IELTS tests four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The whole test takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day, one after another with no breaks. Speaking is a separate face-to-face interview, on the same day or within about a week before or after.
There are two versions:
- IELTS Academic: for university study and professional registration (for example doctors and nurses).
- IELTS General Training: for work, secondary education and migration (for example to Canada, Australia or New Zealand).
Listening and Speaking are the same in both versions. Reading and Writing are different.
IELTS exam pattern at a glance#
| Section | Time | Questions | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | 40 | Listen to 4 recordings and answer questions |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 40 | Read 3 sections of texts and answer questions |
| Writing | 60 minutes | 2 tasks | Task 1 (150+ words) and Task 2 essay (250+ words) |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | 3 parts | Face-to-face interview with an examiner |
IELTS Listening syllabus#
The Listening test has 4 parts with 10 questions each (40 in total). Each recording is played only once, and you hear a range of accents, including British, Australian, North American and others.
| Part | Context | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Everyday social situation | A conversation between two people (for example booking a hotel) |
| Part 2 | Everyday social situation | A monologue (for example a talk about local facilities) |
| Part 3 | Education or training | A conversation between up to four people (for example students and a tutor) |
| Part 4 | Academic subject | A lecture or talk by one speaker |
Question types: multiple choice, matching, plan, map and diagram labelling, form, note, table, flow-chart and summary completion, sentence completion and short-answer questions.
Timing: in the paper-based test you get 10 extra minutes at the end to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. In the computer-delivered test you type answers as you listen and get 2 minutes to check them at the end.
Practise with free IELTS Listening practice tests with answers.
IELTS Reading syllabus#
Reading has 3 sections and 40 questions in 60 minutes. There is no extra time to transfer answers in the paper test, so write them on the answer sheet as you go.
| Academic Reading | General Training Reading | |
|---|---|---|
| Texts | 3 long texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers | Shorter everyday texts, then longer ones |
| Section 1 | One long academic passage | 2–3 short factual texts (notices, adverts, timetables) |
| Section 2 | One long academic passage | 2 texts about work (job descriptions, contracts, training) |
| Section 3 | One long, more complex passage | One longer text on a topic of general interest |
| Difficulty | Higher: more complex arguments | Easier texts, so you need more correct answers for the same band |
Question types: multiple choice, True / False / Not Given, Yes / No / Not Given, matching headings, matching information, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary, note, table and flow-chart completion, diagram label completion and short-answer questions.
Note: Because General Training texts are easier, the band conversion is stricter. For example, a band 6.0 needs about 23 correct answers in Academic Reading but about 30 in General Training. See the full band score charts.
IELTS Writing syllabus#
Writing takes 60 minutes for 2 tasks. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1, so spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2.
| Academic Writing | General Training Writing | |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Describe a graph, table, chart, diagram, map or process (150+ words) | Write a letter: formal, semi-formal or informal (150+ words) |
| Task 2 | Essay giving an opinion, discussing views or a problem (250+ words) | Essay on a topic of general interest (250+ words) |
Writing is marked on four criteria, each worth 25%:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2)
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource (vocabulary). What it means
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy. What it means
Warning: Writing fewer than 150 or 250 words costs you marks. Check your length with the free IELTS word counter.
Learn more: Writing Task 2 topics and essay types and how to write the General Training letter.
IELTS Speaking syllabus#
Speaking is a 11–14 minute conversation with a certified examiner. It is recorded.
| Part | Time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Introduction and interview | 4–5 minutes | Questions about familiar topics: your home, work or studies, hobbies, daily routine |
| Part 2: Long turn | 3–4 minutes | You get a cue card, 1 minute to prepare, then speak for up to 2 minutes |
| Part 3: Discussion | 4–5 minutes | Deeper, more abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic |
Speaking is marked on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
Practise every common topic with sample answers: IELTS Speaking topics 2026, and try the free cue card generator with a real timer.
Academic vs General Training: which one should you take?#
| Your goal | Take |
|---|---|
| University degree (undergraduate or postgraduate) | Academic |
| Professional registration (medicine, nursing and others) | Academic |
| Work experience or training programmes | General Training |
| Secondary school | General Training |
| Migration (for example to Canada, Australia or New Zealand) | Usually General Training |
Important: Always check which version and which score your university, employer or immigration authority asks for before you book.
Scoring#
Each skill gets a band from 0 to 9, and the overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. Read IELTS band scores explained or use the band score calculator.
Computer-delivered vs paper-based IELTS#
The content, timing and difficulty are the same. The differences:
- Computer: you type your Writing (with an automatic word count) and results usually arrive within a few days.
- Paper: you write by hand, get 10 minutes to transfer Listening answers, and results take about two weeks.
- Speaking is face-to-face with an examiner in both formats.
Frequently Asked Questions#
How many sections are there in the IELTS exam?#
There are four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Together they take about 2 hours 45 minutes.
What is the difference between IELTS Academic and General Training?#
Listening and Speaking are the same. Academic Reading uses longer, more complex texts and Academic Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a chart or diagram. General Training Reading uses everyday and work texts, and General Training Writing Task 1 is a letter.
How many questions are there in IELTS Listening and Reading?#
Both have 40 questions. Listening has 4 parts of 10 questions each, and Reading has 3 sections.
How long is the IELTS Speaking test?#
The Speaking test lasts 11 to 14 minutes and has three parts: an interview, a 2-minute long turn with a cue card, and a discussion.
Is there negative marking in IELTS?#
No. Wrong answers in Listening and Reading do not lose marks, so always answer every question.
Is the IELTS syllabus the same in every country?#
Yes. The format, timing and question types are the same worldwide. Only the test dates, fees and available formats (computer or paper) vary by test centre.