1. Test format Total test time:
LISTENING 4 sections, 40 items, 30 minutes
ACADEMIC READING 3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes
GENERAL TRAINING READING 3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes
ACADEMIC WRITING 2 tasks (150 & 250 words), 60 minutes
GENERAL TRAINING WRITING 2 tasks (150 & 250 words), 60 minutes
SPEAKING minutes
Total test time:
2 hours 44 minutes (+ 10 minutes transfer time)

2. Candidate performance
Candidates must do all four parts of the test
IELTS provides:
- A score for each of the four language areas, and
- An overall Band score
IELTS tests the full range of proficiency levels, from non-user to expert user, on a 9 band scale

3. How are IELTS results presented?
9 Band Scale
9 expert user
8 very good user
7 good user
6 competent user
5 modest user
4 limited user
3 extremely limited user
2 intermittent user
1 non-user
How are IELTS results presented?

7. How are Listening and Reading rated?
Objectively marked
Listening and Reading papers contain 40 items
Each item is worth one mark
Each candidate’s Listening or Reading paper is marked and awarded a score out of 40
Each paper has a band score conversion table which converts the raw score to a band score

8. Listening Band score Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35
Band score
Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35
Academic Reading 15
General Training Reading 4 34

9. Speaking Test is with a real person
IELTS has made a commitment to retain the F2F speaking interview though other test providers are using computers. Whilst more costly, it is overwhelmingly favoured by stakeholders who see it as the only way to demonstrate authentic oral communication. All interviews are conducted to a standardised framework so they are consistently delivered, and are recorded for monitoring purposes, or appeals processes etc.
Speaking Test is with a real person

10. How are Writing and Speaking rated?
As these are productive skills, they are marked by language Examiners
Four equally weighted criteria, each one marked according to the nine band scale