According to the IELTS test pattern, there are two types to train for IELTS: Academic Training and General Training. All assessors take an equivalent Listening test and Speaking test but different Reading test and Writing test. Make sure you manage yourself correctly against the correct test type.
The 3 tests i.e Listening, Reading test and Writing test of all IELTS are completed in a single day or same day; there are no breaks available in between them.
However, the IELTS Speaking test can be completed a week before or after the other tests of ILETS. We must tell you that the total time for test is 2hours and 45 minutes.
IELTS official practice test
If you want to check your level of practice then you can take the practice test. You can take many IELTS official practice tests. These test will give you an indication of your band score and will also provide feedback on areas in which you required to improve so that you can perform better in actual .
IELTS Test Pattern – Listening TEST
Total Time- 30 minutes
You have to listen to 4 recordings of a native English speaker and then write the answers to a series of questions asked.
- 1st recording is about a conversation between two people, in an everyday social context.
- 2nd recording talks about a monologue set in a daily social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.
- 3rd recording is about a conversation between four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor along with a student discussing an assignment.
- 4th recording is about a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.
Assessors will examine your ability to understand the main ideas and detailed factual information, the opinions and attitudes of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and evidence of your ability to follow the development of ideas.
IELTS listening test description
| Paper format | There are four parts having ten questions each. All the questions in the test are designed in such a way so that the answers appear in the order in which they are heard in the audio.
In the paper, the first 2 parts deal with the situations set in everyday social contexts. In Part 1st, a Conversation between two speakers is there (for example, a conversation about travel arrangements), and In Part 2, there is a monologue. The final two parts deal with situations set in educational and training contexts. In part 3, there is a conversation between two speakers (for example, two university students discussing, and guided by a tutor), and Part 4, there is a monologue on an academic discussion. The recording can listen only once. They include various accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian. |
| Timing | Approximately 30 minutes (additional 10 minutes transfer time). |
| No. of questions | 40 |
| Paper format | There are four parts having ten questions each. In the listening test, the questions are designed in such a way so that the answers appear in the order in which they are heard in the audio.
You will see that the first two parts deal with the situations set in everyday contexts. In Part 1st, conversations is there between the two speakers (for example, a conversation about travel arrangements), and In Part 2, there is a monologue. The final two parts deal with situations set with educational and training contexts. Part 3, there is a conversation between two speakers (for example, two university students discussing, and guided by a tutor), and Part 4, there is a monologue on an academic discussion. The recording can listen only once. They include various accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian. |
| Task types | There is variety of question used, chosen from the following: multiple choice questions, matching questions, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion. |
| Answering | Students write their answers on the question paper as they listen and at the end of the test are given 10 minutes to write their answers in an answer sheet. Care should be taken while writing answers on an answer sheet as spelling and grammar mistakes are penalised. |
| Marks | Each question is worth 1 mark only. |
IELTS Listening test in detail
Have a detailed look at the paper
Task type 1 – Multiple choice
| Task type and format | In multiple choice questions, one question will have 3 possible options. Test takers are advised to choose the one correct option.
In some cases there will be longer list of possible answer and test taker has to choose more than one option. In this case, test taker should read the question carefully to check how many answers are required to be given. |
| Task focus | Multiple choice questions are used to test a wide range of skills of an individual. The test taker is required to have a deep understanding of specific points or should have an overall understanding of the main points of the listened text. |
| No. of questions | Variable |
Task type 2 – Matching
| Task type and the format | In this section, All the Students are required to match a numbered list of items from the listening text to a set of options given on the question paper. The set of options may work as criteria of some kind |
| Task focus | Matching checks the skill of listening for details and check whether a test taker can understand information given in a conversation on an everyday topic, such as the different types of hotel or guest house accommodation. |
| No. of questions | Variable |
Task type 3 – Plan, map, and diagram labelling
| Task type and format | All the test taker are required to complete the all labels on a plan (example of a building), map (an example a part of a city) or diagram (e.g. of a piece of an equipment). The answers selected from a list on the question paper. |
| Task focus | This task check the ability to understand, for example, a description of a place, and to relate this to a visual representation. |
| No. of questions | Variable |
Task type 4 – Form, note, table, flow-chart & summary completion
| Task type and the format | All the test takers are required to fill in the gaps in an outline part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main concept or ideas of the text. Student may have to select his or her answers from a list available on given question paper or identify the missing words from the recording, keeping to the word limit as per the instructions. Do not change the words from the recording in any form. Students are advised to read the instructions very carefully as the number of words they should use to fill the gaps could vary |
| Task focus | This focuses on the points in which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation. |
| No. of questions | Variable |
Task type 5 – Sentence completion
| Task type and format | Students are required to read a set of sentences summarising key information from all the listening text or from one part of it. They will then fill a gap in each sentence using information from the listened text. A word limit is given.
Test takers are penalised for writing more than word limit. |
| Task focus | Sentence completion focuses on the ability to identify the key information in a listened text. Students have to understand functional relationships such as cause and effect. |
| No. of questions | Variable |
Task type 6 – Short-answer questions
| Task type and format | Students are required to read a question and then write a short answer using information from the listened text. |
| Task focus | Sentence completion mainly focuses on the ability to listen for concrete facts, such as places, prices or times, within the listened text. |
| No. of questions | Variable |