THE IELTS IN HARD FACTS:
Total time : 2 hours 45 minutes
Parts of the test (in order) : Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
Format : Paper-based or Computer-based
Listening : 30 minutes
Total 4 parts
Total 40 questions
Questions get harder as the test progresses
Questions are in order
A variety of question types are used
Extra time is given to transfer the answers in paper-based exam
Reading : 1 hour
Total 3 authentic texts
Total 40 questions
Total word count of the texts is around 2700 words
Questions are NOT in order
A variety of question types used
NO extra time is given to transfer the answers in paper-based exam
Writing : 1 hour
2 tasks
Tasks are NOT optional, both have to be done
Task 1 – minimum 150 words have to written
20 minutes is advised to be spent on Task 1
Some visual information (graph/table/chart/diagram) has to be summarised
Task 2 – minimum 250 words have to written
40 minutes is advised to be spent on Task 2
An essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem has to be written
Task 2 contributes twice as much to the final Writing band score as Task 1
Speaking : 14 minutes
3 parts
Part 1 : 4-5 minutes – Introduction and general questions
Part 2 : 3-4 minutes – Long turn – A task card is given to the candidate and asks the candidate is expected to talk about a particular topic written on the task card.
Part 3 : 4-5 minutes – Discussion
