Four skills in 2 hours 45 minutes: the IELTS test, part by part

Many candidates who lose marks in IELTS do not lack English. They practise "reading" and "listening" in general, then meet Not Given statements, word limits and matching headings they have never rehearsed. This page maps the whole test, so you know exactly what each skill asks before you spend an hour preparing.

How is the IELTS test structured?

IELTS tests four skills, with a total test time of 2 hours 45 minutes. Academic and General Training share the same Listening and Speaking tests. They differ in Reading and Writing.

On computer, you take Listening, Reading and Writing in one sitting. Speaking may be on the same day or on another day your test centre arranges. If you are still deciding between versions, read IELTS Academic or General Training first.

What happens in Listening?

You hear four recordings, with 10 questions on each. The recording plays once only. Speakers use a range of accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American, and the answers come in the order you hear them.

The parts move from everyday life to academic study. Parts 2 and 4 have a single speaker, so practise following one voice for several minutes and noting its main points.

How do Academic and General Training Reading differ?

Both versions have three sections and 40 questions in 60 minutes. The texts are different.

• Academic Reading has three long texts, 2,150 to 2,750 words in total, from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online sources. They are written for a non-specialist reader, and at least one contains a detailed argument.
• General Training Reading has 2,150 to 2,375 words in total, rising in difficulty. Section 1 has short everyday texts such as notices and timetables. Section 2 has two work-related texts. Section 3 has one longer text of general interest.

Listening and Reading share most question types. The number of each type varies from test to test, so practise them all.

Two rules cost candidates the most marks. First, every completion task gives a word limit, such as "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER", and an answer over the limit is marked wrong. Second, Not Given is a real answer. Choose it when the text says nothing either way, not when you simply cannot find the information.

True / False / Not Given tests facts in the text. Yes / No / Not Given tests the writer's views. Before you answer, check which of the two the question is asking about.

What do the two Writing tasks ask?

Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, so it carries two-thirds of your Writing score. If you tend to run out of time, do Task 2 first. Write in full sentences throughout, because notes and bullet points are penalised.

What happens in the Speaking test?

Speaking is a face-to-face conversation with a trained examiner, and it is recorded.

Short answers give the examiner little to assess. In Part 1, answer, add a detail and give a reason. In Part 3, the questions move away from your own life to broader, more abstract ideas, so give a view and support it.

How is each skill marked?

Listening and Reading each have 40 questions worth one mark each. Your raw mark converts to a band. Writing and Speaking are marked by certificated examiners against four equally weighted criteria.

IELTS publishes approximate raw scores for each band. Exact figures vary by test version.

General Training Reading needs more correct answers for the same band because its texts are easier. Use the table to turn a practice score into a band and set a raw-score target. Band 7.0 in Academic Reading needs about 30 out of 40, so aim higher in practice. How the four bands combine into one overall band is covered in what band you really need.

What to do with this map

Take one full official practice test under timed conditions. Record your band for each skill, then list the question types where you lost most marks. A profile such as L 7.5 R 7.0 W 6.0 S 7.0 tells you where the next hours belong. Size those hours with how long to prepare for IELTS.

If your material shows paper answer sheets, the content is still useful, but practise on screen: see what changed in 2026. Every format detail here was checked against the official IELTS website in October 2026.

Chapter 5 of the book holds this map with worked examples, and Appendix G gives 15 practice questions across all four skills with explained answers. Know the map first, then measure where you stand on it.