IELTS Exam Pattern

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an exam conducted by IDP. It assesses how proficient an individual is in the English language. There are two IELTS exam patterns: General and Academic. Students can retake either the complete test or one module alone(only applicable for computer based test).

The IELTS exam consists of four sections: Listening (30 minutes, 40 questions) tests the understanding of primary ideas and opinions; Reading (60 minutes, 40 questions) evaluates comprehensive skills of said ideas, details, as well as logic-heavy arguments; Writing (60 minutes, 2 tasks) assesses your ability to present ideas clearly in an organised fashion; and Speaking (11-14 minutes, face-to-face interview) tests how fluent you are, your vocabulary, and discussion skills. Each section is scored on a scale of 0 to 9, with the overall score being the average of all the scores secured across the four sections.

Over 150 countries accept IELTS scores, so it’s important to check the test requirements of your chosen institution or country before preparing.

IELTS Exam Pattern 2024

The duration of this exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes, with four sections. The IELTS exam pattern is summed up in the table below:

This exam is designed for both Academic and General Training purposes, with slight variations in the reading and writing sections based on the test type.

IELTS Test Format

Here’s an overview of what format you can expect and what you need to prepare while appearing for an IELTS exam.

IELTS Reading

1. The IELTS reading test has 40 questions divided into 3 parts. Each section has a single text and a set of questions. Each section should take about 20 minutes to complete.
2. The testing format is different for Academic and General Training.
3. Three passages with 13-14 questions each are designed to check your ability to grasp the main idea, understand the gist, and put forth a logical argument in the passage.
4. Question types may be multiple-choice, sentence completion, summary writing, matching information, or short answers based on the given passages
5. The Academic format comprises three long texts which may be descriptive and factual or discursive and analytical taken from books, journals, magazines, or newspapers and are more academic in context.
6. The General Training format comprises extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, or advertisements, which are more general in the context
7. Band score scales from 0 to 9.

• IELTS Reading Question Types

1. Multiple choice
2. Identifying information
3. Identifying the writer’s views/claims
4. Matching information
5. Matching headings
6. Matching features
7. Matching sentence endings
8. Sentence completion
9. Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion
10. Diagram label completion
11. Short-answer questions

• IELTS Academic Reading

There are 40 questions in the IELTS Academic Reading Section, which are based on three different reading paragraphs. The IELTS Academic Reading section is of 60 minutes and includes questions such as multiple choice, identifying information, matching information, matching headings, matching sentence endings, matching features, sentence completion, summary completion, flow chart, diagram labelling, and so on.

• IELTS General Training Reading

Extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks, and guidelines are included in the IELTS pattern’s General Training Reading paper. In an English-speaking environment, you are likely to come across these things on a daily basis.

There are 3 sections.

1. Section 1 may comprise two or three short texts or several shorter texts.
2. Section 2 comprises two texts.
3. Section 3 comprises one long text.

IELTS Writing

The IELTS Writing test lasts 60 minutes, and you’ll have to complete two writing assignments, each with a different form of text (description, report, discussion, argument, opinion text).The testing format is different for Academic and General Training.

• Tasks in the Academic format

1. Task 1: A graph, table, chart, stages of a process, or a diagram is given and test-takers are required to describe or summarise the information provided to them.
2. Task 2: Test-takers are required to write a formal and academic-style essay expressing their point of view in response to the given argument or problem and support their response with appropriate examples.

• Tasks in the General Training format

1. Task 1: Test-takers are required to write a personal, semi-formal, or formal style letter requesting certain information or explaining a given situation.
2. Task 2: Test-takers are required to write a personal-style essay expressing their opinion of a particular argument or problem and support their response with appropriate examples.

Band Score scales from 0 to 9

• IELTS Writing Question Types

1. Give general factual information about the topic.
2. Describe the root causes of a problem.
3. Explain why a problem exists.
4. Provide solutions to a problem.
5. Consider evidence and ideas.
6. Justify your point of view.
7. Determine whether there are more benefits or drawbacks.

• IELTS Academic Writing

Topics are of general interest to aspirants interested in pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as professional registration.

• IELTS General Training Writing

The topics are interesting to a wide range of people. The situations you’ll be writing about are common and everyday ones.

Listening

The IELTS listening test is the same for both those taking the Academic and General Training papers. The listening test is divided into four sections, last part of which is difficult than rest. To put it another way, part one is the simplest, and part four is the hardest. Each section has a unique theme or emphasis.

• Four tasks with a total of 40 questions designed to test your ability to understand the main ideas and identify information that is required. The four listening items are:

1. a conversation between two individuals in an everyday social context
2. a monologue or a speech
3. a conversation between two or among four people in an academic setting
4. a monologue on an academic subject, in other words, a lecture

Each recording is played only once and test-takers are allowed to take down notes while listening and refer to them while answering the questions

Band score scales from 0 to 9

• IELTS Listening Question Types

1. Multiple choice
2. Matching
3. Plan, map, diagram labelling
4. Form, note, table, flowchart, summary completion
5. Sentence completion
6. Short-answer questions

• IELTS Academic Listening

It assesses your ability to comprehend the main ideas, detailed information, opinions, purpose, and attitudes of the speakers, as well as your ability to track the progression of ideas.

• IELTS General Training Listening

The General Training Listening test will evaluate your ability to understand the speakers’ main ideas, detailed information, opinions, purpose, and attitudes, as well as your ability to follow the development of ideas.

IELTS Speaking

The IELTS Speaking test is a part of the IELTS exam that tests your English speaking skills, specifically how well you can express yourself, talk about things, and make arguments to support your position. The test is usually conducted on a different day, either after or before the Writing, Reading, and Listening exams, which are all conducted on the same day.

The IELTS test format is the same for Academic and General Training.

Three sections for a total duration of 11-14 minutes

The test is recorded for evaluation purposes and will be a face-to-face interview with an examiner who assesses your ability to speak English

• Part 1

1. Examiner asks general questions about the test-taker
2. Proceeds with asking about familiar things like home, family, work, studies, and interests
3. This session lasts for about four to five minutes

• Part 2

1. The test-taker is given a task card with the prompts.
2. Test-taker is given a minute to prepare his speech
3. Test-taker is asked to deliver a two-minute speech on the topic mentioned on the task card

• Part 3

1. Examiner will ask more questions based on the response given by the test-taker in the second part, potentially exploring perspectives on international education and study abroad opportunities.
2. Test-taker gets an opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues
3. Lasts for about four to five minutes

Band scores scale from 0 to 9

• IELTS Speaking Question Types

1. Part 1: Introduction and questions on well-known subjects.
2. Part 2: Individual long turn.
3. Part 3: A two-way conversation.

• IELTS Academic Speaking

The IELTS Academic Speaking test will assess your ability to communicate in English. It is given in person with a trained IELTS examiner, and all Speaking tests are recorded. The Academic Speaking test consists of three parts and lasts between 11 and 15 minutes.

• IELTS General Training Speaking

The IELTS General Training Speaking test will evaluate your ability to communicate in English. All speaking tests are given in front of a certified IELTS examiner and are videotaped in case they need to be reviewed. The General Training Speaking test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes and is divided into three parts.

IELTS Exam Pattern 2024 Subject Wise

Each section of the exam evaluates your language skills, and the IELTS exam syllabus is divided into four parts. Here’s a detailed overview of the four sections of the IELTS exam pattern:

• IELTS Listening

1. Duration: 30 minutes, 40 questions in 4 sections
2. Sections: Everyday conversations, monologues, academic dialogues, and lectures.
3. Question Types: Multiple choice, matching, form completion, diagram labelling, sentence completion, etc.
4. Scoring: Band scale from 0 to 9.

• IELTS Reading

1. Duration: 60 minutes, 40 questions across 3 sections
2. Format: 3 passages with 13-14 questions each. Academic texts are factual, discursive, or analytical, while General Training texts are more general (books, newspapers, advertisements).
3. Question Types: Multiple choice, identifying information, matching information, sentence completion, summary completion, diagram labeling, etc.
4. Scoring: Band scale from 0 to 9.

• IELTS Writing

1. Duration: 60 minutes
2. Tasks: Both the Academic and General section has two tasks. They are:

• Task 1

1. Academic: You’ll have to demonstrate or explain info shown in the form of a graph, table, chart, or diagram and you need to limit your answer to 150 words, focusing on key details and trends. You should not give any opinion.
2. General Training: You’ll be asked to write a personal, semi-formal, or formal letter of a minimum 150 words based on a given situation (like asking for information or explaining something).

• Task 2

1. Academic: You’ll have to write a formal essay within 250 words and give your opinion on a topic. In this section, you can freely express your viewpoints and opinions with examples and relevant reasoning.
2. General Training: You’ll be asked to write a 250-word essay here as well but in a more personal tone. You’ll be free to add your own opinion on a given issue and support it with reasons and examples.
3. Scoring: 0 to 9 bands, based on task response, coherence, lexical resource, and grammar.

IELTS Speaking

1. Duration: 11-14 minutes, 3 parts
2. Parts: The Speaking exam is divided into three parts. The first part involves a general introduction and speaking on familiar topics. The second part involves a one-minute IELTS exam preparation followed by a two-minute speech on a given topic. The third part involves a follow-up discussion on abstract ideas.
3. Scoring: Based on fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

What is the purpose of IELTS?

The main aim of an IELTS assessment is to evaluate one’s proficiency in the English language. This is specifically for those aiming to migrate to English-speaking countries to study, seek employment, or settle there. As a candidate taking this test, your abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English will be examined.

The IELTS exam pattern measures your readiness to use English in multiple contexts (academic, professional, social, etc) in a primarily English-speaking environment.

Here is why the IELTS exam score matters:

1. Higher education: Most universities and colleges in English-speaking countries will ask for your IELTS score for admission to UG and PG programs.
2. Work opportunities: Most companies in English-speaking countries require a decent IELTS score for employment. This score assesses how well the applicant can efficiently communicate in the workplace.
3. Immigration: The UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand governments ask for IELTS scores to process visa applications, especially for skilled migration.
4. Professional registration: Pursuing most professional fields, such as medicine, engineering, and law, will require your IELTS scores for registration or certification.

IELTS Exam Scoring Pattern

The IELTS exam pattern uses a 9-band scale to clearly define a candidate’s English proficiency levels. For each test component – listening, reading, writing, and speaking – a score will be assigned first. After that, the individual ratings will be averaged and rounded off to arrive at an Overall Band Score (OBS).