whatsapp

IELTS Exam Syllabus

IELTS syllabus

IELTS, or the International English Language Testing System, is an English proficiency test for individuals aiming to study or work in English-speaking countries. The IELTS exam syllabus consists of four key sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. While the Listening and Speaking sections remain identical for both the Academic and General Training formats, the Reading and Writing sections differ slightly.

Scoring is done on a band scale of 0-9, providing a clear indication of language proficiency. The test is administered by British Council, IDP, Cambridge University Press & Assessment and covers both formats comprehensively.

IELTS Exam Pattern 2024

The IELTS exam pattern has two test-taking variants from which the students can choose depending on their comfortability. As a student, it is important to know the IELTS exam syllabus and IELTS exam of each variant to help one prepare better.

Exam Variant Total Duration Listening Reading  Writing  Speaking  Conducting Bodies        Score Pattern & Range
Paper-Based IELTS Test 174 minutes 30 + 10 = 40 minutes(Answer Transfer Time) 60 minutes 60 minutes 11 to 14 minutes IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). 0 – 9 Bands with a possibility of 0.5 band intervals.
Computer-Based IELTS Test 164 minutes 30 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 11 to 14 minutes IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). 0 – 9 Bands with a possibility of 0.5 band intervals.

 

  • Reading Test: The content includes 3 passages of 2,150 to 2,750 words. Questions asked include MCQs, matching headings to paragraphs, summary completion, table completion, and sentence completion.
  • Writing Test: Comprises 2 tasks – 

Task 1 (IELTS ACADEMIC): Describing visual data (table, graph, chart, or diagram) Tasks include describing data trends, process stages, or details of an event or object.

Task 1 (IELTS GENERAL TRAINING): Writing a letter. The letter can be either

  • Informal: Casual, friendly tone

 Example- Messages to friends or family

  • Semi-Formal: Polite, respectful tone 

Example- Emails to colleagues or teachers

  • Formal: Professional tone 

Example- Official announcements, recommendation letters

Task 2 (Same for IELTS ACADEMIC and GENERAL TRAINING IELTS) Write a 250-word essay responding to a viewpoint, argument, or issue.

  • Speaking Test: Introduction, Cue Card, and Discussion (a dialogue with the examiner). 
  • Listening Test:

 4 Sections: 

  1. Everyday conversation between two people
  2. Monologue
  3. Conversation (2-4 people)
  4. Academic monologue

Section-Wise IELTS Exam Syllabus 

Let’s get an overview of the IELTS exam syllabus for each section, along with the number of questions & duration, and more:

 

Section Number of Questions & Duration     Content Marks 
Listening 4 Recordings

40 Questions

30 Minutes ( plus 10 minutes transfer time for paper-based test)

Four recorded monologues and conversations 1 mark per question
Reading (Academic) 40 Questions

60 minutes

3 Passages (can be descriptive, analytical, factual, or discursive) from books, journals, or newspapers 1 mark per question
Reading (General Training) 40 Questions

60 minutes

Shorter texts of varying difficulty from notices, advertisements, or company handbooks 1 mark per question
Writing (Academic) 2 Questions

60 minutes (20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2)

Task 1: Describe visual information (charts, graphs, etc.). (Minimum 150 words)

 

Task 2: Write an essay on a topic.

Essay (minimum 250 words)

Each task is assessed independently. Task 2 carries more value in marking than Task 1.
Writing (General Training) 2 Questions

60 minutes (20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2)

Task 1: Write a letter (formal or informal). (Minimum 150 words)

 

Task 2: Write an essay on a topic.

Essay (minimum 250 words)

Each task is assessed independently. Task 2 carries more value in marking than Task 1.
Speaking 3 Questions

11-14 minutes

A face-to-face interview in three parts:

Part 1: Q&A round- General questions about background and interests.

 

Part 2: Speak on a given topic for up to 2 minutes.

 

Part 3: Abstract discussion on the topic introduced in Part 2.

 

IELTS Listening Section Syllabus

According to the IELTS exam syllabus, here’s all the relevant information about the IELTS exam pattern for the listening section:

  • Format

  1. The Listening section of IELTS consists of 40 questions and 4 recordings. Each correct answer earns 1 mark with no negative marking for incorrect answers, so you can attempt all questions freely.
  2. Each recording is followed by 10 questions.
  3. The recordings feature different types of conversations, including monologues and dialogues, in various accents as per the mentioned IELTS exam syllabus (British, Australian, North American, etc.).
  4. The listening section usually lasts 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes to write down the answers on the sheet in the paper-based test. For the computer-based test, this transfer time is within 30 minutes.
  • Section Breakdown

  1. Recording 1: This recording should be between two people and should relate to the everyday social context.
  2. Recording 2: The monologue is set in the context of everyday conversation. For example, a speech or recording about the local facilities.
  3. Recording 3: A group conversation with up to four people in any educational or training context.
  4. Recording 4: On an academic subject as a monologue speech.
  • Question Types

Approximately 9 types of questions are asked in this section, as per the mentioned IELTS exam syllabus including:

  1. Multiple choice
  2. Matching
  3. Plan/map/diagram labeling
  4. Form/note/table/flowchart/summary completion
  5. Sentence completion
  6. Short-answer questions
  • Marking

  1. Each question carries one mark.
  2. The section is scored on a band scale from 0-9, with a possibility of half-band increments.
  • IELTS Listening Section- Important Points

Here’s what you need to know about the IELTS exam pattern for the listening section:

Section Features Skills Tested
Recording 1: Two Speakers
  • Often a telephonic conversation related to daily commonplace events.
  • Contains specific information like date, time, names, place, etc.
Understanding basic facts and identifying specific details.
Recording 2: Monologue
  • Generally contains a guide’s description of a hotel, resort, charity, company, place, etc.
  • Social context
Grasping main ideas, and locating specific information.
Recording 3: Conversation between 2-4 people
  • Academic discussion
  • Educational setting
Following arguments, understanding academic language.
Recording 4: Monologue
  • Mostly academic lectures
Recognizing ideas, and understanding complex information.

 

Note: The complexity of the recordings increases with each section.

IELTS Writing Section Syllabus

The IELTS exam syllabus for the Writing section checks how well you can write in English. There are two types of writing: Academic and General Training. Each type serves a different purpose:

  1. Academic Writing: For students who want to go to college or get jobs abroad.
  2. General Training Writing: For people moving to English-speaking countries. This type focuses on everyday writing.
  • Key Features:

  1. Total duration: 60 minutes for both Academic and General Training.
  2. Tasks:

Writing Task 1: You will describe or explain information from a given prompt.

Writing Task 2: You will write an essay based on a question or topic.

Scoring weight: Task 2 is more important than Task 1. It has a bigger impact on your overall score.

IELTS Academic Writing Syllabus Key Points

Here is the key points of the IELTS exam syllabus’s academic writing section for the IELTS exam preparation:

  • Task 1: Describing Visual Data

  1. Based on the IELTS exam syllabus, in the exam, you will be given visual information like graphs, charts, tables, or diagrams.
  2. The description of the data and process should be of a minimum of 150 words.
  3. Summarize the key trends, compare data, or explain the stages of the given process.
  4. Students must organize information clearly to demonstrate their knowledge and ability to interpret data and present their deep understanding through writing.
  • Task 2: Essay Writing

  1. The candidate needs to write an essay of at least 250 words.
  2. One must positively respond to an argument, problem, or point of view.
  3. As per the mentioned  IELTS exam syllabus typically, the topic should cover social, environmental, or educational issues.
  4. The aim is to assess the candidate’s ability to present a structured argument and develop ideas.
  • Assessment Criteria

As per the IELTS exam pattern, writing tasks are scored based on the following:

  1. Task Achievement: Completion of the task’s requirements.
  2. Coherence and Cohesion: Logical flow and structure.
  3. Lexical Resource: Range and accuracy of vocabulary.
  4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Correct grammar and sentence structure.
  • Timing:

  1. Total time: 60 minutes.
  2. Recommended: For Task 1, the recommended time is 20 minutes, whereas it is 40 minutes for Task 2.

IELTS Reading Section Syllabus

The reading section of the IELTS exam syllabus assesses candidates’ reading comprehension skills through texts and questions:

Time Duration        The mentioned time duration for the Reading section is 60 minutes.
Structure      Writing structures are divided into three broad categories as per the  IELTS exam syllabus:

  • Academic context: These are mostly simple passages extracted from textbooks or research papers.
  • Journals: These may encompass articles containing research or commentary from some professional or scholarly journal.
  • Newspapers: These may be quotes from articles published in magazines.
Content Types            The passage can be categorized into:

  • Descriptive: This type of text focuses on detailing specific characteristics, appearances, or settings about events, objects, or concepts.
  • Analytical: This type of passage breaks down complex ideas, theories, or data into parts for closer examination.
  • Factual: These passages usually offer clear and concise information on numbers, statistics, and factual data.
  • Discursive: These passages discuss varying ideas on a particular topic and present different arguments.
Question Types You will respond to a total of 40 questions of 12 varying types. Some of the types are:

  • Multiple choice: Choosing the most appropriate response from the several alternatives available in the question.
  • True/False/Not Given: It entails identifying if a statement is true or false as per your understanding of the given passage.
  • Matching headings: Grouping all headings to their corresponding paragraphs or parts of the text.
  • Short-answer questions: These are questions where only short responses are sought from the given excerpts.
Skills Assessed The main purpose of this section, as per the IELTS exam syllabus, is to identify the main ideas and supporting details and recognize the author’s purpose.

 

  • Key Points for IELTS Reading Syllabus- Academic

Here’s an overview of the academic reading of the IELTS exam syllabus for the IELTS exam preparation:

  1. Test Duration: The recommended time is 60 minutes, as discussed above.
  2. Passage Types: The difficulty and complexity progressively increase with each passage.
  3. Content Complexity: Advanced vocabulary and complex ideas typical for higher education.
  4. Questions: The test has 40 questions in total, designed to test your reading comprehension and analytical skills.
  5. Skills Evaluated: Candidates must show-
  • Understanding of main ideas and specific details.
  • Ability to infer meaning and analyze arguments.
  1. Question Formats: MCQ, matching, short-answer questions, true/false/NA.

IELTS Speaking Section Syllabus

The IELTS exam syllabus for the speaking section tests your spoken English through a structured interview with an examiner. This section lasts about 11 to 14 minutes and has three parts.

  • Structure of the Speaking Test:

Part no Type Time duration Description
Part 1 Introduction and Interview (4-5 minutes) In the first part, candidates have to introduce themselves and answer general questions about themselves and their interests. This part generally analyzes the candidate’s basic communication skills.
Part 2 Long Turn  (3-4 minutes) For the speaking tasks, candidates receive a task card with prompts on a specific topic. They have one minute to prepare, during which they can take notes. Candidate is then asked to speak for 2 minutes on the topic.
The examiner might ask 1 or 2 questions based on the topic.
Part 3 Discussion  (4-5 minutes) The examiner asks related questions, encouraging candidates to elaborate on their answers. This section assesses higher-order thinking and the ability to communicate thoughts coherently in the IELTS exam pattern.

 

IELTS Preparation Tips

Let’s review the basic strategies for the IELTS exam preparation:

  1. Understand the Test Format: Familiarize yourself with the IELTS exam syllabus and IELTS exam pattern, including Listening and Reading Parts, as well as the Writing and Speaking Tasks. Knowing what the test will be like might put your nerves at ease and boost your confidence.
  2. Practice Regularly: Regular practice is key. Devote a considerable amount of time to practicing test-specific IELTS exam patterns. This will help you pace yourself through the test and enhance your confidence level.
  3. Improve Your Vocabulary: Make a habit of improving your vocabulary. You can try reading books, watching lectures in English, and listening to good English podcasts.
  4. Take Mock Tests: Attempt full-length mock tests. This will help you adjust to the IELTS exam pattern and its time allotments. Use this to assess your performance and identify areas that require attention.
  5. Focus on Time Management: Timing is crucial in every section. Get accustomed to performing even the smallest tasks within a given time frame.

Seek Feedback: Get feedback on your writing and speaking. Use online tools or ask a tutor to give you constructive criticism to help you improve.

Score 7+ on IELTS
Please fill the form below

Manya IELTS Preparation Programs

icon

IELTS Classroom Training

Most popular program with guided practice sessions

icon

IELTS Private Tutoring

Individualized tutoring with flexible timings

IELTS Student Testimonials

About Study Abroad

Our Top IELTS Achievers

  • 8.5
  • Tarun Bhasker
  • Bengaluru | INR192006E0001
  • 8.5
  • Shrishti Banerjee
  • New Delhi | STX192009E0001
  • 8.5
  • Esha Hooda
  • Chandigarh | CHD192005E0060
  • 8
  • Jeffrey Nathaniel
  • Coimbatore | CMB181906E0091

IELTS Trending Articles

A Complete Guide to Prepare for the IELTS Exam | Tips and Strategies

How to prepare for IELTS? Regular practice of every module on the IELTS is the key ... Read More >

Top Study Abroad Destinations

Many students desire for the chance to pursue an overseas education. There is one critical question for those considering studying abroad: where is the ideal place to study as an international student? The answer is contingent on your specific requirements for a study abroad destination. The highlights of popular study destinations are covered in our list of the best places to Study Abroad.

FAQ's

Is 7 IELTS score easy?

Getting the 7 band score in IELTS as per the mentioned IELTS exam syllabus, is not easy, but your commitment can help you achieve it. You must be fluent in English in all four aspects: speaking, writing, reading, and listening.

Is IELTS hard to pass?

IELTS can seem challenging, but it’s not as hard as it looks. With constant practice and a basic understanding of the test’s structure and language, passing it is easily possible.

How can I prepare for IELTS at home?

You can prepare for IELTS at home with the help of practice resources. These can be anything from online videos and reading materials to mock tests designed to help you prepare for the actual exam. Taking an idea of the IELTS exam syllabus and time a good start to practice regularly will help you clear the exam from home.

Can I self-study for IELTS?

Yes, you can self-study for IELTS. After confirming the IELTS exam syllabus, you can use many online resources, such as test papers, videos, tutorials, and podcasts. All you need is a strong strategy and the commitment to follow through.

Can I prepare for IELTS in 7 days?

Seven days might not be enough to prepare for IELTS. We suggest you take some time to cover the entire IELTS exam syllabus. For instance, attempt practice exams, revise the areas where you are deficient, and practice your listening. However, the preparation time varies among individuals based on their prior knowledge and understanding of the language.

Upcoming Webinars/Events

  • 14-Dec-24
  • Delhi
  • 5:00 PM Onwards

Master the GMAT with Proven Strategies from a GMAC Expert

The GMAT exam plays a crucial role in admissions to over 7,700 programs across more than 2,400 universities worldwide, making it an essential step for many aspiring MBA candidates.

Address: PAN INDIA

Book Your Slot >