IELTS: test format, scoring and practice
Four parts. Listening, Reading and Writing happen on the same day with no breaks; the Speaking interview with a real examiner can be on a different day, up to a week before or after.
At a glance
| Versions | IELTS Academic and General Training |
|---|---|
| Length | About 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Scoring | Each part gets a band from 1 to 9 in half bands, and your overall band is their average. Many universities ask for 6.5 or 7. |
| Question types | 12 |
| Sections | Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking |
Listening
30 minutes
Four recordings, 40 questions, each recording played once. Spelling counts.
Reading
60 minutes
Three long texts and 40 questions. There is no extra time to copy answers, so manage the clock.
- Reading True / False / Not GivenYou decide whether statements agree with the passage, contradict it or aren't covered by it.
- Reading Multiple ChoiceYou choose the correct answer to questions about a passage.
- Reading Matching HeadingsYou choose the best heading for each paragraph from a list.
- Reading Sentence and Summary CompletionYou complete sentences or a summary with words from the passage, within a word limit.
Writing
60 minutes
Task 1 (at least 150 words, about 20 minutes) and Task 2, an essay of at least 250 words that counts for twice as much.
Speaking
11 to 14 minutes
A face-to-face conversation in three parts: questions about you, a two-minute talk from a cue card, then a discussion.
- Speaking Part 1The examiner asks short questions about familiar topics such as home, work and hobbies.
- Speaking Part 2 (Cue Card)You get a topic card, one minute to prepare, then speak for up to two minutes.
- Speaking Part 3A discussion with the examiner about more abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic.
If you're just starting
- Spend about 40 minutes on Writing Task 2: it's worth twice as much as Task 1.
- In True, False, Not Given, "Not Given" means the text doesn't say. Don't use your own knowledge.
- In Speaking, give a reason and an example for every answer, not just yes or no.