IELTS Academic sample test questions

Preparing for your IELTS Academic test

We want you to do well in your test. To help you get ready, here are some sample tests for the Academic test.

Listening and Speaking tests are the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, but the Reading and Writing tests are different.

With these official practice materials you can:

get used to the test format
experience the types of tasks involved
test yourself under timed conditions
review your answers and compare them with model answers.

IELTS Academic - sample tasks

Listening (30 minutes)

A variety of tasks is used including: multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, summary completion, sentence completion, short-answer questions.

Listening Sample task Multiple Choice (one answer)

You will hear an extract from a Part 3 recording in which a student called Judy is discussing her research with her tutor and fellow students.

For each question, click on the correct answer.

You will hear an extract from a Part 1 recording in which two people are discussing a guide to a library.

For each question, click on the correct answers.

Listening Sample task Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling (Type A)

You will hear an extract from Part 2 of the test in which a tour guide describes different places in a US town.

For each question, click on the correct space in the table.

Listening Sample task Note Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 1 recording in which two people are discussing second-hand furniture.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Table Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 4 recording in which a university lecturer is giving a talk about research into ‘learner persistence’.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Flow-chart Completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 recording in which two biology students are comparing their research on evidence of life on Earth and other planets.

For each question, click on the correct answer and move it into the gap.

Listening Sample task Sentence Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 3 recording in which two friends are discussing studying with the Open University.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Short Answer Questions

You will hear an extract from Part 2 of the test in which a representative from a clothing company is giving a talk to high school students.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Find out more about the Listening test

Academic Reading (60 minutes)

A variety of tasks is used including: multiple choice, identifying information (True/False/Not Given), identifying a writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not Given), matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.

Academic Reading Sample task Multiple Choice (one answer)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about older people in the workforce.

Click on the correct answer.

Academic Reading Sample task Multiple Choice (more than one answer)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about older people in the workforce.

Click on the correct answers.

Academic Reading Sample task Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the scientist Marie Curie.

Click on the correct answers.

Academic Reading Sample task Note Completion

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the scientist Marie Curie.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Table Completion

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about dung beetles.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Matching Features

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the development of rockets.

For each question, click on the correct space in the table.

Academic Reading Sample task Summary Completion (selecting words from the text)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about the ‘Plain English’ movement, which promotes the use of clear English.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Summary Completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about language.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Sentence Completion

You will read a Part 2 text which discusses whether birds evolved from dinosaurs.

Click on the correct answer.

Academic Reading Sample task Matching Sentence Endings

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about the scientific community in London in the 1700s.

Click on the correct answer.

Find out more about the Academic Reading test

Academic Writing (60 minutes)

In Part 1, you are presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event.

In Part 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

Academic Writing Sample tasks

Find out more about the Academic Writing test

Academic Writing (60 minutes)

The Academic Writing question types in IELTS on computer are the same as in the IELTS on paper test.

In Part 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

Academic Writing Sample tasks

Find out more about the Academic Writing test

IELTS Academic - sample tasks

Listening (30 minutes)

Listening Sample task Multiple Choice (one answer)

You will hear an extract from a Part 3 recording in which a student called Judy is discussing her research with her tutor and fellow students.

For each question, click on the correct answer.

You will hear an extract from a Part 1 recording in which two people are discussing a guide to a library.

For each question, click on the correct answers.

Listening Sample task Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling (Type A)

You will hear an extract from Part 2 of the test in which a tour guide describes different places in a US town.

For each question, click on the correct space in the table.

Listening Sample task Note Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 1 recording in which two people are discussing second-hand furniture.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Table Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 4 recording in which a university lecturer is giving a talk about research into ‘learner persistence’.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Flow-chart Completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 recording in which two biology students are comparing their research on evidence of life on Earth and other planets.

For each question, click on the correct answer and move it into the gap.

Listening Sample task Sentence Completion

You will hear an extract from a Part 3 recording in which two friends are discussing studying with the Open University.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Listening Sample task Short Answer Questions

You will hear an extract from Part 2 of the test in which a representative from a clothing company is giving a talk to high school students.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Find out more about the Listening test

Academic Reading (60 minutes)

Academic Reading Sample task Multiple Choice (one answer)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about older people in the workforce.

Click on the correct answer.

Academic Reading Sample task Multiple Choice (more than one answer)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about older people in the workforce.

Click on the correct answers.

Academic Reading Sample task Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the scientist Marie Curie.

Click on the correct answers.

Academic Reading Sample task Note Completion

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the scientist Marie Curie.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Table Completion

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about dung beetles.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Matching Features

You will read an extract from a Part 1 text about the development of rockets.

For each question, click on the correct space in the table.

Academic Reading Sample task Summary Completion (selecting words from the text)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about the ‘Plain English’ movement, which promotes the use of clear English.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Summary Completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases)

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about language.

For each question, write your answer in the gap.

Academic Reading Sample task Sentence Completion

You will read a Part 2 text which discusses whether birds evolved from dinosaurs.

Click on the correct answer.

Academic Reading Sample task Matching Sentence Endings

You will read an extract from a Part 3 text about the scientific community in London in the 1700s.

Click on the correct answer.

Find out more about the Academic Reading test

Academic Writing (60 minutes)

In Part 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

Academic Writing Sample tasks

Find out more about the Academic Writing test

Academic Writing (60 minutes)

The Academic Writing question types in IELTS on computer are the same as in the IELTS on paper test.

In Part 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

Academic Writing Sample tasks

Find out more about the Academic Writing test

IELTS practice experience

The practice experience will show you how everything will look on your computer ahead of the test day. As these are practice tests, they are not timed. There are some variations from the live tests, including the timer, highlighting, and notes functions performing differently.

In this Listening test sample, you will hear four different recordings.

You will hear each recording ONCE only.

The test is in four parts, with 40 questions in total.

This Academic Reading sample will show you three texts to read.

The test is in three parts, with 40 questions in total.

This Academic Writing sample consists of two writing tasks.

This Academic Writing on Paper sample consists of two writing tasks.

In this Listening test sample, you will hear four different recordings.

You will hear each recording ONCE only.

The test is in four parts, with 40 questions in total.

This Academic Reading sample will show you three texts to read.

The test is in three parts, with 40 questions in total.

This Academic Writing sample consists of two writing tasks.

This Academic Writing on Paper sample consists of two writing tasks.

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