IELTS Syllabus Tracker
80 Modules0%
Mastered: 0
In Progress: 0
Unstarted: 80
IELTS Syllabus 2026: What's in Each of the Four Sections
Last checked: 28 September 2026
IELTS has no reading list or set topics to learn. Its "syllabus" is the test format: four sections, a fixed set of question types, and public band descriptors that explain how Writing and Speaking are marked. This tracker turns that format into 80 modules: 12 for Listening, 16 for Reading, 22 for Writing, 20 for Speaking and 10 for grammar, vocabulary and full mock tests.
There are two versions. IELTS Academic is for university study and professional registration. IELTS General Training is for work, training and migration. Listening and Speaking are the same in both, while Reading and Writing differ, so make sure you're practising the right one.
| Section | Time | What you do | Academic vs General Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | Four recordings and 40 questions. On paper you get 10 extra minutes to copy your answers across. On computer you get 2 minutes to check them. | Same |
| Reading | 60 minutes | Three sections and 40 questions | Different texts. Academic uses long texts from books, journals and newspapers. General Training uses everyday and workplace texts. |
| Writing | 60 minutes | Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2, an essay (at least 250 words) | Task 1 differs. Academic describes a chart, table or diagram. General Training writes a letter. |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes | A three-part conversation with an examiner | Same |
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day with no breaks between them, which takes about two and a half hours. Speaking may be on the same day or up to a week before or after.
How IELTS is scored
- Each section gets a band from 0 to 9, in half bands. Your overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half or whole band. An average of 6.25 becomes 6.5, and 6.75 becomes 7.
- Writing Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1, so give it about 40 of your 60 minutes.
- Writing is marked on four criteria: task achievement (or task response for Task 2), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.
- Speaking is marked on four criteria too: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.
- One Skill Retake lets you resit a single section within 60 days of your test, once per test, where it's offered. Check that your university or employer accepts it before you rely on it.
How to use the tracker's six milestones
- Strategy: learn how the question type works and what the examiner is looking for.
- Vocab and Templates: collect useful collocations, linking words and essay structures. Use templates for structure only. Examiners are trained to spot memorised sentences, and they can pull your score down.
- Skill Drills: practise the question type untimed until you understand your mistakes.
- Timed Test: do the same question type at real test pace, ideally with official practice material.
- Error Audit: sort your mistakes. In Listening and Reading, check whether you misheard, misread or ran out of time. In Writing and Speaking, compare your work with the band descriptors.
- Band 8+ Mastery: tick this when you can do the task accurately at speed, and your recent practice scores are at or above your target.
A realistic plan to cover it
- Take one timed practice test first and score each section. The section furthest from your target should get about half of your study time.
- Get your writing marked. Writing is usually the slowest band to move, and essays nobody corrects tend to repeat the same mistakes.
- Record your speaking answers for Parts 2 and 3 a few times a week, and listen back for pauses and repeated words.
- Do a full test every week or two in the final month, and spend as long reviewing it as you spent taking it.
- Keep using English outside study: podcasts, long articles, series without subtitles. That's what moves your level, not just your technique.
How long will it take? That depends on the gap between your practice score and your target. Our guide to how many hours to study for IELTS breaks it down by band gap, and how to prepare for IELTS covers each section in detail.
Common mistakes
- Practising the wrong version. General Training Reading and Writing Task 1 are different from Academic.
- Writing under the word count. Task 1 needs at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250.
- Ignoring spelling in Listening. Answers must be spelled correctly, although British and American spellings are both accepted.
- Memorising Speaking answers. Examiners notice, and they ask follow-up questions that a script can't handle.
Count your practice by section with a free online study timer, and start a session before each timed test so you can see which skill is really getting your hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IELTS syllabus?
IELTS has no fixed list of topics. The syllabus is the test format: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, each with set question types, plus public band descriptors for Writing and Speaking. This tracker splits those into 80 modules you can tick off.
What is the difference between IELTS Academic and General Training?
Listening and Speaking are the same. Reading and Writing are different: Academic uses longer, more academic texts and asks you to describe a chart or diagram in Writing Task 1, while General Training uses everyday texts and asks you to write a letter. Academic is for university study, and General Training is for work, training and migration.
How long is the IELTS test?
About 2 hours 45 minutes in total. Listening takes about 30 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Writing 60 minutes and Speaking 11 to 14 minutes. Speaking can be on the same day as the other sections or up to a week before or after.
How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
Your overall band is the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half or whole band. For example, an average of 6.25 becomes 6.5, and an average of 6.75 becomes 7.
What is IELTS One Skill Retake?
It lets you retake one section, such as Writing, within 60 days of your original test instead of sitting the whole test again. You can use it once per test, where it's offered. Check that your university or employer accepts it first.
Does spelling matter in IELTS Listening?
Yes. An answer that is spelled wrongly is marked wrong, so practise writing names, numbers and common words carefully. British and American spellings are both accepted.
Sources checked in September 2026: IELTS Academic test, IELTS scoring in detail, IELTS One Skill Retake and official IELTS sample questions. Module counts come from this tracker.
