ACADEMIC TEST FORMAT
Listening
The Listening section is made up of four parts, each containing ten questions. The first two parts focus on everyday social situations. In Part 1, you’ll hear a dialogue between two people, while Part 2 features a single speaker. The remaining two parts relate to academic or training topics. Part 3 is a conversation involving up to four people, and Part 4 is a monologue.
You’ll encounter a wide range of question types, such as:
- Multiple choice
- Matching
- Plan/map/diagram labeling
- Form, note, table, and flowchart completion
- Sentence and summary completion
- Short-answer questions
The recording is played only once. Test takers answer questions as they listen, and then have 10 minutes at the end to transfer their answers to the answer sheet.
Reading
This section has three parts, with a total of 40 questions. The texts come from books, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines, covering a variety of topics. At least one of the readings will include a structured argument.
Question formats include:
- Multiple choice
- Identifying facts (True/False/Not Given)
- Identifying claims or views (Yes/No/Not Given)
- Matching headings
- Matching information, features, and sentence endings
- Sentence, summary, and note completion
- Table and diagram-label completion
- Short-answer questions
Writing
There are two writing tasks in this section. Candidates are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. Task 1 should be a minimum of 150 words, and Task 2 requires at least 250 words. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the scoring.
- Task 1: You’ll be given data in the form of a chart, graph, table, or diagram and asked to summarize it in your own words. You may need to describe trends, compare data, or explain a process, object, or event. Assessment focuses on how well you organize and describe information clearly and logically.
- Task 2: You’ll write an essay expressing your opinion or responding to an issue, argument, or problem. You must present a clear position, support it with reasons and examples, and show your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments and evidence.
Candidates are also assessed on their tone, structure, and style. More details and public assessment criteria can be found on the IELTS website.
Speaking
The Speaking section lasts from 11 to 14 minutes and is conducted face-to-face with an examiner. It includes three parts:
- Part 1: The examiner introduces themselves, and the candidate is asked to talk about familiar topics such as their family, work or studies, hobbies, and personal interests. This part takes around 4–5 minutes.
- Part 2: You’ll receive a task card with a topic and some bullet points. After one minute to prepare, you will speak for 1–2 minutes. The examiner may then ask a couple of follow-up questions.
- Part 3: You and the examiner will discuss more abstract or complex issues related to the Part 2 topic. This conversation also lasts around 4–5 minutes.
Speaking is assessed based on four criteria:
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Pronunciation
Official IELTS resources and public scoring guidelines are available at ielts.org.