The structure of the IELTS test is detailed in 4 parts and the information to note

The structure of the IELTS exam consists of 4 parts: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. Candidates will take the first 3 parts of the test on the same day, in the following order: Listening, Reading and Writing (no breaks between these tests). The Speaking test will take place on the same day, before or after the remaining 3 skills test date. To understand more about the structure of the IELTS 2022 test in each skill, let's read the article below with DOL right away!

1. IELTS test structure

Overview of the structure of IELTS General Training ( IELTS General ) and IELTS Academic ( IELTS Academic ) consists of 4 parts: Reading; Listening; Writing; Speaking. This is also the structure of the IELTS UKVI exam .

The structure of the IELTS test consists of 4 parts: listening, speaking, reading and writing

Contest	Exam time	Purpose	Point ladder	Number of questions	General structure	Difference between General and Academic
IELTS Reading	60 minutes	Assessment of English reading ability	From 0 - 9.0, round to 0.5	40 questions	3 readings, each reading lasts 20 minutes	The assessment scale of the Reading Academic and General tests will be different. The General exam has more familiar topics.
IELTS Listening	30-40 minutes (including 10 minutes of writing answers)	Assess English listening ability	From 0 - 9.0, round to 0.5	40 questions	4 small listening parts, including 2 conversations and 1 presentation.	There is no difference
IELTS Writing	60 minutes	Assessment of ability to write English	From 0 - 9.0, round to 0.5		Consists of 2 parts:Task 1Task 2	General's Task 1 will be writing a letter.And Task 1 of Academic is writing a report analyzing chart data.
IELTS Speaking	11 - 14 minutes	Assess your ability to speak English.	From 0 - 9.0, round to 0.5		Consists of 3 parts:Part 1Part 2Part 3	There is no difference

Please refer to the detailed information on the structure of the IELTS test below:

2. IELTS test formats

2.1 IELTS Academic

• IELTS Academic is for candidates who want to take IELTS for academic purposes. For example, studying abroad, exemption from high school graduation exam or university entrance examination.
• Because it is a preparation test for study, IELTS Academic will often be more academic than IELTS General.

2.2 IELTS General Training

• For candidates who want to take the IELTS test to settle abroad or for work purposes.
• This test is usually not as deeply academic as IELTS Academic, but more communicative in nature.

Because of the difference between these two tests,  the IELTS test structure  of the two forms of IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training is also different, please read carefully below for details.

The IELTS syllabus for the reading and writing sections of each IELTS test format is different. The sources of the IELTS Reading passages are different for IELTS Academic and IELTS general. The writing tasks are also different for each type of IELTS test.

The structure of IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic is similar, but there are still some differences

See more general information about IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training test structure in the document below:

3. IELTS Listening Structure (30 minutes)

• IELTS Listening test time: 30 minutes
• Structure of the IELTS Listening test: 4 parts
  • Section 1 : The candidate listens to a conversation between two people and must fill in the blanks with the missing parts.
  • Section 2 : Candidates listen to a talk and must choose the correct answer that corresponds to what they heard in the text.
  • Section 3 : Candidates listen to a conversation and choose the correct answer that corresponds to what they heard in the passage.
  • Section 4 : Candidates listen to a lecture on any academic topic and must fill in the blanks.

Note:

From January 4, 2020, the IELTS Listening test will have some structural changes such as: 

• The phrase “SECTIONS” will change to “PARTS”. Thus, the structure of the IELTS Listening test will include Part 1,2,3,4.
• In each IELTS Listening test the number of pages will not be mentioned. For example, the candidate will only be instructed to: Listen to the following dialogue to answer questions 7 to 10. (Instead of the former, candidates are instructed to open page 2 to answer questions 7 to 10.) No. 10.)

The structure of the IELTS Listening test consists of 4 parts

4. IELTS Reading test structure (60 minutes)

4.1 IELTS Reading Academic

The structure of the IELTS Reading Academic test consists of 3 small reading passages. There are a total of 40 questions with increasing difficulty and about 1500 words in length for 3 passages.

IELTS reading comprehension questions are often quoted from books, newspapers, magazines, etc. and have in-depth topics. Candidates must have certain background knowledge to understand and do the reading passages.

• Time to do the test: 60 minutes
• Test structure: 3 parts (40 questions)
  • Passage 1: 13 questions
  • Passage 2: 13 questions
  • Passage 3: 14 questions

To get the desired score in IELTS reading comprehension, you should supplement yourself with a solid vocabulary knowledge. As well as learn more about some strange topics first because they may confuse you like Space, Science, History, etc.

4.2 IELTS Reading General

The IELTS Reading General test also requires candidates to read information in passages quoted from books, newspapers, magazines, announcements, advertisements, etc.

The length of the IELTS reading test in the IELTS General Training format is usually shorter than the Academic format, from 700 to 1400 words. The content of the readings will cover familiar topics in the environment of everyday English use. Not as academic and highly specialized as the Academic form. 

• Time to do the test: 60 minutes
• Test structure: 3 parts (40 questions)
  • Passage 1: 13 questions
  • Passage 2: 13 questions
  • Passage 3: 14 questions

The structure of IELTS Reading Academic and IELTS Reading General is similar

5. Structure of IELTS Writing (60 Minutes)

• IELTS Writing time : 60 minutes.
• Structure of the IELTS Writing test: Includes 2 parts, Task 1 and Task 2. The number of words required for Task 1 is 150 words and task 2 is 250 words.

The tasks in IELTS Writing Academic and IELTS Writing General are different.

5.1 IELTS Writing Academic

Task 1 : Candidates write a report of at least 150 words to analyze a chart, map or explain a data table, describing the process of things or events.

Eg:

The charts below show the internet use in different purposes in Australia in 2010, 2011 and the percentage by users. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Task 2 : Candidates write an essay of at least 250 words in response to an opinion or argument on a social issue.

Eg:

In some countries, schools are teaching foreign languages for primary school children. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Sample IELTS Writing Academic Bar Chart with many topics

5.2 IELTS Writing General

Task 1 : IELTS Writing test takers will write a letter in a formal or informal form, with a minimum length of 150 words. The content of the letter is to ask for information or explain a situation in life.

Eg:

Recently you saw an article in a newspaper/journal about a city/town you know and some of the information in the article was incorrect. Write a letter to the editor regarding this.

In your letter, you should tell:

• How you know about this city/ town?
• What information was incorrect?
• What the editor should do about this?

Task 2 : The IELTS Writing Task 2 General test has the same format as the IELTS Writing Task 2 Academic test. However, the voice will be closer and more intimate.

Eg:

Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think that it is important for children to go to school.

Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

The structure of IELTS Writing Academic and IELTS Writing General is similar

6. Structure of the speaking test - IELTS Speaking (11 - 14 minutes)

• IELTS Speaking test time: 11-14 minutes.
• Structure of IELTS Speaking: Includes 3 parts Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Candidates will talk directly with the examiner. The structure of Speaking IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training is the same. Specifically, the content of the IELTS Speaking test will have the following sections:

The IELTS Speaking test has a structure of 3 parts

Part 1: Introduce and talk about yourself	In this section, candidates will be asked general questions about personal information. The topics in this section are quite simple around hobbies, work, study, family, place of residence, etc. Part 1 usually lasts from about 4-5 minutes.
Part 2: Speak continuously for 2-3 minutes telling or describing a certain topic	Candidates will receive a sample of paper with topics in Speaking Part 2. You will have 1 minute to quickly take notes on what you will present and 2 minutes to perform the speaking. The examiner will then ask the candidate some questions related to the content you just presented to expand on the topic.
Part 3: Q&A between the examiner and the contestant	Part 3 is considered an extension or enhancement of Part 2. In this part, candidates will be asked more in-depth questions about the topic in Part 2. The questions focus on giving discussion ideas. as well as the candidate's views on abstract concepts. Part 3 usually lasts 4-5 minutes.

Please watch the following video simulating the Speaking IELTS Band 8.0 sample test:

7. Frequently asked questions

Which part of the IELTS test is conducted first?

That is the Listening section, then the Reading and Writing sections (there is no break between these sections).

Is the IELTS test done in 1 day?

The Listening, Reading and Writing sections are conducted on the same day. At some test centers, the Speaking test will be taken on the same day, or up to 7 days before or after the test date for the 3 skills above.

Is it possible to do all parts of the IELTS test on a computer?

If taking the IELTS test on a computer, the Listening, Reading and Writing sections of the IELTS test are completed on the computer. The Speaking test is conducted directly with an IELTS examiner.

Through the above article, you must have understood the overview of the IELTS exam structure, which parts are included? As well as knowing the detailed content, typically how many minutes does it take to do the IELTS Writing test, or the number of questions in the IELTS Reading section, isn't it! 

Let's start studying to achieve the desired IELTS score . And do not forget to visit the website dol.vn to receive the latest information and useful knowledge about IELTS test preparation. Wish you success in conquering IELTS!