Find all the key information you need to know about the IELTS listening test.

On this page you’ll discover:

• The format of the test
• Question types
• Skills assessed
• Marking tips

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IELTS Listening Test Format

The Listening test is the same for both the Academic and General exams.

     Timing – 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer the answers to your answer sheet)

     Number of questions – 40

Each correct answer is awarded 1 mark. Your score out of 40 (raw score) is converted to the corresponding IELTS band scale level using this conversion table:

IELTS Listening Test Conversion Table

The Listening test is made up of four sections. In each section, you will listen to a recorded text and then answer a series of question on it.

     The text will be played only once.

Over the course of the test, you will hear a variety of voices and native-speaker accents such as British English, Australian, American and Canadian. You may also hear a range of different regional British accents.

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The Four Sections

These are the 4 parts or sections of the IELTS Listening test.

Section 1 – A conversation between two people set in an everyday social context (e.g. booking tickets to the theatre).

Section 2 – A monologue set in an everyday social context (e.g. a welcome talk for new college students).

Section 3 – A conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context (e.g. a group of students discussing a university assignment).

Section 4 – A monologue on an academic subject (e.g. a lecture on wildlife).