IELTS Test Format

It’s a big advantage to know and understand the IELTS Test format, before taking the test. The English test is based on 4 language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Different Task types in IELTS

• Identifying information

• Identifying writer’s opinions
• Matching information
• Matching headings
• Matching sentence endings
• Sentence completion
• Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion
• Diagram label completion
• Short-answer questions
   

IELTS test Listening part

Approx. 30 min

The IELTS Listening test is intended to assess a wide range of listening skills, and how well you understand and process specific factual information, recognise opinions, attitudes and purpose develop an argument.

You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers. These include:

• A conversation between 2 people and a monologue with everyday social context. 
• A monologue set in an everyday social context
• A conversation between up to four people talking in an educational context 
• A monologue on an academic subject.

You will answer 10 questions for each recording (40 questions in total). There are several types of questions: including multiple choice, matching, diagram labeling, sentence completion, and short answer. Each correct answer receives one mark. IELTS Scores out of 40 questions are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.

IELTS test Reading part

Duration 60 min

The sources and literature material differ between the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The IELTS Academic test material is taken from books, journals, newspapers etc. You don’t need any specific knowledge on the selected topic. The test is made for people entering university courses or seeking professional registration and is written in a variety of styles, for example narrative, descriptive or argumentative.

The IELTS General Training test differs by including materials more likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English-speaking environment.  Such as extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. The reading part is divided into 3 sections. 

• A Social Survival section with tasks mainly about retrieving and providing general information
• A Workplace survival section with focus on workplace context like job descriptions, contracts and staff development.
• A General reading section that involves reading a more complex structure such as newspapers and fictional & non-fictional book extracts.

Each question is worth 1 mark.

IELTS test Writing part

Duration 60 min

Both test versions (IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training) will include two Writing tasks. In task 1 you will be asked to describe, summarise or explain the represented graph, table, chart or diagram in your own words (150 words). For General Training you may be asked to write a letter or complaint. You may be asked to describe and explain the shown data, describe the stages of a process or describe an object. In task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in response to an argument or problem, supported by evidence and examples from the test takers’ own experience. Responses to task 2 must be at least 250 words in length. Both tasks must be written in a formal style.

Task 2 is worth twice as much in marks as task 1. 

IELTS test speaking part

Approx. 15 min

The Speaking test consists of a conversation between you and an examiner. All Speaking tests are recorded. The speaking test consists of 3 parts. The first part includes general questions that the examiner will ask you about for example yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as your home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.

In the second part you will be asked to talk about a particular topic. You will be given one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions related to the topic.

The third part is more of a discussion between you and the examiner. You will be asked further questions about the specific topic in Part 2 and get the opportunity to express and discuss more ideas and issues on the topic for four and five minutes.

Your speaking will be marked on your ability to talk in a normal speech rate and keep af fluent conversation. It is also marked by the variety of words used and the accurate use of your grammatical resource.