IELTS practice test: format, timing and the raw score for each band
How an IELTS practice test works for Academic and General Training: four papers, 40 questions each in Listening and Reading, and how many correct answers each band needs.
An IELTS practice test is only worth your time if it behaves like the real test and tells you what your result means. IELTS reports bands from 0 to 9, and in Listening and Reading the band comes from your number of correct answers out of 40. This guide covers the format, the timings and an indicative table for turning a practice score into a band.
The four papers at a glance
| Paper | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 30 min | Four recordings, each heard once, with 40 questions |
| Reading | 60 min | Three texts and 40 questions, different for Academic and General Training |
| Writing | 60 min | Two tasks: at least 150 words, then at least 250 words |
| Speaking | about 15 min | A three-part interview: questions about you, a two-minute talk, a discussion |
Listening and Speaking are the same in both versions. Reading and Writing differ, so choose your practice tests by version. Our guide to IELTS Academic or General Training explains which one to book.
What each paper asks
Listening. The recordings play once. The first two are everyday situations and the last two are about study. Questions come in many forms, including gap fills, multiple choice and matching, so read the instructions for word limits. Use the time before each recording to read the questions.
Reading. Academic gives three long passages of the kind found in books, journals and magazines. General Training starts with notices and adverts, moves to two workplace documents and ends with one longer text. Both have 40 questions, and General Training needs more correct answers for the same band because its texts are easier.
Writing. Task 2, the essay, counts twice as much as Task 1, so give it about 40 of the 60 minutes. Academic Task 1 describes a chart, table, diagram or map, and General Training Task 1 is a letter. Both are marked on four criteria: Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
Speaking. One minute to prepare, two minutes to talk. The structure is fixed, so it is very rehearsable.
From raw score to band
These are the widely used indicative conversions. They agree with the marks IELTS itself publishes for several bands, but exact cut-offs vary by test version, so treat them as estimates.
| Band | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 35 to 36 | 35 to 36 | 37 to 38 |
| 7.5 | 32 to 34 | 33 to 34 | 36 |
| 7 | 30 to 31 | 30 to 32 | 35 |
| 6.5 | 26 to 29 | 27 to 29 | 32 to 34 |
| 6 | 23 to 25 | 23 to 26 | 30 to 31 |
| 5.5 | 18 to 22 | 19 to 22 | 27 to 29 |
| 5 | 16 to 17 | 15 to 18 | 23 to 26 |
The overall band is the average of the four papers, rounded to the nearest half band. Writing and Speaking are not counted answers: they are marked against criteria.
IELTS has no pass mark. A university, employer or immigration authority sets the band it needs, often per skill, such as 6.5 overall with no paper below 6.0. As a rough guide, bands 5.5 to 6.5 sit at B2, 7.0 to 8.0 at C1 and 8.5 to 9.0 at C2. See our pass marks guide for the other exams.
How to use practice tests well
- Find your target band in writing, per skill if the requirement is per skill.
- Sit a full practice test under test conditions: one listen, 60 minutes for each of Reading and Writing, no dictionary.
- Convert the Listening and Reading scores with the table, and check whether any skill sits below your target.
- Review every wrong answer and name why: a gap in knowledge, a slip, a misread instruction or time. The mock exam method shows how.
- Retest with a different paper after a week or two, and compare skill by skill.
What certifyboost gives you
certifyboost has five full IELTS Academic mocks and five full IELTS General Training mocks. Listening plays once, Listening and Reading are marked instantly, and writing and speaking come back as bands from 0 to 9. Writing and speaking marks are AI estimates, and the speaking band is based on what you say, not on your pronunciation. Mock 1 of each is free: IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training or start free.