IELTS Exam Pattern 2023 - Check IELTS Section-wise Exam Format, Marking Scheme & Duration

Highlights of IELTS Exam Pattern 2023

Given in the table below are some of the major highlights for IELTS exam pattern 2023:

Section-wise IELTS Exam Pattern

As mentioned above, there are four sections in IELTS namely reading, writing, listening and speaking. The time duration of each section is different. Let us have a look at the four sections of the exam and their IELTS exam pattern:

While the Listening and Speaking sections of IELTS 2023 follow the same pattern for both IELTS Academics and IELTS General Training, there is a slight variation in the exam pattern for the Writing and Reading sections.

IELTS Academic vs IELTS General Exam Pattern

While both the tests contain similar topics and evaluate a candidate’s language proficiency, there are some differences in the IELTS exam pattern for Academic and General Training tests. As per official sources, the exam pattern for the listening and speaking sections are similar between the two tests, however, the writing and reading sections may show differences in approach.

For the IELTS listening section, the exam pattern for the test outlines four recordings, i.e. two monologues and two conversations, that have been set in academic and general contexts. Test-takers must remain alert since recordings will only be played once. The question types for the listening section will include multiple-choice questions, sentence completions, matching details and more.

In the IELTS speaking section, candidates engage in face-to-face or video call interviews with the examiner. They will be asked to give a self-introduction, speak from cue cards and discuss follow-up questions with the examiner.

The reading sections of IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are different as test-takers get academic situations in the first type and general topics in the next.

Similarly, the writing sections also differ. In IELTS Academic, candidates are required to write responses and an essay whereas in IELTS General Training they have to write a letter and an essay.

Before gearing up for IELTS preparation, refer to these guides for better planning:

IELTS Type of Questions

As per the IELTS exam pattern, the four sections of the exam contain a variety of questions. While the listening and reading tasks contain 40 questions each, the writing task has two questions and the speaking test contains 3 questions. Let us look at the IELTS question types asked in the test.

IELTS Exam Pattern for Listening Section

Candidates need to hear the recordings or audio and answer questions in the IELTS listening section. They must be careful and attentive listeners as the recordings will be played only once and then they have to write answers to them.

There are four parts in this section. Since January 2020, the word section has been replaced by parts. 10 questions are there in part of the listening section which means there is a total of 40 questions. 

The first two recordings will be basically set in everyday contexts while the last two recordings will be based on academic or training contexts. The details of the four parts are given below:

• Part 1: A recording of conversations between two speakers will be played.

• Part 2: Test-takers will hear a monologue.

• Part 3: There will be a conversation between two or more speakers.

• Part 4: It contains a monologue on an academic subject.

The table below highlights the IELTS pattern for the listening section:

IELTS Exam Pattern for Reading Section

The IELTS Academic reading section exam pattern consists of 40 questions. There will be three reading passages from which the questions will be set. The length of the text will be around 2,000 to 2,500 words. The text passages will be taken from different newspapers, journals and magazines.

The texts are appropriate for students who will study different undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at universities abroad. The topics are based on general interests without targeting a specialised audience. The questions asked will be discursive, descriptive, factual and analytical. The question passages may also contain tables, charts and graphs from which test-takers have to derive information.

The detailed IELTS exam pattern for reading section is given below:

IELTS Exam Pattern for Writing Section

Candidates must understand the IELTS writing section before practising. As per the pattern of the exam, there will be two writing tasks or questions that students must attempt. Writing task 1 contains a pictorial question in form of a diagram, graph or table that requires candidates to study and interpret them. They have to write an answer on the topic in 150 words in 20 minutes.

On the other hand, writing task 2 requires candidates to write an essay or state their point of view on the topic in 250 words in 40 minutes time.

The following table shows the highlights of the IELTS Academic Writing section:

IELTS Exam Pattern for Speaking Section

The IELTS pattern for the speaking section highlights 3 different parts all including different numbers of questions. Throughout the section, candidates will be asked to describe a piece of visual information through the use of charts, graphs, diagrams and tables. The speaking section topics and questions will be variable and depend on the topic of discussion.

Conducted on a separate occasion from the other sections, test takers will be given 11-14 minutes to speak on different topics and to respond to various questions. The examiner will conduct the section while including the following components of the IELTS exam pattern for the speaking sections.

Part 1: Introduction and Interview

Lasting 4-5 minutes, the examiner will introduce themself to the test-takers and ask generic questions pertaining to their identity and other topics such as family, home, studies, work and interests.

The purpose of the section is to allow examiners to evaluate the test-taker's ability to communicate their thoughts, opinions and knowledge on different day-to-day topics and experiences, through a number of different questions.

Part 2: Long Turn

Aptly called the Long Turn, candidates will be given task cards asking them to talk on a particular topic, covering certain points, while instructing them to explain one aspect of the topic. Here, all test-takers will have one minute to gather their thoughts and prepare to speak on the topic. They will also be given a pen and paper to write down notes.

The exam pattern for IELTS offers 1-2 minutes to test-takers to speak on a given topic, subsequently providing their answers to questions raised by the examiner on the topic. In this section, the examiners often look for the candidate’s ability to talk on a given topic at length, while maintaining appropriate grammar and language.

Part 3: Discussion

The IELTS exam pattern for the section outlines this part as the allotted time to discuss the topics, issues and questions raised in Part 2. The examiner reserves the right to raise questions or points, which may be generic or abstract in nature. Subsequently, the examiner may also ask questions to which candidates may be required to respond in detail. Here, the candidate’s ability to justify and express their opinions as well as analyse, speculate and discuss the issues on any given topic.

Check out the table below to understand the IELTS pattern for the speaking section.

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IELTS Indicator (Online Home Test)

The IELTS Indicator option is available for students who wish to take the test at home and submit the score for admission purposes at universities abroad. However, the IELTS Indicator test is not a substitute for the in-person IELTS test and the test taker may have to take the in-person IELTS test at an IELTS test center.

Here are some key points to know about the IELTS Exam Pattern for IELTS Indicator 2022:

• It can be taken at home and is a session-based online test.

• The exam pattern for IELTS Indicator is similar to the in-person IELTS in terms of the content, test structure, and time allocated.

• IELTS examiners score the online exam and therefore, are as reliable as other options.

• However, candidates cannot expect the same quality and security procedure in an IELTS Indicator test as seen in the in-person format of IELTS.