Welcome to the Active IELTS question page.
I'm not sure which IELTS exam I need, Academic or General Training?
Look on our Which Exam? page for help.
What is the difference between the IELTS Academic and General Training exams?
Look on our Which Exam? page for help.
Where do I write my answers?
For the writing paper, you will be given lined paper to write on. For the reading and listening paper, you have
to use a special answer sheet. Go here to see an example and advice on how to complete the sheet correctly.
What are the grades for IELTS?
The IELTS exam is marked between 0 and 9. Go here for more information on what each grade means.
Do I get a mark for each part of the IELTS exam?
Yes, you do. On your certificate (Test Report Form) there is information about how well you did in each paper
and an average mark. This is your final mark for the exam.
What happens if I lose my IELTS certificate (Test Report Form)?
You have a problem! You only get one copy of your report form, and up to five more can be sent to the
organisations interested in you. But that is the limit.
How long is my IELTS test result valid?
Normally two years. After this IELTS cannot guarantee your level.
What happens if I am unhappy with my result?
Look on our I have a problem with my score page for help.
Reading
Do I get extra time in the IELTS reading exam to put my answers on the answer sheet?
No, you don't. In the listening exam you have 10 minutes extra to do this, but not in the reading.
Should I read the texts first, and then answer the questions?
No, you shouldn't. It is often best to look at the questions first. Look at our Reading page for more advice.
Do I lose a mark for a wrong answer?
No, you don't, so always write something.
Writing
Is it a problem if my answers in the IELTS writing exam are under the minimum number of words?
Yes, it is. If you are a few words under it may not affect your mark, but if you write less than 150 words on task
1 and 250 on task 2 you will have a problem and may lose marks.
In task 1 of the Academic writing exam, can I use the words in the question in my answer?
Yes, you can, but if you copy a lot of language from the question then the examiner will deduct this from the
final word count and you may find you have not written 150 words. There is no problem with using the
language which is on the diagram you are describing - and it is often important to do this to write a good
answer.
In task 1 of the Academic writing exam, can I give my own opinion also?
Yes, you can, but only when you have already finished describing the diagram and written 150 words. It is nice
to finish with an observation of some kind but this should never be instead of describing the information in the
question.
Which task is more important, Task 1 or Task 2?
Both tasks are important but Task 2 has more weight - if you score a 7 on task 2 and a 6 on task 1 then your
final score is a 7. So always make sure you finish Task 2.
Speaking
Is the IELTS speaking test recorded?
Yes, it is. This is to make sure that your examiner does the test correctly, or in case it needs to be checked
later. It has nothing to do with you and you shouldn't let it distract you.
If I don't understand something the examiner says, can I ask them to repeat it?
Yes, you can. If you do this well, you can actually get marks for good communication.
In Part 2 of the speaking test, do I have to talk about everything on the card?
No, you don't. The instructions are there to help you only, but it is a very good idea to use them to make sure
your answer has a good structure.
Listening
Is spelling important in the listening test?
Yes, it is. If your answer is spelt wrong then you will not get a mark for it.
Can I write on the question sheet?
Yes, you can. It is important to do this as it helps you check if your answers are right.
Do I get extra time to transfer my answers to the answer sheet?
Yes, you do. You get 10 minutes.
Do I hear different accents?
Yes, you do. You can hear a variety of British accents and also accents from Australia and New Zealand
I'm not sure which IELTS exam I need, Academic or General Training?
Look on our Which Exam? page for help.
What is the difference between the IELTS Academic and General Training exams?
Look on our Which Exam? page for help.
Where do I write my answers?
For the writing paper, you will be given lined paper to write on. For the reading and listening paper, you have
to use a special answer sheet. Go here to see an example and advice on how to complete the sheet correctly.
What are the grades for IELTS?
The IELTS exam is marked between 0 and 9. Go here for more information on what each grade means.
Do I get a mark for each part of the IELTS exam?
Yes, you do. On your certificate (Test Report Form) there is information about how well you did in each paper
and an average mark. This is your final mark for the exam.
What happens if I lose my IELTS certificate (Test Report Form)?
You have a problem! You only get one copy of your report form, and up to five more can be sent to the
organisations interested in you. But that is the limit.
How long is my IELTS test result valid?
Normally two years. After this IELTS cannot guarantee your level.
What happens if I am unhappy with my result?
Look on our I have a problem with my score page for help.
Reading
Do I get extra time in the IELTS reading exam to put my answers on the answer sheet?
No, you don't. In the listening exam you have 10 minutes extra to do this, but not in the reading.
Should I read the texts first, and then answer the questions?
No, you shouldn't. It is often best to look at the questions first. Look at our Reading page for more advice.
Do I lose a mark for a wrong answer?
No, you don't, so always write something.
Writing
Is it a problem if my answers in the IELTS writing exam are under the minimum number of words?
Yes, it is. If you are a few words under it may not affect your mark, but if you write less than 150 words on task
1 and 250 on task 2 you will have a problem and may lose marks.
In task 1 of the Academic writing exam, can I use the words in the question in my answer?
Yes, you can, but if you copy a lot of language from the question then the examiner will deduct this from the
final word count and you may find you have not written 150 words. There is no problem with using the
language which is on the diagram you are describing - and it is often important to do this to write a good
answer.
In task 1 of the Academic writing exam, can I give my own opinion also?
Yes, you can, but only when you have already finished describing the diagram and written 150 words. It is nice
to finish with an observation of some kind but this should never be instead of describing the information in the
question.
Which task is more important, Task 1 or Task 2?
Both tasks are important but Task 2 has more weight - if you score a 7 on task 2 and a 6 on task 1 then your
final score is a 7. So always make sure you finish Task 2.
Speaking
Is the IELTS speaking test recorded?
Yes, it is. This is to make sure that your examiner does the test correctly, or in case it needs to be checked
later. It has nothing to do with you and you shouldn't let it distract you.
If I don't understand something the examiner says, can I ask them to repeat it?
Yes, you can. If you do this well, you can actually get marks for good communication.
In Part 2 of the speaking test, do I have to talk about everything on the card?
No, you don't. The instructions are there to help you only, but it is a very good idea to use them to make sure
your answer has a good structure.
Listening
Is spelling important in the listening test?
Yes, it is. If your answer is spelt wrong then you will not get a mark for it.
Can I write on the question sheet?
Yes, you can. It is important to do this as it helps you check if your answers are right.
Do I get extra time to transfer my answers to the answer sheet?
Yes, you do. You get 10 minutes.
Do I hear different accents?
Yes, you do. You can hear a variety of British accents and also accents from Australia and New Zealand
 | |  | |  |
| ©Active IELTS 2006 |
Other useful pages
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
What if I am not happy with my score?
On the day of the exam
Which exam do I need to take?
IELTS questions and answers
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
What if I am not happy with my score?
On the day of the exam
Which exam do I need to take?
IELTS questions and answers