IELTS Academic Preparation Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Test format and scoring

IELTS Academic tests four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The official website says it is for people who want to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or who are seeking professional registration, for example doctors and nurses. The other version, IELTS General Training, is mainly for people who want to migrate or study below degree level.

Listening and Speaking are the same in both versions. Reading and Writing are different: for example, in Academic Writing Task 1 you describe a graph, table, chart or diagram, but in General Training Task 1 you write a letter. This course covers the Academic versions. The official total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes, and the format is the same wherever you take the test, at a test centre or online.

On test day you do Listening, Reading and Writing in one session, with no breaks between them. Speaking is a separate interview with an examiner.

Band scores

Each section gets a band score from 0 to 9, in whole or half bands (for example 6.0 or 6.5). On the official scoring page, some band skill levels are: 9 Expert, 8 Very good, 7 Good, 6 Competent and 5 Modest.

Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, with one mark for each correct answer. Your raw mark is turned into a band. The official scoring page gives averages, because the exact numbers change slightly between test versions:

The official scoring page also says that General Training Reading usually needs more correct answers than Academic Reading for the same band. For example, band 6 averages 23 in Academic Reading but 30 in General Training Reading.

The overall band is the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25, it goes up to the next half band. If it ends in .75, it goes up to the next whole band. For example, an average of 6.25 becomes 6.5, an average of 5.75 becomes 6.0, and an average of 6.125 becomes 6.0.

Test-day rules

• Watches are not allowed. There is a clock on the wall, or on screen for online tests.
• No food in the test room. Water is allowed only in a clear bottle.

Most results for IELTS on computer are issued within 2 days. Paper-based results take up to 13 days. If you took IELTS on computer, IELTS One Skill Retake lets you retake one section (Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking) within 60 days, at test centres that offer it.

Themenquiz 1: Test format and scoring

Lesson 2: Listening

The Listening test takes about 30 minutes. There are four parts with 10 questions each (40 questions). Each recording is played once only. You will hear a range of accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American accents. The questions follow the order of the information in the recording.

Question types include multiple choice, matching, labelling a plan, map or diagram, completing a form, notes, a table or a flow chart, sentence completion and short answers.

Before you listen

• Read the questions and underline key words.
• Predict the type of answer: a name, a number, a time, a place, a price or a reason.
• Notice the word limit in the instructions.

While you listen: common traps

• Corrections and changes. Speakers often give old information first: "It was going to start on the fourth of March, but the start date has moved to the eleventh." The answer is the new information.
• More than one number. "We planned to interview 200 students, but only managed 120." Ask which number the question wants.
• Rejected options. Words like "rather than", "instead of" and "not" tell you an option is wrong: "clearer signs rather than more bins".
• Spelling. In Part 1, names are often spelled letter by letter. A spelling mistake loses the mark.
• Prices and conditions. "The full fee is £90, but students pay £65" gives two prices. Check who pays which price, and listen for "but", which often signals a change, for example in opening times.

In Part 4, listen for how a lecturer organises ideas: phrases such as "Today I want to explain", "The first cause is", "The second cause is" and "Interestingly" show what is coming next. If a question asks for the first cause, do not choose the second one.

Word limits

If the instructions say NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER, an answer with more words loses the mark, even if the meaning is right. A hyphenated word such as "check-in" counts as one word. Contractions such as "they're" are not tested. Leave out extra words such as "the", "of" or "on" if they break the limit: with ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, write "23 May", not "the 23rd of May".

Themenquiz 2: Listening

Lesson 3: Academic Reading

Academic Reading lasts 60 minutes, including transfer time. There are 3 passages with a total of 2,150–2,750 words, and 40 questions. The texts come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources, and are written for non-specialist readers on topics of general interest to university students. If a text uses a technical term, a simple definition is given.

With 3 texts in 60 minutes, plan about 20 minutes per passage.

True / False / Not Given

These tasks ask about information in the text.

• True: the statement agrees with the text (often in different words).
• False: the text contradicts the statement. It says the opposite.
• Not Given: the text neither confirms nor contradicts it. There is no information either way.

Yes / No / Not Given works in the same way, but it asks about the writer's views or claims, not facts. Words that show views include "in my view", "I believe", "clearly", "has been oversold" and "may be exaggerated".

Matching tasks

• Matching headings: match a heading to the main idea of each paragraph. There are more headings than paragraphs, and no heading is used twice.
• Matching information: find which paragraph contains a detail, such as an example, a reason or a problem. Some paragraphs may not be used.
• Matching features and matching sentence endings: link statements or sentence beginnings to a list of options.

Completion tasks and word limits

In sentence, summary, note, table and flow-chart completion, use words from the text and follow the word limit. Hyphenated words count as one word, and numbers can be written as figures or words.

New words

Use the sentence around a new word. For example: "many green roofs use hardy plants that survive heat, wind and dry spells with little care". The rest of the sentence tells you that "hardy" means able to survive difficult conditions.

Practice text: "Night-time lighting in cities has grown greatly over the last century. Researchers have found that bright lights can confuse some birds that migrate at night, drawing them towards buildings. Several cities now ask office owners to switch off unnecessary lights during the main migration seasons. Supporters say the scheme also saves energy, although no study has yet measured how much."

Themenquiz 3: Academic Reading

Lesson 4: Writing Task 1: describing data

The Writing test lasts 60 minutes and has two tasks. In Task 1 you describe visual information in your own words: one or more graphs, charts or tables, or a diagram of an object, device, process or event. Write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. Use an academic or semi-formal, neutral style, and write full sentences, not notes or bullet points. (In General Training, Task 1 is a letter instead.)

Task 1 is an information-transfer task. Describe what the information shows. Do not give your opinion or guess the reasons for changes that are not in the data.

A simple structure

1. Introduction: say what the visual shows, in your own words (do not copy the title).
2. Overview: two or three main features, such as the biggest change, the highest and lowest, or the overall trend. The official advice says to include a clear overview.
3. Body paragraphs: group the details and compare them, with key figures to support each point.

A possible overview: "Overall, the car remained the most common way to travel to work, but its share fell, while every other type of transport became more popular."

Numbers: be accurate

• Percentage points are the difference between two percentages: 58% to 41% is a fall of 17 percentage points.
• Percentage change compares the change with the starting figure: 1,200 to 900 is a fall of 300, and 300 ÷ 1,200 = 25%. Dividing by the new figure is a common mistake.
• Times: 4% to 12% is three times as much (it tripled). 1,200 to 1,800 is 50% higher, not double.

Useful vocabulary

Processes and diagrams

For a process, start with an overview of the number of stages and where the process begins and ends. Use sequence words (first, next, then, after that, finally) and the passive (is/are + past participle): "Used paper is collected. Next, it is sorted by type."

Themenquiz 4: Writing Task 1: describing data

Lesson 5: Writing Task 2: the essay

In Task 2 you respond to a point of view, an argument or a problem. Write at least 250 words, and spend no more than 40 minutes on it. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, so the suggested split is about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2. Task 2 tests skills such as presenting a solution, presenting and justifying an opinion, comparing and contrasting evidence, and evaluating ideas.

Writing is marked by certificated examiners on four equally weighted criteria: Task response (Task achievement in Task 1), Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource, and Grammatical range and accuracy.

Rules that cost marks

• Off-topic writing is penalised. Answer the specific question, not the topic in general.
• Notes and bullet points are penalised. Write full, connected sentences.
• A short answer (under 250 words) may not show enough language for the higher bands.

Read the question carefully

A four-paragraph plan

1. Introduction: rewrite the topic in your own words and give your position in a clear thesis statement (for example, "I strongly agree, because car-free centres are cleaner and safer for people on foot").
2. Body paragraph 1: a topic sentence with one main idea, then explanation and an example.
3. Body paragraph 2: a second main idea, or the other view.
4. Conclusion: begin with a phrase such as "In conclusion", sum up your main points and restate your position. Do not add a new argument or a new example.

Support every main idea. Examples can come from your own experience, as long as they are relevant. A good support sentence links directly to the main idea: "Learning a second language can improve career prospects. For example, firms that trade abroad need staff who speak other languages."

Cohesion and style

• Contrast: however, although, on the other hand
• Result: therefore, as a result
• Adding: in addition, moreover, similarly
• Examples: for example, for instance

Use referencing words to avoid repeating nouns: "Many cities have introduced bike-sharing schemes. These schemes reduce traffic." Use a neutral, academic style: no slang, no text-message abbreviations and no symbols such as "=" or "&".

For grammatical range, mix simple, compound and complex sentences. A complex sentence joins a main clause to a dependent clause: "Although online learning is flexible, many students miss face-to-face contact."

Themenquiz 5: Writing Task 2: the essay

Lesson 6: Speaking

The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with a certificated examiner. It lasts 11–14 minutes, has three parts and is recorded. Speaking is the same in IELTS Academic and General Training.

How Speaking is marked

There are four equally weighted criteria:

• Fluency and coherence: speaking at a normal speed with little hesitation, in a logical order, with linking words.
• Lexical resource: range and accuracy of vocabulary, including the ability to paraphrase when you do not know a word.
• Grammatical range and accuracy.
• Pronunciation: speech that can be understood without too much effort. IDP IELTS says there is no scoring advantage for a British, American or any other particular accent.

Part 1: extend your answers

Part 1 tests your ability to give opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences. Answer the question, then add a detail or a reason. "Do you enjoy cooking?" A weak answer is "Yes." A better answer is "Yes, especially at weekends, when I have time to try new recipes." Linking phrases help: "I'd say the morning, mainly because my mind feels clearer. That said, before exams I sometimes study late."

Show a range of vocabulary. "It's a nice town, and it's very nice" repeats one word. "It's a lively port town with narrow, winding streets" uses precise words.

Part 2: use the minute

The task card gives a topic, lists points to include and asks you to explain one aspect of it. Do not write full sentences. Write short key words for each point on the card so that your talk follows a clear order. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

Part 3: explain and speculate

Part 3 tests your ability to explain opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate. Give reasons and use language such as "I suppose", "the main reason is", "another factor might be" and "it depends on".

Themenquiz 6: Speaking