IELTS Indicator : All you need to know

The IELTS exam pattern is divided into four sections namely: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. All four sections have a different pattern which does not coincide with one another. The type of questions are also different for each of the sections on IELTS. Let us understand the IELTS exam pattern elaborated in the table below for Academic Test takers:

The Listening, Reading, and Writing tests take place on the test day at the same IELTS exam centre. However, the Speaking test can be held either 7 days before or after the test date depending on the conditions of the test centre. Thus, applicants should ideally be prepared to sit for atleast all the three sections of IELTS at the same IELTS test centre as chosen during the exam registration. 

No, the IELTS exam pattern is not changing in 2024. The IELTS exam pattern was restructured in 2022 and since then no changes have been propsed. Thus, applicants preparing for IELTS exam - Academic or General, can prepare with the current IELTS exam pattern guidelines only. 

The IELTS Listening section format is designed in the following manner:

Candidates listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write their answers to the list of questions.

• Recording 1 - a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context
• Recording 2 - a monologue set in an everyday social context
• Recording 3 - a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context
• Recording 4 - a monologue on any academic subject

Types of IELTS Listening Questions

• Matching
• Multiple-choice questions
• Sentence completion
• Short answer questions

The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a variety of listening skills, including how aptly the applicant:

• Understands the main ideas and identify the factual information.
• Recognise given opinions and purpose of the speaker.
• Follows the development of the given argument.
• Finally, how the applicants can accurately or closely answer the questions based on the recordings they have heard.

Thus, applicants who give the Listening section on IELTS should have an eye for detail and listen to the recordings carefully to answer questions correctly. 

IELTS exam structure is simple, there are four sections and applicants have to answer questions chronologically for the IELTS sections in the following order:

• Listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking

While, the first three sections have to be taken one after the other, Speaking section can be taken on that very day or it can be after 2-3 days of the exam. Unless the Speaking section is completed, the IELTS exam shall not be deemed as completed. 

The topics in the Writing section are test takers who are suitable for undergraduate and postgraduates looking to get into universities.

IELTS Writing Task 1 - The test taker gets 60 minutes to complete both tasks. One task is for 20 minutes and the other is for 40 minutes. On the IELTS Academic Module, in Task 1, a candidate has to write a summary of at least 150 words of a:

• Table or,
• Graph or,
• Process or,
• Map

Any of the above-given types of questions can be tested, thus applicants should be prepared for it.  

IELTS Writing Task 2 - Task 2 is the same for both Academic and General Training Modules, and involves an essay of at least 250 words. Candidates will be asked to write an essay in response to an argument, problem, or point of view. Make sure to give responses to both tasks formally.

Three long texts range from factual and descriptive to discursive and analytical. The texts are selected from magazines, journals, newspapers, and books for those looking to enter universities. Apart from the IELTS format, we have also given the types of questions below.

Types of IELTS Reading Questions

• Identifying information
• Matching features
• Sentence completion
• Short-answer questions
• Identifying the author’s claims
• Multiple choice questions
• Note completion
• Diagram label questions
• Matching information & Sentence endings