- IELTS has four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, about 2 hours 45 minutes in total.
- Listening and Reading have 40 questions each; Writing has 2 tasks; Speaking has 3 parts.
- Listening and Speaking are the same for Academic and General Training. Reading and Writing are different.
- There is no negative marking, so answer every question.
Before you start preparing, it helps to know exactly what the IELTS exam contains. This guide sets out the full IELTS syllabus and exam pattern: the timing of each section, the number of questions, every question type and the differences between Academic and General Training.
IELTS exam pattern at a glance
| Section | Time | Questions | Academic vs General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 min | 40 questions, 4 parts | Same for both |
| Reading | 60 min | 40 questions, 3 sections | Different texts |
| Writing | 60 min | 2 tasks | Different Task 1 |
| Speaking | 11–14 min | 3 parts | Same for both |
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken in one sitting with no breaks. In most countries this is now on a computer at a test centre (see our guide to IELTS on computer). Speaking is a face-to-face conversation with an examiner.
IELTS Listening syllabus
You hear four recordings, each played once only, and answer 40 questions. A range of English accents is used. On the computer test you answer as you listen and get two minutes at the end to check your answers.
| Part | What you hear |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | A conversation between two people in an everyday situation, such as booking a hotel room. |
| Part 2 | One person speaking about an everyday topic, such as a guide describing a local facility. |
| Part 3 | A conversation between up to four people in a study context, such as students discussing an assignment. |
| Part 4 | One person speaking on an academic subject, such as a university lecture. |
Listening question types
- Multiple choice
- Matching
- Map, plan or diagram labelling
- Form, note, table or flow-chart completion
- Summary completion
- Sentence completion
- Short-answer questions
IELTS Reading syllabus
You have 60 minutes for three sections and 40 questions. There is no extra time to transfer answers, so manage your time carefully: about 20 minutes per section.
- Academic Reading: three long texts taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers, written for a general audience.
- General Training Reading: Section 1 has short everyday texts (such as notices and adverts), Section 2 has work-related texts, and Section 3 has one longer text on a topic of general interest.
Reading 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 or flow-chart completion
- Diagram label completion
- Short-answer questions
Our step-by-step guides cover the hardest types: True, False, Not Given, Matching Headings and Multiple Choice.
IELTS Writing syllabus
You have 60 minutes for two tasks. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1, so spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 on Task 2.
| Task | Academic | General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 (150+ words) | Describe a line graph, bar chart, pie chart, table, map or process | Write a letter in response to a situation (formal, semi-formal or informal) |
| Task 2 (250+ words) | An essay giving your opinion, discussing views, or explaining problems and solutions. See our 100 Task 2 topics and opinion essay guide. | |
IELTS Speaking syllabus
The Speaking test lasts 11–14 minutes, is recorded, and has three parts:
- Part 1 (4–5 minutes): questions about you, your home, work or studies and everyday topics. See 80 Part 1 questions.
- Part 2 (3–4 minutes): a cue card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. See 60 cue card topics.
- Part 3 (4–5 minutes): a discussion of wider ideas linked to Part 2. See 60 Part 3 questions.
Academic vs General Training syllabus
| Academic | General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading texts | 3 long texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers | Short everyday texts, work-related texts and one longer general text |
| Writing Task 1 | Describe a graph, chart, table, map or process (150 words) | Write a letter: formal, semi-formal or informal (150 words) |
| Writing Task 2 | Essay on a general academic topic (250 words) | Essay on a general-interest topic (250 words) |
| Listening and Speaking | Same for both tests | Same for both tests |
How the IELTS exam is marked
- Listening and Reading: one mark per correct answer. Your score out of 40 is converted to a band from 0 to 9.
- Writing and Speaking: examiners give a band using four criteria each, such as task response, vocabulary and grammar.
- Overall: the average of the four bands, rounded to the nearest half band.
The full score charts are in our guide to IELTS band scores.
How to use the syllabus to prepare
- Take a full practice test to see which sections and question types cost you the most marks.
- Learn a clear method for each question type, starting with the ones you get wrong most often.
- Practise each section under real timing, on screen, as in the computer-based test.
- Take a full mock test every week or two, and follow our plan for getting band 7.
Practise every part of the syllabus
Full Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking practice in the real exam format, with instant marking and AI feedback.
- Every Listening and Reading question type
- Academic and General Training Writing tasks
- Speaking Parts 1, 2 and 3 with an AI examiner
