to remain or citizenship" visa.

"There is no limit to how many times you can take the IELTS Life Skills test; however, if you pass it, you will be unable to retake it at the same level for two years"

IELTS can be used for a variety of reasons, including:

The IELTS Life Skills test has a specific format.
The IELTS Life Skills test is designed to meet certain immigration standards that simply require applicants to demonstrate their ability to speak and listen. You'll be judged on how well you communicate in common situations in an English-speaking country, including subjects such as:

  Personal experiences
  Friends and family
  Buying good
  Education, work or training
  Weather, leisure or trave
  Transport, housing, health, and more

The test is intended to assess your listening and speaking abilities, as well as your ability to react in a clear and proper manner. Use this table to better understand the test's focus.
The test is designed to evaluate your listening and speaking skills, wherein you can respond in a clear and correct way. Use this table to understand the test focus in a better way.

S. No. A1 B1


Test focus

listen and respond to spoken language, including simple narratives, statements, questions and single-step instructions basic information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics talk with another person in a familiar situation about familiar topics
listen and respond to spoken language, including straightforward information and narratives, and follow straightforward explanations and instructions.

communicate information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, using appropriate formality.

talk with one or more people in a familiar situation, making relevant points and responding to what others say to reach a shared understanding about familiar topics.


Tasks

Tasks may include:
Describing
Giving opinions
Giving personal information
Stating preferences
Commenting
Asking for information or descriptions
Agreeing and disagreeing
Explaining, giving reasons or justifying
Deciding
Suggesting
Selecting
In addition to the A1 tasks shown on the left, the B1 tasks may include:

Comparing

Showing contrast, cause, reason or purpose

Prioritising

Planing

Persuading

Narrating

Asking about past or future events

Expressing future certainty or possibility
S. No. Test type Test duration
1 IELTS Life Skills CEFR Level A1 16–18 minutes
2 IELTS Life Skills CEFR Level B1 22 minutes