IELTS | IELTS General training - sample test questions

Preparing for your IELTS General Training test

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

The Listening test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training and consists of four recorded monologues and conversations.

The following IELTS Listening sample tasks are to be used with the Answer Sheet and MP3 audio files and/or transcripts. Each answer sheet indicates which recording to listen to, or if a transcript is provided.

Listening sample tasks

Find out more about the Listening test

A variety of tasks is used including: multiple-choice questions, identifying information, identifying writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.

General Training Reading sample tasks

Find out more about the General Training Reading test

The General Training Writing test consists of two writing tasks of 150 words and 250 words.

In Task 1, test takers are asked to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, requesting information or explaining a situation.

In Task 2, test takers write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

General Training Writing sample tasks

General Training Writing sample tasks (PDF 1 MB - 24 pages)

Find out more about the General Training Writing test

In the Speaking test, you have a discussion with a certified examiner. It is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.

There are three parts to the test and each part fulfils a specific function in terms of interaction pattern, task input and test taker output.

In Part 1, you answer questions about yourself and your family. In Part 2, you speak about a topic. In Part 3, you have a longer discussion on the topic.

The Speaking test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Each of the three parts is designed to test a different aspect of your communication ability.

Speaking Sample tasks

Speaking sample tasks (PDF 403 KB - 7 pages)

Find out more about the Speaking test

IELTS General Training - paper sample tests

The Listening test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training and consists of four recorded monologues and conversations.

Listening sample tasks

Find out more about the Listening test

General Training Reading sample tasks

Find out more about the General Training Reading test

The General Training Writing test consists of two writing tasks of 150 words and 250 words.

In Task 1, test takers are asked to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, requesting information or explaining a situation.

In Task 2, test takers write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.

General Training Writing sample tasks

General Training Writing sample tasks (PDF 1 MB - 24 pages)

Find out more about the General Training Writing test

Speaking Sample tasks

Speaking sample tasks (PDF 403 KB - 7 pages)

Find out more about the Speaking test

IELTS General Training - computer sample tests

The Listening question types for IELTS on computer are the same as in the IELTS on paper test.

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.

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.

Multiple choice (more than one answer)

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

Click on the correct answers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

The General Training Reading question types in IELTS on computer are the same as in the IELTS on paper test. 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, sentence completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.

Multiple choice

True/False/Not Given

Matching information

Matching features

Summary completion

Note completion

Sentence completion

Find out more about the General Training Reading test

The General Training Writing question types in IELTS on computer are the same as in IELTS on paper.

In Part 1, you are asked to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, requesting information or explaining a situation.

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

Find out more about the General Training Writing test

IELTS General Training - computer sample tests

The Listening question types for IELTS on computer are the same as in the IELTS on paper test.

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.

Multiple choice (more than one answer)

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

Click on the correct answers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Multiple choice

True/False/Not Given

Matching information

Matching features

Summary completion

Note completion

Sentence completion

Find out more about the General Training Reading test

The General Training Writing question types in IELTS on computer are the same as in IELTS on paper.

In Part 1, you are asked to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, requesting information or explaining a situation.

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

Find out more about the General Training Writing test

IELTS on computer practice experience

The practice experience will show you how everything will look on your computer ahead of the test day. The sample below uses IELTS Academic questions for the Reading and Writing sections so while you won’t get to practise General Training questions in all the sections, you will get to familiarise yourself with the test platform.

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.

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.