Equip yourself with IELTS Sample Test Questions to help aid your preparation for IELTS Test.
There are two types of IELTS test to choose from, IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training. All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests but different Reading and Writing tests. Make sure that you prepare for the correct version of the test.
Download IELTS Sample Test Questions
Using IELTS official practice materials will enable you to:
- familiarise yourself with the test format
- experience the types of tasks you will be asked to undertake
- test yourself under timed conditions
- review your answers and compare them with model answers.
IELTS Test for Listening
Duration: 30 minutes
The Listening test is the same for both Academic and General Training versions of IELTS and consists of four recorded monologues and conversations.
The following IELTS Listening sample tasks are to be used with the Answer Sheet and MP3 audio files and/or transcripts. Each answer sheet indicates which recording to listen to, or if a transcript is provided.
| Listening sample test 1 |
|---|
| Listening sample 1 task – Form completion (PDF, 59KB) |
| IELTS listening recording 1 (MP3, 1.2MB) |
| Listening sample 2 task Multiple Choice(PDF, 16KB) |
| Listening recording 2 (MP3, 402KB) |
| Listening sample 3 task Short Answer(PDF, 25KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 3 (MP3, 574KB) |
| Listening sample 4 task Sentence Completion(PDF, 17KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 4(MP3, 549KB) |
| Listening sample 5 task Matching(example 1 – PDF, 21KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 5(MP3, 2.8MB) |
| Listening sample 6 task Matching(example 2 PDF, 21KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 6(MP3, 2.1MB) |
| Listening sample 7 task Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling (PDF, 25KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 7(MP3, 2.7MB) |
| Listening sample 8 task Note Completion(PDF, 59KB) |
| IELTS Listening recording 8(MP3, 4.18MB) |
| Listening Recording 8 Answer Sheet(PDF, 16KB) |
| Listening Sample 9 Task Short Answer(PDF, 25KB) |
| IELTS Listening Recording 9(MP3, 11.8MB) |
| Listening Recording 9 Answer Sheet(PDF, 17KB) |
| Listening answer sheet |
|---|
| Listening answer sheet(PDF, 233KB) |
IELTS Test for Academic Reading
Duration: 60 minutes
Texts for the Academic Reading test are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.
A variety of tasks is used, including: multiple choice questions, identifying information, identifying writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.
| Downloadable Academic Reading sample tasks | |
|---|---|
| Academic Reading sample task – Matching features (PDF, 22KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Table completion (PDF, 59KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Flow-chart completion (selecting words from the text) (PDF, 173 KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Identifying information (True False Not Given) (PDF, 174KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Matching headings (PDF, 92KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Matching sentence endings task (PDF, 132KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Multiple choice (more than one answer) (PDF, 223KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Multiple choice (one answer) (PDF, 256KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Note completion task (PDF, 260KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Sentence completion task (PDF, 190KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Summary completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases) (PDF, 259 KB) | |
| Academic Reading sample task – Summary completion (selecting words from the text) (PDF, 189 KB) |
| Academic Reading answer sheet |
|---|
| IELTS Reading answer sheet (PDF, 130KB) |
IELTS Test for General Training Reading
Duration: 60 minutes
A variety of tasks is used including; multiple choice questions, identifying information, identifying writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.
| Downloadable General Training Reading sample tasks |
|---|
| General Training Reading sample task – Flow Chart Completion (PDF, 40KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Identifying Information (PDF, 99KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Matching Information (PDF, 43KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Matching Features (PDF, 32KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Matching Headings (PDF, 31KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Note completion task (PDF, 211KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Sentence Completion (PDF, 19KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Short-Answer Questions (PDF, 18KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Summary completion task (PDF, 202KB) |
| General Training Reading sample task – Identifying information (True False Not Given) (PDF, 123KB) |
| General Training answer sheet |
|---|
| IELTS Reading answer sheet (PDF, 130KB) |
IELTS Sample Test Questions for Academic Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
The Academic Writing tests consist of two writing tasks of 150 words and 250 words.
In Task 1, test takers are asked to describe some visual information (graph/table/chart/diagram). They need to write 150 words in about 20 minutes. In Task 2 test takers are presented with a point of view or argument or problem. They need to write their response in 250 words in about 40 minutes.
Below are samples of Task 1 and Task 2.
Please note that test takers for IELTS Academic take a different Writing test in IELTS General Training.
| Downloadable Academic Writing samples |
|---|
| Academic Writing sample task 1A (PDF, 257KB) |
| Academic Writing sample task 1B(PDF, 411 KB) |
| Academic Writing sample task 1C(PDF, 757 KB) |
| Academic Writing sample task 2A (PDF, 249KB) |
| Academic Writing sample task 2B (PDF, 249KB) |
| Academic Writing sample materials and examiner comments (PDF, 4MB) |
| Academic Writing answer sheets |
|---|
| IELTS Writing answer sheet task 1 (PDF, 700KB) |
| IELTS Writing answer sheet task 2 (PDF, 400KB) |
| Academic Writing sample script |
|---|
| IELTS Academic Writing sample script (PDF, 1.4MB) |
IELTS Sample Test Questions for General Training Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
The General Writing test consists of two writing tasks of 150 words and 250 words.
In Task 1, test takers are asked to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, requesting information or explaining a situation.
In Task 2, test takers write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.
Below are samples of Task 1 and Task 2. Please note that test takers for IELTS General Training take a different Writing test in IELTS Academic.
| Downloadable General Training Writing samples |
|---|
| General Training Writing sample task 1A (PDF, 40KB) |
| General Training Writing sample task 1B (PDF, 470KB) |
| General Training Writing sample task 2A (PDF, 11KB) |
| General Training Writing sample task 2B (PDF, 11KB) |
| General Training Writing sample scripts and examiner comments (PDF, 3MB) |
| General Writing Answer sheets |
|---|
| IELTS Writing Answer sheet task 1 (PDF, 700KB) |
| IELTS Writing Answer sheet task 2 (PDF, 400KB) |
| General Training Writing sample script |
|---|
| General Training Writing sample script (PDF, 869KB) |
IELTS Speaking Questions
Duration: 11–14 minutes
In the Speaking test, you have a discussion with a certified examiner. It is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.
There are three parts to the test and each part fulfils a specific function in terms of interaction pattern, task input and test taker output.
In Part 1, you answer questions about yourself and your family. In Part 2, you speak about a topic. In Part 3, you have a longer discussion on the topic.
The Speaking test is the same for both Academic and General Training versions. Each of the three parts is designed to test a different aspect of your communication ability.
| Downloadable Speaking Sample tasks |
|---|
| Speaking sample task part 1 – Prompt (PDF, 21KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 1 – Recording (MP3, 631KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 1 – Transcript (PDF, 12KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 2 – Prompt (PDF, 20KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 2 – Recording (MP3, 762KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 2 – Transcript (PDF,11KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 3 – Prompt (PDF, 18KB) |
| Speaking sample task part 3 – Recording (MP3, 1.2MB) |
| Speaking sample task part 3 – Transcript (PDF, 13KB) |
Source: www.ielts.org
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