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IELTS has four sections — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are taken one after another, and the 11–14 minute Speaking interview can be on the same day or a different day. Listening and Speaking are the same for IELTS Academic and General Training; Reading and Writing differ.
The facts on this page were last checked against official sources in September 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the official source before you book or apply.
| Section | Time | Questions or tasks | Same for Academic and General Training? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | 4 parts, 40 questions | Yes |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 3 sections, 40 questions | No — different texts |
| Writing | 60 minutes | Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2 (at least 250 words) | No — Task 1 differs |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | 3 parts, a face-to-face interview with an examiner | Yes |
| Option | How it works | Results |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS on computer | Listening, Reading and Writing on a computer at a test centre; Speaking face-to-face with an examiner | Most results within 2 days |
| IELTS on paper | Listening, Reading and Writing on paper; being phased out from mid-2026, with timelines varying by country | 13 days (7 days in India) |
| IELTS on Computer (Writing on Paper) | Listening and Reading on computer and Writing handwritten on an official answer sheet; IELTS Academic and General Training only, not IELTS for UKVI; in selected countries from mid-2026 | Within 5 days |
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken one after another. On paper, you get an extra 10 minutes at the end of Listening to transfer your answers to the answer sheet; on computer you type answers directly, so there is no transfer period.
Speaking can be on the same day as the other sections or on a different day.
Each section gets a band from 0 to 9 in half bands, and the overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. There is no negative marking: a wrong answer scores zero for that question, but nothing is taken away.
If one section lets you down after an IELTS on computer test, One Skill Retake lets you retake just that section within 60 days.
Band 9 model essays, letters and templates from the Writing library. Browse all 118 in the Learning Hub.
Daily articles on IELTS changes, visa rules and university admissions.
Cue cards, speaking questions and Writing Task 1 questions with band 9 sample answers, plus a free band score calculator.
About 2 hours 45 minutes: Listening takes about 30 minutes, Reading 60 minutes and Writing 60 minutes, plus a Speaking interview of 11 to 14 minutes.
IELTS has announced that paper-based testing is being phased out from mid-2026, with exact timelines varying by country. Check which options your local test centre offers when you book.
For IELTS on computer, most results are issued within 2 days. Paper-based results take 13 days (7 days in India), and the Writing on Paper option gives results within 5 days.
No. A wrong answer in Listening or Reading scores zero for that question, but no marks are deducted.