Question 1

How is the overall band score calculated?

Accepted Answer

Your four module scores — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — are averaged, and that mean is rounded to the nearest whole or half band. A mean ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and .75 rounds up to the next whole band. So 6.5, 6.5, 5.0 and 7.0 averages 6.25 and is reported as 6.5.

Question 2

What is the difference between Academic and General Training?

Accepted Answer

Listening and Speaking are identical in both. Reading uses completely different texts and — importantly — a different raw-score-to-band table, so the same number of correct answers gives you a different band. Writing Task 1 differs entirely: Academic asks you to describe a chart, graph, process or map, while General Training asks you to write a letter. Choosing the wrong one wastes weeks of preparation.

Question 3

How many marks do I need for each band?

Accepted Answer

In Reading, 30 correct out of 40 is band 7.0 on Academic but only 6.0 on General Training — a full band apart on an identical raw score. Listening uses one table for both, where 30 out of 40 is band 7.0. Writing and Speaking are not raw-scored at all; they are assessed against four published criteria, each weighted equally.

Question 4

Is there negative marking?

Accepted Answer

No. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so never leave a question blank — an unanswered question and a wrong answer cost exactly the same. Spelling and grammar do count in Listening and Reading, though: a correctly heard answer spelled wrongly is marked wrong.

Question 5

How long does the test take?

Accepted Answer

Listening, Reading and Writing run back to back in a single sitting of about two hours forty minutes, with no break between them. On paper-based Listening you get an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers; on computer-delivered you get 2 minutes, and Reading has no transfer time at all. Speaking is 11 to 14 minutes and may be on the same day or up to a week either side.

Question 6

How is Writing assessed?

Accepted Answer

Against four criteria, each carrying equal weight: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band. Falling under the word minimum — 150 for Task 1, 250 for Task 2 — is penalised directly under Task Response.

Question 7

How long is an IELTS score valid?

Accepted Answer

Test results are normally treated as valid for two years from the test date. That is a guideline rather than an expiry, and the institution or immigration authority you are applying to sets the rule — some accept older results, many do not. Always check the requirement before you book.

Question 8

Can I retake just one module?

Accepted Answer

In many countries yes, through One Skill Retake — you resit a single module within 60 days of the original test and receive an updated Test Report Form. It is not available at every centre or in every country, and not every organisation accepts it, so confirm both with your centre and with whoever is receiving your score.

Question 9

When do results come out?

Accepted Answer

Computer-delivered results are typically available within three to five days of the test. Paper-based results usually take around 13 days. Your centre confirms the exact date when you book.

Question 10

Are the scores on this site official?

Accepted Answer

No. The IELTS Institute is an independent preparation platform. Every score produced here is an indicative prediction based on the public band descriptors and the published raw-score conversion tables. It is not an official IELTS result and cannot be used for a visa, university or professional registration application.

Questions, answered plainly.