IELTS lessons: the full syllabus, unit by unit

Unit 1

Listening

All four parts of the Listening test: the skills behind 40 questions heard once, part by part and question type by question type.

6 lessons · 5 h 45 min of study · ≈26% of the test

Unit 2

Reading: strategy and text types

How to read up to 2,750 words and answer 40 questions in 60 minutes, and what the Academic and General Training texts demand.

3 lessons · 2 h 20 min of study · ≈5% of the test

Skimming, scanning and timing the Reading test50 min of study · ≈3% of the test · Foundational
General Training Sections 1–2: everyday and workplace texts45 min of study · ≈2% of the test · Foundational
General Training Section 3: the extended text45 min of study · ≈1% of the test · Core

Unit 3

Reading: question types

Every official Reading question type: what it tests, the fastest reliable method and the traps — for Academic and General Training alike.

9 lessons · 7 h 10 min of study · ≈17% of the test

Unit 4

Writing Task 1: Academic reports and General Training letters

Task 1 is one third of the Writing band: a report on visual information (Academic) or a letter (General Training), at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

3 lessons · 2 h 20 min of study · ≈7% of the test

Unit 5

Writing Task 2 and the Writing criteria

Task 2 is two thirds of the Writing band. This unit covers the essay and the four criteria examiners apply to both tasks.

5 lessons · 4 h 40 min of study · ≈19% of the test

Unit 6

Speaking

The 11–14-minute face-to-face interview in three parts, and the four criteria that decide the Speaking band.

6 lessons · 5 h 10 min of study · ≈26% of the test

The IELTS syllabus, explained.

Listening

Reading: strategy and text types

Reading: question types

Writing Task 1: Academic reports and General Training letters

Writing Task 2 and the Writing criteria

Speaking

Listening core skills: prediction, paraphrase and distractors

Guides

The IELTS syllabus, explained.

Listening

Reading: strategy and text types

Reading: question types

Writing Task 1: Academic reports and General Training letters

Writing Task 2 and the Writing criteria

Speaking

Listening core skills: prediction, paraphrase and distractors

Guides

Syllabus

Listening core skills: prediction, paraphrase and distractors

Keep your place

Guides

Syllabus

Listening core skills: prediction, paraphrase and distractors

Keep your place

Guides