14/7/2019 IELTS test format

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Test format
The IELTS test assesses your abilities in listening, reading,
writing and speaking – in less than three hours.
There are two types of IELTS: Academic and General Training. Listening and Speaking
are the same for both tests, but the subject matter of the Reading and Writing sections
differs depending on which test you take.

The Listening, Reading and Writing sections of all IELTS tests are completed on the same
day, with no breaks in between them.

The Speaking section, however, can be completed up to a week before or after the other
tests. Your test centre will advise.

The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

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Test format – Listening

30 minutes

You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to
a series of questions.

Recording 1 – a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.

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Recording 2 - a monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.

Recording 3 – 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.

Recording 4 - a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of 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 description

Paper format

There are four sections with ten questions each. The questions are designed so that the
answers appear in the order they are heard in the audio.

The first two sections deal with situations set in everyday social contexts. In Section 1,
there is a conversation between two speakers (for example, a conversation about travel
arrangements), and in Section 2, there is a monologue in (for example, a speech about
local facilities). The final two sections deal with situations set in educational and training
contexts. In Section 3, there is a conversation between two main speakers (for example,
two university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor), and in Section 4, there
is a monologue on an academic subject.

The recordings are heard only once. They include a range of accents, including British,
Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian.

Timing

Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer time).

No. of questions

40

Task types

A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching,
plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion.

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Answering

Test takers write their answers on the question paper as they listen and at the end of the test are
given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an answer sheet. Care should be taken when writing
answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.

Marks

Each question is worth 1 mark.

IELTS Listening in detail

A detailed look at the paper with links to related resources.

Task type 1 – Multiple choice

Task type and format

In multiple choice tasks, there is a question followed by three possible answers, or the
beginning of a sentence followed by three possible ways to complete the sentence. Test
takers are required to choose the one correct answer - A, B or C.

Sometimes, test takers are given a longer list of possible answers and told that they
have to choose more than one. In this case, they should read the question carefully to
check how many answers are required.

Task focus

Multiple choice questions are used to test a wide range of skills. The test taker may be required to
have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the
listening text.

No. of questions

Variable

Task type 2 – Matching

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Task type and format

Test takers are required to match a numbered list of items from the listening text to a set of options
on the question paper. The set of options may be criteria of some kind.

Task focus

Matching assesses the skill of listening for detail and 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. It also assesses the ability to follow a conversation between two
people. It may also be used to assess test takers’ ability to recognise relationships and connections
between facts in the listening text.

No. of questions

Variable

Task type 3 – Plan, map, diagram labelling

Task type and format

Test takers are required to complete labels on a plan (eg of a building), map (eg of part of a town) or
diagram (e.g. of a piece of equipment). The answers are usually selected from a list on the question
paper.

Task focus

This type of task assesses the ability to understand, for example, a description of a place, and to
relate this to a visual representation. This may include being able to follow language expressing
spatial relationships and directions (e.g. straight on/through the far door).

No. of questions

Variable

Task type 4 – Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary

completion

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Task type and format

Test takers are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening
text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text. It may be:
1. a form: often used to record factual details such as names
2. a set of notes: used to summarise any type of information using the layout to show
how different items relate to one another
3. a table: used as a way of summarising information which relates to clear categories –
e.g. place/time/price,
4. a flow-chart: used to summarise a process which has clear stages, with the direction
of the process shown by arrows.

Test takers may have to select their answers from a list on the question paper or identify
the missing words from the recording, keeping to the word limit stated in the instructions.
Test takers do not have to change the words from the recording in any way.

Test takers should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or
numbers they should use to fill the gaps will vary. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. Test takers are penalised for writing
more than the stated number of words, and test takers should check this word limit
carefully for each task. Contracted words will not be tested. Hyphenated words count as
single words.

Task focus

This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

No. of questions

Variable

Task type 5 – Sentence completion

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Task type and format

Test takers are required to read a set of sentences summarising key information from all
the listening text or from one part of it. They then fill a gap in each sentence using
information from the listening text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN
ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER’.

Test takers are penalised for writing more than the stated number of words. (Test takers
should check this word limit carefully for each task: the limit is either ONE, TWO or
THREE words). Contracted words will not be tested. Hyphenated words count as single
words.

Task focus

Sentence completion focuses on the ability to identify the key information in a listening text. Test
takers have to understand functional relationships such as cause and effect.

No. of questions

Variable

Task type 6 – Short-answer questions

Task type and format

Test takers are required to read a question and then write a short answer using information from the
listening text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A
NUMBER’. Test takers are penalised for writing more than the stated number of words. (Test takers
should check this word limit carefully for each task.) Contracted words will not be tested.
Hyphenated words count as single words. Sometimes test takers are given a question which asks
them to list two or three points.

Task focus

Sentence completion focuses on the ability to listen for concrete facts, such as places, prices or
times, within the listening text.

No. of questions

Variable

IELTS Listening – how it's marked

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The Listening test is marked by certificated markers, who are regularly monitored to
ensure their reliability. All answer sheets, after being marked, are further analysed by
Cambridge Assessment English.

Band score conversion

A Band Score conversion table is produced for each version of the Listening test which
translates scores out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole
bands and half bands.

One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40-item test. Care should be taken
when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.

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