This year, IELTS – the International English Language Testing System – will celebrate its 20th birthday. IELTS is rightfully proud of this occasion, confirming IELTS key role in setting the standard of English language ability for further education and immigration.
Since its development in 1989, the international English language test has developed into a worldwide leader, with the number of people sitting the language test rising over one million in 2008. Today, the IELTS test is accepted globally by more than 6,000 institutions.
Kevin McLaven from the British Council said, “Over the last two decades IELTS has become the leading and most widely accepted international English language test in the world. Whether for work or study, millions of ambitious candidates have benefited from the life-changing opportunities that IELTS enables.”
The success of the English language test can be attributed to it being uniquely fit for purpose, covering the four cornerstones of the English language: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Further, the international English language test is the only test that has a face-to-face examination component, the oral test. And ultimately, the main reason for the success of the IETLS exam is that it is not just a certificate, but it allows students to prove they have the necessary language skills needed.
Representative of its global audience, IETLS was in fact developed by an international team of writers. This international flavour is reflected in the content of the test, with materials coming from writers in the UK, North America, New Zealand and Australia. The global nature of the English language is also taken into account in students’ answers, with all standard varieties of English accepted as correct.