# IELTS test format The four IELTS sections with their timing, number of questions and marking, what differs between Academic and General Training, computer vs paper, test day and results, from ielts.org. Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-08. IELTS has four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The whole test takes 2 hours 45 minutes, and the format is the same at a test centre and online. ## IELTS test format at a glance | Section | Time | Questions or tasks | Marking | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Listening | About 30 minutes | 4 parts, 10 questions each, 40 in total | One mark per correct answer; the same paper for Academic and General Training | | Reading | 60 minutes | 3 sections, 40 questions. Academic texts run 2,150-2,750 words; General Training 2,150-2,375 | One mark per correct answer; the 60 minutes include any transfer time | | Writing | 60 minutes | 2 tasks: 150 words minimum in about 20 minutes, then 250 words minimum in about 40 | Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 | | Speaking | 11-14 minutes | 3 parts: 4-5 minutes, 3-4 minutes including 1 minute of preparation, then 4-5 minutes | Marked live by an examiner on four criteria | *Source: ielts.org test format pages* ## Academic vs General Training Which one you take depends on why you're taking it. IELTS says to choose Academic for undergraduate or postgraduate study, or for professional registration such as doctors and nurses, and General Training to migrate to an English-speaking country such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK, or to study or train below degree level. Check which version your university, regulator or visa asks for before you book: Canada's Express Entry, for example, takes General Training only (see [IELTS band requirements for Canada](/ielts/band-requirements/canada)). | Section | Academic | General Training | | --- | --- | --- | | Listening | Same test | Same test | | Reading | 3 texts from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources, for a non-specialist audience (2,150-2,750 words) | Section 1 everyday texts, Section 2 work texts, Section 3 one longer text of general interest (2,150-2,375 words) | | Writing Task 1 | Describe visual information (graph, table, chart or diagram), at least 150 words | A letter (personal, semi-formal or formal) covering three bullet points, at least 150 words | | Writing Task 2 | An essay of at least 250 words | An essay of at least 250 words | | Speaking | Same test | Same test | *Source: ielts.org Academic and General Training format pages* General Training Reading needs more correct answers for the same band; see the [band score chart](/ielts/band-score-chart). ## Computer, paper and Writing on Paper IELTS stopped offering paper-based tests from mid-2026, with the exact date varying by country, so IELTS is now taken on computer, at a test centre or, with IELTS Online, at home. In selected countries, Writing on Paper is an option for the computer test: the Writing tasks appear on screen and you handwrite your answers, with the same tasks, timing and marking. It isn't available for IELTS for UKVI. In Nepal the last paper test was on 27 June 2026; what changed there is in [paper-based IELTS is ending](/blog/ielts-paper-test-ending). On computer there is no extra time to transfer answers in Listening; you get 2 minutes at the end to review them. ## Order of the test and the Speaking day Listening, Reading and Writing are taken in one sitting, with no breaks between them. On computer, Speaking is on the same day, before or after the other three. At some centres it can be up to 7 days before or after the test date. ## How each section is marked | Section | Marked on | | --- | --- | | Listening and Reading | One mark per correct answer out of 40, converted to a band score. | | Writing | Task achievement or task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. | | Speaking | Fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. | *Source: ielts.org, IELTS scoring in detail* How marks become bands, and how the overall band is rounded, is on the [IELTS band score chart](/ielts/band-score-chart). Listening question types: [Multiple choice](/ielts/question-types/listening-multiple-choice), [Matching](/ielts/question-types/listening-matching), [Plan, map or diagram labelling](/ielts/question-types/map-labelling), [Form, note, table or flow-chart completion](/ielts/question-types/form-note-table-completion), [Sentence completion](/ielts/question-types/listening-sentence-completion), [Short-answer questions](/ielts/question-types/listening-short-answer). Reading question types: [Multiple choice](/ielts/question-types/reading-multiple-choice), [True / False / Not given](/ielts/question-types/true-false-not-given), [Yes / No / Not given](/ielts/question-types/yes-no-not-given), [Matching information](/ielts/question-types/matching-information), [Matching headings](/ielts/question-types/matching-headings), [Matching features](/ielts/question-types/matching-features), [Matching sentence endings](/ielts/question-types/matching-sentence-endings), [Sentence completion](/ielts/question-types/reading-sentence-completion), [Summary, note, table or flow-chart completion](/ielts/question-types/summary-completion), [Diagram label completion](/ielts/question-types/diagram-label-completion), [Short-answer questions](/ielts/question-types/reading-short-answer). ## Results and One Skill Retake Results for IELTS on computer and IELTS for UKVI come in 1 to 5 days, and IELTS Online in 6 to 8 days. After a full test on computer you can retake one section (One Skill Retake) once, within 60 days, where your centre offers it; its result comes in 3 to 5 days. Which visas accept a retake, and when it is worth it, is in [IELTS One Skill Retake](/blog/ielts-one-skill-retake). ## What to bring on test day - The same passport or national identity card you booked with, for both the written tests and Speaking. If you take the test outside your own country, you must use a passport. - Only your ID and a clear, label-free bottle of water go into the test room. Phones, other electronics and watches are switched off and left outside; on computer, a timer on screen shows the time left. - On computer, the centre gives you pens and paper for notes. What the test costs and how to book depends on the country: see [IELTS fees by country](/ielts/fees). For the scores visas ask for, see [IELTS band requirements by country](/ielts/band-requirements). ## Practise each section Practise with [IELTS Reading tests](/ielts/reading), [IELTS Listening tests](/ielts/listening), [Writing topics](/ielts/writing/topics) and [Speaking topics](/ielts/speaking/topics), or go by [question type](/ielts/question-types). ## Questions ### How long is the IELTS test? 2 hours 45 minutes in total. Listening takes about 30 minutes, Reading 60 and Writing 60, with no breaks between them, and Speaking takes 11 to 14 minutes. ### How many questions are in IELTS Reading? 40, in 3 sections, in 60 minutes. Each correct answer is worth one mark, and the total out of 40 converts to a band. ### Is the computer test the same as paper? The content and marking are the same. The one timing difference is Listening: on computer there is no extra time to transfer answers, and you get 2 minutes at the end to check them. Paper tests ended from mid-2026, with the date varying by country; some countries offer Writing on Paper for the Writing section of the computer test. ### Are Academic and General Training different? Listening and Speaking are the same. Reading uses different texts, and Writing Task 1 differs: Academic describes visual information, General Training is a letter. Writing Task 2 is an essay in both. ### Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training? Take the one your university, regulator or visa names. IELTS points degree study and professional registration to Academic, and migration and below-degree study or training to General Training. Canada's Express Entry accepts General Training only. **Sources** - [IELTS: IELTS Academic test](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test) - [IELTS: IELTS General Training test](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-general-training-test) - [IELTS: Academic Listening test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test/ielts-academic-format-listening) - [IELTS: Academic Reading test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test/ielts-academic-format-reading) - [IELTS: Academic Writing test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test/ielts-academic-format-writing) - [IELTS: Academic Speaking test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test/ielts-academic-format-speaking) - [IELTS: General Training Reading test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-general-training-test/ielts-general-training-format-reading) - [IELTS: General Training Writing test format](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-general-training-test/ielts-general-training-format-writing) - [IELTS: IELTS scoring in detail](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/your-results/ielts-scoring-in-detail) - [IELTS: updates to test delivery](https://ielts.org/news-and-insights/updates-to-ielts-test-delivery) - [IELTS: Writing on Paper](https://ielts.org/organisations/ielts-for-organisations/test-types/ways-to-take-ielts/updates-to-ielts-writing-test-delivery-mode) - [IDP IELTS: How computer-delivered IELTS works](https://ielts.idp.com/prepare/article-how-computer-delivered-ielts-works) - [IDP IELTS: IELTS FAQ (Speaking day, pens and paper)](https://ielts.idp.com/kazakhstan/faq/ielts-faq) - [IELTS: getting and sharing your results](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/your-results/getting-and-sharing-your-results) - [IELTS: One Skill Retake](https://www.ielts.org/take-a-test/booking-your-test/one-skill-retake) - [IDP IELTS: terms and conditions (ID and test-room rules)](https://ielts.idp.com/book/Candidate/Registration/TermsConditions)