IELTS Academic flashcards

31 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Listening Part 1

A transactional dialogue between two speakers, usually a booking, enquiry, or registration. Answers are factual details such as names, addresses, dates, and prices, and are spelled out or repeated for clarity.

Listening Part 4

A single academic lecture with no break in the middle. Questions follow the lecture order, and answers are often nouns or noun phrases paraphrased from the recording rather than verbatim.

Answer transfer time

On the paper-based Listening test, ten minutes are given after the recording to copy answers onto the answer sheet. Computer-based candidates get two minutes to check typed answers.

Distractor correction

A speaker first gives one value then corrects it with phrases like 'actually' or 'sorry, I mean'. The corrected value is the marked answer, so the first number heard is often wrong.

Map labelling language

Directions in map tasks use prepositions and landmarks: opposite, next to, at the end of, just past, across from, and compass points relative to a marked entrance or reference point.

Word limit instruction

The rubric states the maximum words allowed, for example NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS. Any answer exceeding the limit scores zero regardless of accuracy.

Spelling penalty

Listening and Reading answers must be spelled correctly. A misspelt word is marked wrong even when the intended answer is clear, so common words like 'accommodation' need practice.

True/False/Not Given

True means the passage agrees with the statement; False means it contradicts it; Not Given means the passage is silent on the point. Absence of evidence is Not Given.

Matching headings task

Candidates choose a heading summarising the main idea of each paragraph from a list. Headings that restate a single detail rather than the paragraph's central point are distractors.

Matching information task

Candidates locate which paragraph contains a specific piece of information. Answers are not in passage order, and one paragraph may be used more than once or not at all.

Reading time allocation

Sixty minutes cover three passages and forty questions with no transfer time. A common benchmark is twenty minutes per passage, leaving a few minutes to check answers.

Summary completion

Candidates fill gaps in a summary of part of the passage, using words from the text or from a box. Grammar and word class must fit the gap as well as the meaning.

Skimming versus scanning

Skimming reads quickly for gist and structure; scanning searches for specific words or numbers. Reading tasks use both, usually skimming first and scanning to locate each answer.

Yes/No/Not Given

Used for opinion-based tasks: Yes agrees with the writer's view, No contradicts it, and Not Given means the writer does not express a view on that point.

Sentence completion limit

Completion tasks specify a word limit taken from the passage. Answers must copy the text exactly, and adding articles or extra words can break the limit and lose the mark.

Task 1 overview requirement

An overview is a statement of the main trends or differences shown in the chart, without data. Its absence caps Task Achievement at Band 5 in Academic Writing.

Task weighting

In Academic Writing, Task 2 contributes about twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score. Task 1 is at least 150 words; Task 2 is at least 250 words.

Task 1 data reporting

Candidates select and report key features from a graph, table, or process, comparing figures with appropriate language. Explaining causes or giving opinions is outside the task.

Task 2 clear position

The essay must state a view in the introduction and maintain it through the body and conclusion. A neutral essay that lists both sides without commitment limits Task Response.

Coherence and Cohesion

This criterion rewards logical paragraphing, clear progression, and effective referencing. Mechanical linking words used without logical need do not raise the score and can lower it.

Lexical Resource criterion

Judges range, precision, and natural collocation. Band 7 needs some less common vocabulary with awareness of style; errors should not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Judges the variety of structures and the frequency of error. Band 7 requires a range of complex sentences with frequent error-free sentences and few errors affecting clarity.

Under-length penalty

A Task 1 response under 150 words or a Task 2 response under 250 words receives a reduced Task Achievement or Task Response score, even if the writing is accurate.

Speaking Part 2 long turn

Candidates receive a cue card, have one minute to prepare with paper and pencil, then speak for up to two minutes. The examiner stops them at two minutes.

Speaking criteria weighting

Four criteria are equally weighted: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. The final Speaking band is their average.

Fluency and Coherence

Judges smooth flow, logical linking of ideas, and ability to keep going. Self-correction is acceptable, but long pauses and repetition reduce the score.

Pronunciation scoring

Covers individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress, and intonation. Accent is not penalised when the examiner can understand the candidate without effort.

Speaking Part 3 discussion

A two-way discussion extending the Part 2 topic into abstract issues. Candidates should state a position and support it with reasons or examples rather than giving one-line answers.

Speaking Part 1 interview

A short introduction covering familiar topics such as home, work, study, and hobbies. Answers of two to three sentences with a reason work better than single-word replies.

Idiomatic vocabulary Band 7

Band 7 Lexical Resource requires some less common and idiomatic vocabulary with awareness of style and collocation. Occasional errors are allowed if meaning stays clear.

Examiner script

The examiner reads from a fixed script, manages timing, and gives no feedback or correction. The performance is recorded and scored later against the four descriptors.