IELTS Academic
Articles about IELTS Academic
IELTS Academic format and band scores, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, preparation plans, booking and taking the test: articles with tables and examples.
Format and scores
IELTS Band Scores: Conversion Tables and How the Overall Band Score Is Calculated
Raw score to band score conversion tables for IELTS Listening and Reading Academic, the Overall band rounding rule with examples, and what bands 5 to 9 mean.
Format and scores
What is IELTS: exam, band scores, cost and preparation in 2026
IELTS explained simply: what the exam is, who needs it, its four parts, how band scores work, where to book and how to prepare in 2026.
Format and scores
IELTS 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0: What These Band Scores Mean and How to Improve
What IELTS band scores 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0 mean, which CEFR levels they correspond to, what they are enough for and how to move to the next level.
Format and scores
IELTS 6.5: What Level It Is, Where It Is Accepted and How to Move Up to 7.0
IELTS 6.5 is B2. What band 6.5 means, which programmes accept it, how many correct answers you need and what stops you moving to 7.0.
Format and scores
IELTS Academic or General Training: What's the Difference and Which One to Choose
How IELTS Academic differs from General Training: Reading, Writing, band score tables and who needs which version. How to avoid a costly mistake when choosing your test.
Format and scores
IELTS Scale and CEFR Levels: What Band Score Corresponds to B2, C1 and C2
What English level IELTS 5.5, 6.5, 7 and 8 corresponds to: IELTS to CEFR conversion table and what band score you need for study and work.
Format and scores
IELTS Academic Format in 2026: Sections, Timing and Tasks
What IELTS Academic includes in 2026: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, how long each section lasts, what tasks to expect and how they are scored.
Format and scores
IELTS or TOEFL: Which Test to Take in 2026
IELTS vs TOEFL iBT comparison in 2026: format, Speaking with a person vs a computer, band scores, new TOEFL 1–6 scale, and who accepts which test.
Format and scores
IELTS Tasks: All Question Types in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking
Complete list of IELTS Academic tasks: what question types appear in Listening and Reading, what tasks to expect in Writing and Speaking, and how to approach each one.
Format and scores
What Has Changed in IELTS in 2026
Key IELTS changes in 2026: move to computer-based format, hybrid Writing on Paper option and One Skill Retake rules. What it means for your preparation.
Listening and Reading
IELTS Listening: Traps, Question Types and Tips for a High Band Score
How IELTS Listening works, what traps to expect in the recording, how to answer completion, map and multiple choice questions, and how to practise effectively.
Listening and Reading
IELTS Reading Academic: Structure and How to Score High
How IELTS Reading Academic works: three passages, 40 questions, 60 minutes. Timing per passage, how to read, which question types follow the text order, and common mistakes.
Listening and Reading
True/False/Not Given in IELTS Reading: How to Answer with Confidence
How to tell False from Not Given in IELTS Reading: a simple 3-question method, tricky qualifier words, worked example and common mistakes to avoid.
Writing
IELTS Essay: Band 6, 7 and 8 Examples with Analysis
The same IELTS Writing Task 2 paragraph in three versions — band 6, 7 and 8 — plus a full band 8 essay with criterion-by-criterion analysis.
Writing
IELTS Writing Task 1: Sample Answers with Analysis (line graph, pie chart, process)
Three model answers for IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic for a line graph, pie charts and a process, with analysis: overview, data grouping and vocabulary.
Writing
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic: How to Describe Graphs, Tables and Processes
How to write IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic: four-paragraph structure, what an overview is, how to group data, language for trends and comparisons, processes and maps.
Writing
IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Write a Band 8–9 Essay
How to write an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay: five question types, 5-minute plan, four-paragraph structure, how to develop ideas and what to avoid. With a sample paragraph.
Writing
IELTS Writing: The Complete Guide to Task 1 and Task 2
Everything about IELTS Writing Academic: how Task 1 and Task 2 work, word counts, how to manage the 60 minutes, how you are assessed and how to raise your band score.
Writing
IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Explained Simply: How Band 6 Differs from 7 and 8
The four IELTS Writing marking criteria explained simply: Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy. How band 6, 7 and 8 differ.
Speaking
IELTS Speaking Topics 2026: Part 1, 2 and 3 Questions with Sample Answers
Common IELTS Speaking topics: Part 1 questions, Part 2 cue cards and Part 3 questions by topic, with sample answers and how to prepare without memorising.
Speaking
IELTS Speaking: How It Works and How to Score Band 8–9
How IELTS Speaking works, what the examiner assesses, how to answer in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, why memorised answers lower your score and how to practise without a partner.
Preparation
Free IELTS Preparation: Legal Tests, Materials and Tools
Where to prepare for IELTS for free and legally: official practice tests, assessment criteria, free materials for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and how to check your answers.
Preparation
How to Get IELTS Band 8 and Above: What It Really Takes
How many correct answers you need for 8.0 in Listening and Reading, which combinations give Overall 8.0, how Writing and Speaking at band 8 differ from band 7, and how to organise your preparation.
Preparation
IELTS Test Online: How to Take a Mock Exam and Check Your Band Score
How to take an IELTS test online in real exam format: what a good mock test should include, how to sit it under exam conditions and how to interpret your result.
Preparation
IELTS Vocabulary: What to Learn and How to Boost Your Band Score
What vocabulary you need for IELTS: key exam topics, collocations instead of word lists, useful words for Writing Task 1 and Task 2 and Speaking, and how to learn vocabulary so you actually use it.
Preparation
How Long to Prepare for IELTS and How to Create Your Study Plan
How much time you need to prepare for IELTS depending on your level and target band, how to divide hours between skills, and what 4-week and 12-week plans look like.
Preparation
Preparing for IELTS on Your Own: A Step-by-Step System
How to prepare for IELTS on your own: diagnostics, skills-based plan, materials, error log, checking Writing and Speaking without a teacher and getting ready for test day.
Preparation
Websites for IELTS Preparation: How to Choose a Platform in 2026
Types of IELTS preparation websites: official resources, online test sites, AI essay checking platforms and teacher blogs. Eight criteria for choosing any platform.
Preparation
Best IELTS Preparation Books in 2026
Which IELTS preparation books to choose in 2026: Cambridge IELTS collection, Complete IELTS, Official Cambridge Guide, Collins books. How to use them effectively and where to find them legally.
Taking the test
IELTS One Skill Retake: How to Retake One Section of the Test
What IELTS One Skill Retake is, who can retake one section, the 60-day deadline, how it affects your Overall band score and how to prepare for the retake.
Taking the test
IELTS Results: When They Arrive, Where to Check Them and How Long They Are Valid
How long IELTS results take for computer-based and paper-based tests, where to check them, how long the certificate is valid and how to apply for an Enquiry on Results.