What are the sections included in the IELTS exam?

The IELTS exam consists of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

Is the IELTS exam syllabus same for Academic and General Training?

The IELTS Academic and General Training Speaking and Listening sections have the same pattern and syllabus, however, the Reading and Writing parts of both IELTS- Academic and General Training are not the same.

IELTS Exam Syllabus 2024 Out, Check Section-wise Latest Syllabus

Table of Contents

You must have heard about the IELTS exam in your friend circle or from your relatives who wants to pursue their education abroad or want to migrate to foreign countries for other reasons like job. Anyone who wants to go abroad must pass the IELTS exam. The best way to do so is by understanding and practicing the IELTS exam syllabus. The IELTS exam syllabus is different for those students who are going abroad to pursue their education than the ones going for other opportunities.

IELTS Exam Syllabus

Candidates seeking admission overseas and needing an IELTS score must first familiarize themselves with the IELTS exam syllabus. The IELTS exam comes in two versions: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Applicants can review the IELTS exam syllabus depending on the type of IELTS score required. The IELTS test curriculum is split into four main parts – Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. In order to excel and achieve a high score on the IELTS test, candidates need to thoroughly prepare for the IELTS exam curriculum covered extensively in this article.

Cambridge IELTS Syllabus

There are two types of IELTS exam: Academic and General Training. Academic studies are designed for individuals interested in furthering their education in a country where English is the primary language. General Training is designed for individuals who are interested in working or relocating to countries like that. The IELTS curriculum consists of four primary components: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, each with their own specific topics for evaluation.

IELTS Exam Syllabus 2024 Overview

The IELTS curriculum differs between the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training formats. Candidates must understand that both IELTS versions are crucial for accurately assessing their language skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Before knowing the detailed syllabus, candidates should check the IELTS exam pattern 2024-25 below in detail.

Test Section Name	Academic IELTS	General Training IELTS	Sectional Duration
Listening	4 sections, 40 questions	4 sections, 40 questions	30 minutes
Reading	3 passages, 40 questions	Multiple texts, 40 questions	60 minutes
Writing	Task 1: Describe data; Task 2: Essay	Task 1: Write a letter; Task 2: Essay	60 minutes
Speaking	Part 1: Background; Part 2: Topic; Part 3: Discussion	Part 1: Background; Part 2: Topic; Part 3: Discussion	11-14 minutes

It can be observed from the table provided that both the IELTS Academic and General Training Listening section share a similar test format, as do the Speaking section. The Reading and Writing parts on both IELTS – Academic and General Training are not the same. Explore thoroughly the IELTS Exam Pattern.

IELTS Exam Syllabus 2025 Section-wise

In this part, we will examine the IELTS exam curriculum carefully. As previously mentioned, the IELTS curriculum consists of four parts: Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening. Review the table below for a breakdown of the IELTS exam syllabus by section.

Sections Name	Section Description	Time Allotted
IELTS Listening Section	Test takers will have to listen recorded texts and answer questions accordingly. On this section, there are: 4 recorded texts 40 questions	30 minutes
IELTS Reading Section	Test takers would be given lengthy passages to read and answer corresponding questions. There are: 3 passages 40 questions	60 minutes
IELTS Writing Section	Candidates would be required to attempt two tasks addressing topics of broad relevance: Writing Task 1 (150 words) Writing Task 2 (250 words)	60 minutes
IELTS Speaking Section	Divided into 3 parts, the Speaking Section will require the candidates to: Answer general questions about themselves Talk on a particular topic on cue cards and, Answer questions connected to Part 2.	11 – 14 minutes

IELTS Reading Syllabus

In the Reading section, candidates are required to respond to 40 questions related to three or more passages for the Academic IELTS and various shorter texts or excerpts for the General Training IELTS. Test takers are given a total of 60 minutes to finish this section of the exam. The sections cover a wide range of topics, including science, history, culture, and environmental issues.

Parameters	Syllabus Details
Passages	3 passages from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers
Time	60 minutes
Questions	40 questions total
Types	Multiple choice, identifying information (True/False/Not Given), identifying writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not Given), matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary/note/table/flow-chart completion, diagram labeling, short-answer questions
Topics	Wide-ranging subjects, such as science, history, culture, or environmental issues
Skills	Reading comprehension, skimming, scanning, identifying main ideas, understanding specific details, recognizing opinions and attitudes, inferring, and summarizing

IELTS Writing Section Syllabus

The Writing section necessitates finishing two assignments in a 60-minute timeframe. Task 1 in the Academic IELTS requires providing a description of a graph, table, chart, or diagram, whereas Task 2 involves writing an essay on a designated subject. Task 1 in the General Training IELTS involves composing a letter, while Task 2 entails writing an essay based on a specific subject.

Part No.	Syllabus	Time Allotted	Key Aspects
1	Describe a graph, table, chart, or diagram	20 minutes	Clarity, coherence, grammar, vocabulary, and appropriate tone
2	Write an essay on a given topic	40 minutes	Clarity, coherence, grammar, vocabulary, and ability to address the topic and support arguments

IELTS Speaking Section Latest Syllabus

The Speaking section is a three-part, in-person interview that lasts 11–14 minutes. Answering generic questions about the candidate’s history, hobbies, and experiences is part of Part 1. The candidate has up to two minutes to talk on a subject in Part 2. An abstract explanation of the subjects covered in Part 2 is presented in Part 3.

Part No.	Task Description	Allotted Time	Key Aspects
1	Answer general questions about your background, interests, and experiences	4-5 minutes	Fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, and pronunciation
2	Speak on a given topic for 1-2 minutes (prepare for 1 minute with a prompt card)	3-4 minutes	Fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, pronunciation, and ability to organize thoughts and ideas
3	Two-way discussion based on the topic in Part 2; the examiner will ask further questions related to the topic	4-5 minutes	Fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, pronunciation, and ability to express and justify opinions

IELTS Syllabus for Listening Section

40 questions total, divided into four sections, make up the listening section. Candidates get 30 minutes to finish the entire test, with extra time at the end to finish their responses. Discussions, monologues, or chats may be included in the recordings. The setting will be either social or academic.

Section	Recording Type	No. of questions	Key aspects of the syllabus
1	Conversation (two speakers)	10	Social context; everyday topics
2	Monologue (one speaker)	10	Social context; everyday topics
3	Conversation (up to four speakers)	10	Academic context; educational or training-related topics
4	Monologue (one speaker)	10	Academic context; lecture or talk on an academic subject

IELTS General Syllabus PDF

The IELTS general training syllabus PDF 2025 for all the sections has been provided below for free download.

Download General Training IELTS Syllabus 2025 PDF

Who Should Prepare from IELTS Exam Syllabus

Those intending to study internationally should opt for the IELTS Academic test, while those considering relocating to countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, or the USA can choose the IELTS General Training exam. In the academic section of IELTS Listening, there are four sections with a total of 40 questions. The IELTS Reading part consists of 3 passages and 40 questions, The IELTS Writing includes Task 1: Describing information and Task 2: Writing an Essay, while the IELTS Speaking is divided into three sections including Part 1: Introduction and interview, Part 2: Long turn, and Part 3: Discussion portion.