The IELTS format, explained in plain English
Four skills, two versions, one long test day plus a separate speaking interview. Here is exactly what IELTS looks like now that it is computer-delivered — every section, its timing, and how the 0–9 bands are worked out. For anyone about to book or sit either Academic or General Training.
What IELTS is — and which version you take
IELTS tests four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and reports each on a band scale from 1 to 9. It now runs computer-delivered: the paper-based test was discontinued in mid-2026, so if your last attempt was on paper, the screen, the on-screen word counter and typing stamina will feel different. Practise on a screen before you rebook.
There are two versions. Academic is for university study and many professional registrations. General Training (GT) is for work, and for immigration to Canada, the UK and Australia. Listening and Speaking are identical across both versions — only Reading and Writing differ. Booking the wrong version is the classic expensive mistake, soconfirm Academic vs GT before you pay.
Section by section
On test day you sit Listening, then Reading, then Writing, back-to-back with no break — about 2 hours 45 minutes at the desk. Speaking is a separate, live one-to-one interview with a real examiner, usually on a different day.
| Section | Length | What's in it | Academic vs GT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | ~30 min · 4 parts · 40 questions | Audio in a range of accents (British, Australian, NZ, North American), played once only. ~2 min at the end to check. | Identical |
| Reading | 60 min · 3 passages · 40 questions | No extra transfer time. Free navigation within the section — jump between questions freely. | Academic: 3 long academic texts. GT: everyday texts → workplace texts → one longer general passage. |
| Writing | 60 min · 2 tasks | Task 1 (~20 min, min 150 words) then Task 2 (~40 min, min 250 words). On-screen word counter. | Task 1 differs (see below). Task 2 essay is the same for both. |
| Speaking | 11–14 min · 3 parts · separate day | Live interview: intro & familiar topics (4–5 min), long-turn cue card (3–4 min), two-way discussion (4–5 min). | Identical |
Official format, verified July 2026 — see ielts.org. Paper IELTS (and its old 10-minute answer-transfer window) was discontinued mid-2026; the numbers above are for the computer-delivered test.
The two Writing tasks in detail
Writing is where the two versions diverge most, and where the marking rules trip people up.
Task 1 — different by version
In Academic, Task 1 gives you a chart, graph, table, map or process diagram and asks you to describe it in your own words (at least 150 words). In GT, Task 1 is aletter — for example, to a landlord, a manager or a friend — in a tone the prompt sets.
Task 2 — the same essay, worth double
Both versions write the same kind of Task 2: an opinion or discussion essay of at least 250 words. Task 2 counts double toward your Writing band, so it deserves the bigger share of your hour — hence the ~40-minute split. Under-length responses in either task are penalised, and the on-screen counter exists so you can check.
How IELTS is scored
Each skill is marked out of 40 raw points, then converted to a band from1 to 9 in half-band steps (6.0, 6.5, 7.0…). Your overall band is the average of the four skills, rounded to the nearest 0.5.
The catch worth knowing: GT Reading is scored on a stricter curve than Academic Reading. Because GT texts are easier, you need more correct answers for the same band. As a rough guide, a band 7 in Reading takes around 34 of 40 on GT but around 23 of 40 on Academic. Listening uses the same conversion for both versions.
What counts as a "good" score depends entirely on why you are taking it. Universities often ask for an overall 6.5–7.0 with no skill below 6.0–6.5. For Canadian immigration, the overall band is not what matters —IRCC reads your four section scores and your lowest one sets your CLB. A strong average never rescues a weak skill. The popular "CLB 9" target, for instance, is 8777 —and listening has to hit 8.0, not 7.5.
What trips people up
- The Listening audio plays once. There is no replay. Miss an answer, note a guess, and move on — do not freeze and lose the next three questions.
- No more transfer time. The old paper test gave 10 minutes to copy answers over. Computer-delivered gives you only about 2 minutes to check at the end of Listening — plan to answer as you go.
- Task 2 is worth double. Nailing Task 1 while rushing Task 2 is backwards. Budget ~20 minutes for Task 1 and protect the ~40 for Task 2.
- Word limits and spelling are rules, not suggestions. Under-length Writing is penalised, and in Listening/Reading an over-limit or misspelled answer scores zero even when the meaning is right — see the answer rules.
- GT Reading runs on a stricter curve. Do not read "GT is easier" as "GT is a free band". The higher raw threshold cancels out the easier texts.
- The overall band can hide a weak skill. For immigration, the lowest skill rules — so train your weakest skill, not your average. Writing is the usual bottleneck.
Practise this format
The surest way to internalise the timing and the once-only audio is to sit it in a replica of the real screens:
- Full timed IELTS mocks — Listening, Reading and Writing back-to-back, in one sitting.
- IELTS Listening practice — 4-part tests with rotating accents, audio played once.
- IELTS Reading practice — timed passages with free in-section navigation.
Related guides:
- Did you book the right test version? — Academic vs GT, before you pay.
- IELTS answer rules — capitals, spelling, word limits and rounding.
- "8777" explained — what CLB 9 really requires for Canada.
- Why is my IELTS writing score lower than expected? — the 6.5 wall, decoded.