IELTS Test Format Explained [2025 updated]

Bhargavee Sisodia

07 May 2024

LISTENING

1. This is the first module of your IELTS exam.
2. There are 40 questions in total.

3. The total time of this module is 40 minutes 

   Paper-based >> 40 = 30 audio + 10 note the answer into the answer sheet Computer-based >> 40 = 30 audio + 2 to review the answers.

4. There are 4 sections of audios
   1. conversation between 2 people = taking information / social talk
   2. conversation between 2 people = giving information / social talk
   3. conversation between more than 2 people = on an educational topic
   4. a lecture by a person of an academic content
5. There are instructions given for every question type, pay attention to them before finalizing your answer.
6. Make sure the audios will not be reversed or paused. You have to go along with the audios
7. You will get a couple of seconds to read the question before the audio.
8. Alert - after 2020 the example section which used to play at the start, is now removed, hence you are expected to be ready to seek the answer to the first given question.

When will you lose the score?

• spelling mistake
• the answer is not according to the instruction
• the answer is not clearly written

READING

1. This is the second section of the IELTS exam.
2. You have 60 minutes to solve the reading section.
3. There are three passages in total and total 40 questions.
4. The three passages which you will face are the academic articles, which are 1700 to 2000 words long.
5. TYPE OF QUESTIONS
   • sentence completion
   • true, false, not given
   • yes, no, not given
   • summary, note, table, flow-chart completion
   • multiple choice
   • short-answer
   • matching sentence endings
   • diagram label completion
   • matching information
   • matching headings

SPEAKING

• The speaking test is for 11 to 14 minutes.
• It is a face-to-face test.
• It is like a normal interview, where you are sharing your perspectives and ideas.
• You will come across 3 sections in your speaking test.
• The entire session is recorded.
• The session begins with a formal greeting

INTRODUCTION :-

(questions based on any general topic will be asked, and multiple topics can be covered) The questions which are asked are about general information regarding you. eg:-

• What are your hobbies?
• Do you work or study?

There is no fixed number of questions. The section takes approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

CUE CARD :-

This is the second type of question that is asked. The total time for this section is 3 minutes = 1 (preparation) + 2 (answer) eg:-

• Talk about a wrong decision that you made?
• What was the decision?
• When did it happen?
• How did that affect you?

The main question is followed by three to four supportive questions. This session contains just one question.

COUNTER QUESTION :-

(questions based on the cue card topic will be asked, and other general topics can also be asked along with those)

• This is the last part of your speaking module.
• There are a certain number of questions (not fixed).
• This section needs a bit of elaborative answers, explanatory ones.
• The section takes 4 to 5 minutes.