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IELTS General Training test
Every detail you need for each part of your IELTS General Training
test.

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You can take the IELTS General Training test at a test centre.

Choose this if you wish to migrate to a country where English is spoken, (e.g.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK) or if you wish to train or study at below degree
level.

In IELTS, there are four papers: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The
Speaking and Listening tests are the same in both the Academic and the General
Training tests, but the Reading and Writing tests are different.

(Please visit our other pages for in-depth guides to the IELTS Academic test or Life
Skills test.)

Listening
What’s in the IELTS Listening paper?
The paper has four parts, with ten questions in each part. The questions are in the
same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will
be before the answer to the second question, and so on.
Parts 1 and 2 deal with everyday, social situations. There is a conversation
between two speakers in Part 1 (for example, a conversation about travel
arrangements). Only one person speaks in Part 2 (for example, a speech about local
facilities).

Parts 3 and 4 deal with educational and training situations. In Part 3 there is a
conversation between two main speakers (for example, two university students in
discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor). In Part 4 only one person speaks on an
academic subject.

You will hear the recordings once only. Different accents, including British,
Australian, New Zealand and North American, are used.

You will need to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. You will have 10 minutes
at the end of the test to do this. You should be careful when writing your answers
on the answer sheet because you will lose marks for incorrect spelling and
grammar.

Summary
Time allowed: Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers
to an answer sheet)

Number of parts: 4

Number of questions: 40

Marking: Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Your final score is given as a band
score in whole or half bands, e.g. 5.5 or 7.0.

Types of question

Listening Question Type 1 – Multiple choice

What's involved?
This type of question may be a question with three possible answers or the first half
of a sentence with three possible sentence endings. You have to choose one correct
answer, A, B or C, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a longer list of possible answers and you have to choose
more than one answer. You should read the question carefully to check how many
answers you need to choose.
What skills are tested?
This type of question tests many listening skills, e.g. a detailed understanding of
specific points, or general understanding of the main points of the recording.

How many questions are there?

Variable

Listening Question Type 2 – Matching

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to match a list of items from the recording to a list of
options on the question paper, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?

This type of question tests your ability to:

 listen for detailed information. For example, whether you can understand information
about the type of hotel or guest house accommodation in an everyday conversation

 follow a conversation between two people

 recognise how facts in the recording are connected to each other.

How many questions are there?
Variable

Listening Question Type 3 – Plan/map/diagram labelling

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to complete labels on a visual which may be:

 a diagram (e.g. a piece of equipment)

 a set of pictures

 a plan (e.g. of a building)

 a map (e.g. of part of a town).

You may have to:

 select your answers from a list on the question paper, then write the correct letter on
the answer sheet

 select words from the recording which fit into gaps on the question paper. In this
case, you will need to keep to the word limit given in the instructions. You do not have
to change the words in the recording in any way.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers
you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing
more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested.
Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?

This type of question tests your ability to understand, for example, a description of a
place, and how this description relates to the visual. It may also test your ability to
understand explanations of where things are and follow directions (e.g. straight
on/through the far door).

How many questions are there?

Variable

Listening Question Type 4 – Form/note/table/flow

chart/summary completion

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to fill in gaps in an outline of part or all of the
recording. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the recording and may be:

 a form: often used for facts, such as names

 a set of notes: used to summarise information and show how different points relate to
one another

 a table: used to summarise information that can be divided into clear categories, e.g.
place/time/price

 a flow chart: used to summarise the stages in a process, with the direction of the
process shown by arrows.
You may have to:

 select your answers from a list on the question paper, then write the correct letter on
the answer sheet

 select words from the recording which fit into gaps on the question paper. In this
case, you will need to keep to the word limit given in the instructions. You do not have
to change the words in the recording in any way.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers
you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing
more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested.
Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested?
This type of question focuses on the main points the person listening would naturally
write down.

How many questions are there?

Variable

Listening Question Type 5 – Sentence completion

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to read sentences that summarise important
information from either all of the listening text or from one part of it. You have to fill in
a gap in each sentence using information from the recording.

You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers
you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing
more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested.
Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?

This type of question focuses on your ability to identify the important information in a
recording. You may also need to understand relationships between
ideas/facts/events, such as cause and effect.

How many questions are there?

Variable

Listening Question Type 6 – Short-answer questions

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to read a question and write a short answer using
information from the recording.

You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers
you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing
more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested.
Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write your answer on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a question which asks you to write two or three different
answers.

What skills are tested?

This type of question focuses on your ability to listen for facts, such as places, prices
or times, heard in the recording.

How many questions are there?

Variable