IELTS syllabus: Sectional guide

Knowing the IELTS syllabus is essential for achieving top scores. This guide offers detailed insights into the exam's structure, format, tips, and resources, ensuring you have everything you need to succeed.

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IELTS syllabus overview

Types of IELTS

There are several types of IELTS exams, each designed for different purposes and individuals. The main types of IELTS are:

IELTS Academic: This test is primarily for individuals who plan to study in an English-speaking country. It assesses a wide range of language skills, including Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, with an emphasis on academic language and tasks.

IELTS General Training: This test is typically taken by individuals who are planning to migrate to an English-speaking country for work or immigration purposes, or for those who wish to undertake non-academic training programs. It also assesses Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills, but with a focus on everyday language and tasks.

IELTS for UKVI: This test is specifically for individuals applying for a UK visa. It meets the language requirements for visa applications to the UK and is accepted by UK Visas and Immigration as evidence of English language proficiency.

IELTS Life Skills: This test is designed for individuals who need to prove their English language ability for UK visa purposes, specifically for family and settlement routes. It assesses listening and speaking skills at two levels: A1 (for the family route) and B1 (for the settlement route).

Each type of IELTS test has its format, scoring, and specific requirements. It is important to determine which type of IELTS test you need to take based on your specific goals and requirements before registering for the exam.

IELTS syllabus (sections-wise): Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

If you're preparing for the IELTS exam, we've got you covered with an overview of the latest IELTS syllabus and exam pattern. This essential information will help you ace your exam, whether you're aiming for IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training. Here's what you can expect in 2024.

IELTS Listening syllabus

Duration: 30 minutes

No. of questions: There are 40 questions. A variety of different question types are used.

Test format: You will listen to four recorded texts – two monologues and two conversations. You will hear the recordings once only. Different accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand, and North American, are used.

Part 1: A conversation between two people set in an everyday social context, e.g. a conversation in an accommodation agency.

Part 2: A monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.

Part 3: A conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.

Part 4: A monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.

IELTS Listening test tips

1. Most important: check if your headphones are working, if not, raise your hand

2. Utilise the time allotted to prepare the questions. Read through them before the recording starts

3. Listen to the recording attentively and focus more on answers than understanding everything. Remember that the recording is played only once

4. Take notes on your question paper when listening to the recording

5. Write within the given word limit for each question

6. Revise and proofread for spelling and grammar errors before submission

7. Try to use all capital letters for your answers

Read more: How to score high in IELTS Listening

IELTS Reading syllabus

Duration: 60 minutes

No. of questions: There are 40 questions. A variety of different question types are used.

Test format: You will also need to identify the opinions, attitudes, and purpose of the writers. The question types used in this component vary to test different reading techniques, such as skimming and understanding the writer's perspective.

Reading – Academic

For each section, you will be given one long reading passage with tasks.

All the topics are of general interest to students at the undergraduate or postgraduate level.

The texts may be written in different styles and may contain diagrams, graphs, or illustrations.

The texts will come from a variety of sources (e.g. books, journals, newspapers)

Reading – General Training

You will be presented with five or six texts of varying length with tasks.

Section 1: contains two or three short texts or several shorter texts on everyday topics.

Section 2: contains two short, work-related, factual texts.

Section 3: contains one longer text on a topic of general interest.

The texts will come from a variety of sources (e.g. advertisements, company handbooks, official documents, books, newspapers).

IELTS Reading test tips

1. Examine every detail of the figures, graphs, or images in the question paper to be precise while answering

2. If you can’t understand a question, don’t waste time on it. Rather than move on to the next, you can always come back later to finish this

3. Don’t waste time writing on the question paper. There is a time limit, and you will get no extra time to transfer answers later on

4. Understand the questions carefully and focus on finding answers from the passage

5. Be precise, grammatically correct, and to the point. Proofread before submission

6. Try to use all capital letters for your answers

The General and Academic Training Reading tests are usually graded to the same level. However, the texts mentioned in the Academic Reading Test can be more challenging as compared to those mentioned in the General Training Test.

Read more: How to score high in IELTS Reading

IELTS Writing syllabus

Duration: 60 minutes

No. of questions: There are no multiple questions in the Writing section,you are asked to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

Test format: The Academic version of the Writing component consists of two tasks, each addressing topics of broad relevance and suitability for individuals entering undergraduate or postgraduate studies, or those seeking professional registration.

The General Training version of the Writing component comprises two tasks that revolve around topics of general interest, designed to assess candidates' ability to communicate effectively in common real-life situations.

IELTS Academic Task 1:

You are given a graph, table, chart, or diagram and are asked to describe the visual information in your own words. You are asked to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

IELTS General Training Task 1:

You respond to a situation, for example, by writing a letter asking for information or explaining a situation. You are asked to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training Task 2:

You are given a point of view, argument, or problem that you need to discuss.

IELTS Writing test tips

1. Perform a thorough analysis of assigned tasks and quickly prepare the answers mentally

2. Divide your time smartly, 20 minutes for task 1, and 40 minutes for the task (as it is lengthier and carries more marks)

3. Try to write over 150 words for task 1 and over 250 for task 2

4. Avoid repetition of ideas, phrases, and words

5. Ensure that you write a conclusion for task 2

6. Write precise, relevant answers. Avoid writing long paragraphs and sentences

7. Use active voice. Avoid writing in the passive voice

8. Do not submit without a thorough revision and proofreading

Read more: How to score high in IELTS Writing

IELTS Speaking syllabus

Duration: 11 to 14 minutes

No. of questions: There are no specific questions in this section as it is evaluated on an interview basis.

Test format: The Speaking component of the test evaluates your proficiency in spoken English and typically takes about 11 to 14 minutes to complete. It is recorded for assessment purposes. Notably, the Speaking component is identical in both the Academic and General Training versions, similar to the Listening component.

Part 1 (4–5 minutes): The Examiner asks you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies, and interests.

Part 2 (3–4 minutes): You will be given a card that asks you to talk about a topic. You will have 1 minute to prepare before speaking for up to 2 minutes. The Examiner may then ask one or two questions on the same topic.

Part 3 (4–5 minutes): The Examiner asks more questions that are connected to the topic of Part 2. These questions allow you to discuss more abstract issues and ideas.

IELTS Speaking test tips

1. Speak clearly (slow and fluently)

2. Listen to the questions asked carefully, and answer directly

3. You can add more information to the answers, and ensure the answers remain relevant

4. If required, ask the examiner to repeat the question

5. Be confident as you speak

6. Don’t take long pauses

7. Focus on vocabulary, range of tenses, grammar, and sentence structure equally

Read more: How to score high in IELTS Speaking

Preparation materials for the IELTS test

We want to help you succeed, so we have a wide range of preparation materials and resources to support you:

• Free IELTS study materials

• IELTS by IDP App

• IELTS Masterclass

• IELTS Academic practice test

• IELTS General Training practice test

• IELTS Prep Course

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