IELTS Guide: Format, Band Scores & Strategy
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English test accepted by thousands of universities, employers and immigration authorities around the world. There are two versions: IELTS Academic, for university study, and IELTS General Training, for work, training and migration.
IELTS is moving to computer delivery: in many countries the paper-based test is being phased out during 2026. The Speaking test is always a live conversation with a certified examiner. Always check the options offered by your local test centre.
| Section | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 30 minutes | 4 recordings, 40 questions — the same for Academic and General Training |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 3 texts, 40 questions — Academic: long academic texts; General Training: everyday and workplace texts |
| Writing | 60 minutes | Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2, an essay (at least 250 words) |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | 3 parts: short questions, a 1–2-minute talk, a discussion |
The overall band is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. An average ending in .25 is rounded up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 is rounded up to the next whole band.
| Example | Average | Overall band |
|---|---|---|
| L 6.5 · R 6.5 · W 5.5 · S 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
| L 7.0 · R 6.5 · W 6.0 · S 6.0 | 6.375 | 6.5 |
| L 6.5 · R 7.0 · W 6.0 · S 7.5 | 6.75 | 7.0 |
These are approximate guide figures published by IELTS; the exact conversion can vary slightly from test to test. General Training Reading needs more correct answers for the same band because its texts are easier.
| Band | Listening (out of 40) | Academic Reading (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 16 | 15 |
| 6 | 23 | 23 |
| 7 | 30 | 30 |
| 8 | 35 | 35 |
- Writing: Task Achievement / Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy — four equally weighted criteria. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1.
- Speaking: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation.
- Never leave a Listening or Reading answer blank: there is no penalty for wrong answers.
- Find out the band you need. Many universities ask for an overall 6.0–7.0 with no section below a certain score.
- Take a full practice test to find your weakest section, then spend most of your time on it.
- Write at least two essays a week and compare them with model answers and the band descriptors.
- Speak English every day: record yourself answering Part 2 topics for two minutes and listen back.