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Understand the Writing test

Write clearly, organise your ideas and use a varied vocabulary.

Purpose of the test

The IELTS Writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills, including how well
you

• write a response appropriately

• organise ideas
• use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately
This is the case for whichever version of the IELTS test you are taking.

Timing
The IELTS Writing test takes 60 minutes. Spend 20 minutes on Task 1, and 40 minutes on Task
2.

You will need to manage your own time, so make sure you move on to Task 2 after 20 minutes.

Two tasks
There are two tasks in the IELTS Writing test. You will be asked to write at least 150 words for
Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2.

IELTS General Training Writing test

The topics used in the IELTS General Training Writing test are of general interest.

In Task 1 you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information
or explaining the situation. You can write the letter in a personal, semi-formal or formal style.

In Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or
problem. You can use a fairly personal style.

Marking
Your Writing test will be marked by a certificated IELTS examiner.

Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the IELTS Writing test.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Writing test advice

Follow this Writing test advice, and make sure you know how to manage your time.

Write your answers in pen or pencil. You may write entirely in capital letters if you wish.

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 You may make notes on the question paper, but nothing you write on the question paper will be
marked.

Make the most of your Writing test:

• analyze each task properly and spend some time making notes

• highlight or underline key words in the tasks to make sure that you focus on what you have to do

• plan your answers

• use paragraphs clearly; put one idea in each paragraph

• do not repeat ideas using different words

• do not copy whole sentences from the question – you will receive no marks for this

• keep to the topic; do not write about unrelated subjects

• manage your time; remember, Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1

• spend approximately 20 minutes on Task 1 and approximately 40 minutes on Task 2

• pay attention to the number of words required for each task; you will lose marks if you do not
write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2

• learn to recognize how long 150 and 250 words look in your handwriting; you will not have time
to count during the test

• you must write your answers in full; answers written in note form or in bullet points will lose
marks

• pay attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation; you will lose marks for mistakes

• avoid informal language

• do not memorize model answers; examiners are trained to recognize them and your test will be
invalid

• spend several minutes re-reading and correcting your answers

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 Understand the Listening test
You will be listening to a pre-recorded CD-ROM, and the passages that you hear will increase in
difficulty as you go through the test.

Purpose of the test

The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a wide range of listening skills, including how
well you

• understand main ideas and specific factual information

• recognise the opinions, attitudes and purpose of a speaker
• follow the development of an argument

Timing
The IELTS Listening test takes approximately 30 minutes, and you are allowed an extra 10
minutes to transfer your answers from your question booklet to your answer sheet.

Four sections
The IELTS Listening test is broken down into four sections:

Section Description

1 You listen to a conversation between two people set in an everyday

social situation, e.g. a conversation in an accommodation agency, and
answer questions on your comprehension.

2 You listen to a monologue set in an everyday social situation, e.g. a

speech about local facilities or a talk about the arrangements for meals
during a conference.

3 You listen to a conversation between up to four people set in an

educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student
discussing an assignment, or a group of students planning a research
project.

4 You listen to a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university

lecture.

You will begin by listening to a recording of instructions and a sample question for section 1.
Then you will read the questions for section 1, listen to section 1, and answer the questions.

This procedure is repeated for sections 2, 3 and 4.

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 In the final 10 minutes, you will transfer your answers onto the answer sheet.
Each section is heard once only.

Questions
There are 40 questions.

A variety of question types is used, and you may be asked to

• answer multiple choice questions

• label a plan, map or diagram
• fill in a form
• complete a table
• complete a flow-chart
• give short answers

Marking
Each correct answer receives one mark.

Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half
bands.

Listening test advice

Follow this Listening test advice, and make sure you understand how to respond to
'completion' type questions.

You will be given time to read through the questions before you listen. You will hear each
recording of the Listening test only once.

As you listen, write your answers on the question paper. At the end of the test, you will have 10
minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet in pencil. You may write your answers in
lower case or capital letters.
It is essential that you transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Nothing you write on the
question paper will be marked.

Make the most of your Listening test:

• if you cannot hear the audio clearly, let a member of staff know straightaway

• follow the instructions carefully; they may be different to practice or previous tests

• listen for the specific information you want

• try and anticipate what the speaker will say; this will require concentration

• do not worry if there is a word you do not understand; you may not need to use it

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• if you do not know the answer to a question, attempt it but do not waste time; move quickly onto
the next one

• be careful with your spelling and grammar

• do not panic if you think the topic is too difficult or the speaker is too fast; relax and tune in

• read, write and listen at the same time

• focus precisely on what you are asked to do in completion type questions

• pay attention to the word limit; for example, if you are asked to complete a sentence using no
more than two words, if the correct answer is ‘leather coat’, the answer ‘coat made of leather’
would be incorrect

• if the question asks you to complete the note ‘in the…’ and the correct answer is ‘morning’, note
that ‘in the morning’ would be incorrect; the correct answer is 'morning'

• attempt all questions; there are no penalties for incorrect answers

• check your answers

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 Understand the Reading test
You will need to read quickly and efficiently, and manage your time

You will be asked to read three different passages and respond to related questions in your
IELTS Reading test.

Purpose of the test

The IELTS Reading test is designed to assess a wide range of reading skills, including how well
you

• read for the general sense of a passage

• read for the main ideas
• read for detail
• understand inferences and implied meaning
• recognize a writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose
• follow the development of an argument
This is the case for whichever version of the IELTS test you are taking.

Timing
The IELTS Reading test takes 60 minutes.

You are not allowed any extra time to transfer your answers, so write them directly on to your
answer sheet.

You will need to manage your time during the test because you will not be told when to start or
finish each section.

Three sections
You will be given three different passages to read, each with accompanying questions. You can
expect to read 2,150 - 2,750 words in total during your test.

IELTS General Training Reading test

There are three sections to the IELTS General Training Reading test.

The texts used in each section are taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks,
official documents, books, magazines and newspapers.

Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be made up of 6 - 8 short
texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements. The topics are relevant to everyday life in an
English-speaking country.

Section 2 contains two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues, e.g. applying for a job,
company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training.
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 Section 3 contains one longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest.

Questions
There are 40 questions.

A variety of question types is used. You may be asked to

• fill gaps in a passage of written text or in a table

• match headings to written text to diagrams or charts
• complete sentences
• give short answers to open questions
• answer multiple choice questions
Sometimes you will need to give one word as your answer, sometimes a short phrase, and
sometimes simply a letter, number or symbol.

Make sure you read the instructions carefully.

Marking
Each correct answer receives one mark.

Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half
bands.

Reading test advice

Follow this Reading test advice, and make sure you understand how to respond to
‘completion’ type questions.

It is essential that you write your answers on the answer sheet. Nothing you write on the question
paper will be marked.
You may write your answers on the question paper and transfer them to the answer sheet before
the end of the test if you like. However, it is important to note that you will not be given extra
time to do this.

You must write your answers in pencil.

Make the most of your Reading test:

• look out for the title, headings and any special features such as capital letters, underlining, italics,
figures, graphs and tables
• make sure that you understand the questions and follow instructions carefully
• pay attention to timing; do not spend too long on one passage or question
• do not try and read every word; remember, you are reading for a purpose

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• if you do not know the answer to a question, attempt it but do not waste time; move quickly onto
the next one
• do not panic if you do not know anything about the subject of the text; all the answers can be
found in the text
• the word(s) you use must be taken from the Reading text; you must not change the form of the
word(s) in the text
• do not worry if there is a word that you do not understand – you may not need to use it
• check your spelling
• be careful to use singular and plural correctly
• focus precisely on what you are asked to do in ‘completion’ type questions
• if the question asks you to complete the note ‘in the…’ and the correct answer is ‘evening’, just
use ‘evening’ as your answer; note that ‘in the evening’ would be incorrect
• pay attention to the word limit; for example, if you are asked to complete a sentence using no
more than two words, if the correct answer is ‘silk shirt’, the answer ‘shirt made of silk’ would
be incorrect
• attempt all questions; there are no penalties for incorrect answers, so you have nothing to lose
• check your answers

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 Understand the Speaking test
The Speaking test is as close to a real-life situation as an exam can get.

You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS Speaking test. The test is interactive and as
close to a real-life situation as a test can get. A variety of accents may be used, and the test will
be recorded.

Purpose of the test

The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills.

The examiner will want to see how well you can

• communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences; to do this
you will need to answer a range of questions
• speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
• organise your ideas coherently
• express and justify your opinions
• analyse, discuss and speculate about issues
Make sure that you relax and talk fluently. You will need to speak naturally.

Timing
The IELTS Speaking test takes 11-14 minutes.

Three sections
The Speaking test is made up of three sections:

Section Duration Information

Part 1 4-5 The examiner will introduce him or herself and ask you to
Introduction minutes introduce yourself and confirm your identity. The examiner
and will ask you general questions on familiar topics, e.g. home,
interview family, work, studies and interests. This section should help
you relax and talk naturally.

Part 2 3-4 The examiner will give you a task card which asks you to
Individual minutes talk about a particular topic, including points to include in
long turn your talk. You will be given one minute to prepare and make
notes. You will then be asked to talk for 1-2 minutes on the
topic. You will not be interrupted during this time, so it is
important to keep talking. The examiner will then ask you

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 Section Duration Information

one or two questions on the same topic.

Part 3 Two- 4-5 The examiner will ask you further questions which are
way minutes connected to the topic of Part 2. These questions are
discussion designed to give you an opportunity to discuss more abstract
issues and ideas.

Marking
You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiners.

You will be marked on the four criteria of the IELTS Speaking Test Band Descriptors:

• fluency and coherence

• lexical resource
• grammatical range and accuracy
• pronunciation
Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Speaking test advice

Follow this Speaking test advice and try to talk fluently.

The Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation with a certified examiner. It is as close to a real-
life situation as a test can get.

The examiner will ask you about familiar topics such as home, work or studies in part 1. This
should help you feel comfortable when speaking. Try and relax so that you can speak as
naturally as possible.

Take time before the test to practise speaking with a partner, friend or teacher.

Make the most of your Speaking test:

• try to talk as much as you can

• talk as fluently as possible and be spontaneous
• relax, be confident and enjoy using your English
• develop your answers
• speak more than the examiner
• ask for clarification if necessary
• do not learn prepared answers; the examiner is trained to spot this and will change the question

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• express your opinions; you will be assessed on your ability to communicate
• the examiner’s questions tend to be fairly predictable; practice at home and record yourself

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IELTS test day advice
Prepare for your test day; success starts with IELTS

You will find the IELTS test centre staff friendly, welcoming and highly professional. They will
make sure that the test is delivered fairly and securely. Follow their instructions carefully.

The week before your test

Check the start time and location of your IELTS test the week before, and make sure you know
how to get there on time.

Remember, the address of your IELTS test location may be different to that of the test centre
where you booked your test.

Take the time to read full details of the ‘IELTS test terms and conditions’ for important
information about your IELTS test day.

Your IELTS test day

You need to arrive in good time for your IELTS test. If you arrive late, you may not be allowed
to take the test.

Switch off your mobile phone and any other electronic devices. You will be asked to place these
with other personal belongings outside the test room.

The Listening, Reading and Writing tests take 2 hours 40 minutes and there are no breaks
between each part of the test.

Make sure you are prepared and have something to eat and drink beforehand. You will not be
allowed to take food into the test room; you will only be allowed to take a drink in a transparent
bottle.

Your identity and photographs

The IELTS test location staff will check your identity when you arrive.

Make sure you have the right ID with you. If you arrive with the wrong ID, you will not be
allowed to take the test.

You may also need two recent identical passport-sized photographs.

Test Day Photography

Some test locations will now also take a photograph of you on the test day – this photograph
taken by the test centre will appear on your Test Report Form to provide increased identity
security. Your test centre will let you know if it is going to do this.
Check the details that you were given when you booked the test to make sure you take the right
ID and photographs with you.

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During the IELTS test
You will only be allowed to have a pen or pencil, an eraser and your ID on your desk.

If you need to go to the bathroom during the test, put your hand up to attract the attention of the
invigilator. Do not disturb other candidates.

If you have any questions during the test, raise your hand to ask for help.

When you take the Listening test, check that you can hear the test properly. Raise your hand
straightaway and let the invigilator know if you cannot hear the recording.

Please remember that you will have 10 minutes after the Listening section to fill in your answer
sheet. You will not have 10 minutes after the Reading section, so please make sure that you write
your answers on your Reading answer sheet as you complete each section.

At the end of the test

Stay in your seat until the invigilator gives you permission to leave the room.

If you think that there have been any issues that may have affected your performance, tell the
invigilator straightaway.

If you want to make a complaint about your test day, you need to do this within one week of the
test date.

Your invigilator will have a Test Day Incident Form. Please fill this in if you want to raise an
issue or make a complaint.

Special arrangements
If you have asked for special arrangements as a result of a disability or other condition,
adjustments will be made for you on the test day.
Test day tips

Understand the task

Follow instructions carefully during the test. Remember that the Writing parts of the test have
specific word length requirements.

Allow enough time for each question

Some questions have suggested time limits for you to follow. Every test room will have a clock
on the wall. Stay aware of the time during the test so that you can complete all the questions.

Stay calm enough to do your best

If you feel worried, take deep breaths to calm down. Focus on the questions and do not rush your
answers. This will help you to do your best.

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