IELTS

Until 1980, the standardized test for international students was the English Proficiency Test Battery (EPTB). The EPTB was focused only on reading and listening skills and not on writing and speaking, which was a drawback.

During the 1970s, researchers sought to overcome the weakness of English testing with standardized assessments under communicative learning and English for specific purposes theories. This resulted in the English Language Testing Service (ELTS) replacing EPTB by 1980. Lack of international input became a concern in the development of ELTS.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) was developed during the 1980s and administrated firstly for students in 1989, with the partnership of the British Council, IDP Education, and Cambridge Assessment English. By 1995, around 200 test centers and about 40,000 students took the IELTS exam every year.

After 1995, IELTS was substantially revised. Initial changes were with the elimination of field pacific writing and reading module and kater with administrative and structural. By 2001, IELTS continued with efforts to improve its pattern. The speaking section was changed to a smaller number of tasks, and some more pacific scoring criteria.

The first computerized IELTS was offered in 2005 over the paper test. The IELTS Life Skills Test is a new version administrated in 2015. Now, in over 140 countries students are taking IELTS making it the world’s most popular standardized assessment.