IELTS Academic cheat sheet

Four parts, 40 questions, about 30 minutes plus 10 minutes transfer time on paper; Part 1 is a transactional dialogue, Part 2 a monologue, Part 3 an academic discussion among up to four speakers, Part 4 an academic lecture.

Answers are marked on the answer sheet only; spelling and grammar errors are penalised, so a correct word misspelt scores zero.

Word limits are given in the instruction (e.g. NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER); exceeding the limit scores zero even if the answer is factually right.

Numbers, dates, and prices are frequent answers: listen for corrections such as 'actually', 'sorry', 'no wait' - the second version is the one marked.

Part 1 and Part 3 often contain distractor options; a named option is not automatically the answer, so track the speaker's final decision.

Map and diagram labelling questions test spatial language: prepositions (opposite, adjacent to, at the end of, just past) and compass directions relative to a marked entrance.

Multiple-choice options are paraphrased in the audio; matching the exact words of an option is a warning sign, not confirmation.

Section order follows question order within each part; if you miss an item, mark it and move on rather than losing the next answer.

Three passages, 40 questions, 60 minutes, no extra transfer time; roughly 20 minutes per passage is the standard pacing benchmark.

Question types include True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, matching headings, matching information, sentence completion, summary completion, multiple choice, and matching features.

False means the passage contradicts the statement; Not Given means the passage neither confirms nor contradicts it - absence of evidence is Not Given, not False.

Answers appear in passage order for most question types, but matching headings and matching information do not follow sequential order.

Word limits in completion tasks are strict; articles (a, an, the) may usually be included or omitted without penalty, but adding extra words breaks the limit.

Matching headings requires the main idea of the whole paragraph; a heading that repeats one detail is a distractor.

Skimming for gist and scanning for keywords are separate skills: spend the first 2-3 minutes on structure, then locate answers by keyword.

Answers must be copied exactly as they appear in the text for completion items; paraphrasing in a 'from the passage' task loses the mark.

Task 1 (Academic) is at least 150 words and should take about 20 minutes; Task 2 is at least 250 words and about 40 minutes; Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1.

Task 1 band descriptors require an overview; a response without a clear overview is capped at Band 5 for Task Achievement.

Task 1 must report data, not interpret causes; speculation about reasons belongs to Task 2, not Task 1.

Task 2 requires a clear position throughout; an essay that discusses both sides without stating a view limits Task Response to around Band 5-6.

Coherence and Cohesion rewards logical paragraphing and referencing (this, such measures), not a memorised list of linkers; mechanical overuse of 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore' lowers the score.

Lexical Resource rewards precise, natural collocation and penalises errors that impede communication more than rare but misused vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy requires a mix of complex structures (relative clauses, conditionals, passive) with errors that do not reduce clarity.

Under-length responses receive a penalty: below 150 or 250 words the Task Achievement/Response score is reduced.

Three parts: Part 1 introduction and interview (4-5 minutes), Part 2 individual long turn with 1 minute preparation and up to 2 minutes speaking, Part 3 two-way discussion (4-5 minutes).

Four criteria, equally weighted: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation.

Part 2 cue card gives a topic and bullet points; the examiner stops you at 2 minutes, and you may take notes during the 1-minute preparation.

Fluency is judged on flow and coherence, not speed; self-correction is acceptable, but long pauses and repetition lower the score.

Pronunciation covers individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress, and intonation; accent is not penalised if intelligibility is maintained.

Part 3 questions extend from the Part 2 topic into abstract discussion; answers should state a view and justify it with reasons or examples.

Band 7 Lexical Resource requires some less common and idiomatic vocabulary with awareness of style and collocation; errors should not impede meaning.

The examiner follows a script and does not give feedback; the score is based on the recorded performance against the four descriptors.