How is the IELTS overall band calculated?

Average the four section bands and round to the nearest half band: an average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. For example 6.5 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 7.0 = 26, divided by four is 6.5, so the overall band is 6.5.

How many correct answers do I need for Band 7 in Listening or Academic Reading?

About 30 out of 40 in both sections, and about 23 out of 40 for Band 6, although the exact cut varies slightly between test versions. Writing and Speaking are marked by examiners against the public band descriptors rather than converted from a raw score.

Is the IELTS Speaking test with a real person?

Yes. It is a live 11 to 14 minute conversation with an IELTS examiner in three parts: an introduction and interview, a short individual talk on a task card, and a two-way discussion. It may be scheduled on the same day as the other sections or up to seven days before or after.

What is IELTS One Skill Retake?

If you took IELTS on computer you can re-sit one section, Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking, within 60 days of the original test, once per test, and receive a new Test Report Form with the updated score. Check that your university or visa route accepts it; UKVI accepts it only in selected locations.

What does IELTS Academic cost in India?

Fees are set per centre. As an example, the IDP Mumbai listing on ielts.org shows INR 19,000 for IELTS Academic on computer and INR 19,250 for IELTS UKVI Academic. Prices change between years and centres, so confirm the fee on your centre's booking page before you pay.

Academic or General Training, which one do I book?

Academic is for university admission and professional registration; General Training is for migration and work. Listening and Speaking are identical across the two; Reading and Writing Task 1 differ. Book the module your receiving institution or visa authority names, not the one that looks easier.

Does Myndaq have a free IELTS Academic mock test?

Yes, one free mock per account with no card, run section by section on a server-controlled clock with Writing and Speaking scored by AI as estimates. It is shorter than the real 2 hour 45 minute paper; the mock page states the exact question count and timing, and the AI tutor explains every answer.

What does the Myndaq IELTS Academic course include?

Practice across Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking with an AI tutor that explains every answer, plus progress analytics and full-length timed mock tests.

Is there a free IELTS Academic mock test?

Myndaq runs a free mock test programme. Availability varies by exam and publication status — check the free mock tests page. One attempt per account, for one eligible exam; sign in with Google or an email link, no payment card required.

IELTS ACADEMIC · AI-POWERED PREPARATION

Your IELTS Academic band.
Your next big move.

Prepare for the test. Open up your world.

Build confidence in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — with full timed mocks, AI band feedback, and a tutor that helps you understand every mistake.

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Facts checked by Jasvinder Aulakh against official IELTS sources · 5 Sep 2026

Concept illustration of a violet doorway opening onto a university courtyard, with headphones, a notebook and a microphone representing IELTS preparation

Big ambitions.
One place to prepare.

LISTEN. READ. WRITE. SPEAK.4 skills.
One next chapter.

01Practise with purpose.

Question types, topic banks and strategies for every skill.

02Understand the gaps.

AI feedback and explanations that turn mistakes into your next move.

03Train for test day.

Full timed mocks bring all four skills together.

Meet your new study advantage.

One workspace for practice, feedback and progress. Explore the real IELTS course below.

ListeningReadingWritingSpeakingFull mocksAnalytics

Timed IELTS Listening practice test with audio player and four sections

Listening in the real 4-part format

Audio plays once in test mode, 40 questions across 4 sections, with a live timer. The tutor stays locked until you submit, then explains every answer with the transcript.

Listening section guide

IELTS Reading Matching Features question beside the Myndaq AI tutor chat

Reading with a tutor beside you

Practise each Reading question type on full passages. Stuck? Ask the tutor what the question wants, get a hint, or try a similar question.

Reading time strategy

IELTS Writing chapters: Task 1 data description and Task 2 essay types with progress

Writing Task 1 and Task 2

Task 1 data descriptions and six Task 2 essay types: agree/disagree, discuss both views, advantages/disadvantages, problem/solution, two-part and opinion.

Writing Task 2 guide

IELTS Speaking chapters: Part 1 introduction topics with per-topic progress

Speaking, part by part

Part 1 topics like work, hobbies and travel, Part 2 long turns and Part 3 discussion, each tracked so you see which topics still need work.

IELTS preparation guide

Five IELTS Academic full mocks with timings for each skill

Five full timed mocks

Listening 30 min, Reading 60, Writing 60, Speaking 14, with breaks. Submit once and the band is locked, just like test day.

Try the free mock

Subject mastery analytics showing accuracy per skill and the chapters losing most marks

See where marks leak

Accuracy per skill, weekly movement, and the chapters costing you the most marks, so each study session goes where it counts.

IELTS band scores explained

FOUR SKILLS. ZERO BLIND SPOTS.

Every skill. Every angle.

Build the skills behind the score, one focused session at a time.

01 / LISTENING

Hear the detail.

One-play audio, real test timing, and transcript-led review.

Explore listening →

02 / READING

Find the evidence.

Full passages, question-type practice, and a sharper time strategy.

Explore reading →

03 / WRITING

Make your point.

Task 1 reports and Task 2 essays, with AI band feedback.

Explore writing →

04 / SPEAKING

Find your voice.

Record all three parts and review your AI-scored delivery.

Explore speaking →

Try a Reading question

A multiple-choice question: read the passage, then check your reasoning.

Passage

Two prominent theories exist to explain why children learn language so quickly. The behaviourist theory, associated with B.F. Skinner, suggests that children learn language through imitation and reinforcement — they copy what they hear and are rewarded when they communicate successfully. The nativist theory, proposed by Noam Chomsky, argues that children are born with an inborn language acquisition device that allows them to absorb grammar rules naturally.

Which theory suggests that children learn language by copying others and receiving positive feedback?

Select an answer, then check your reasoning.

Answer and explanation

A, the behaviourist theory. The passage links imitation and reward to the behaviourist theory (Skinner). The nativist theory is about an inborn device, not copying.

Know what needs work. Then work on it.

Listening and Reading convert raw marks to a band (around 30 of 40 is Band 7). Writing and Speaking are marked against the public band descriptors. Myndaq shows each skill band, your overall band, and where you lost marks.

Work out an overall band with the IELTS band calculator →

Performance analysis screen showing estimated IELTS band, days to exam and next recommended practice

Six weeks. A clear direction.

A suggested rhythm for your preparation. Adapt it to your starting band and test date.

Week 1
Baseline
Take the free mock under timed conditions. Note your weakest skill.
Weeks 2–3
Question types
Work through Reading and Listening question types; ask the tutor on every miss.
Weeks 4–5
Writing & Speaking
Alternate Task 1 reports and Task 2 essays; record Part 2 long turns, then use feedback to refine them.
Week 6
Full mocks
Sit full timed mocks, compare bands with week 1 and drill only the weakest chapters.

IELTS Academic in four numbers

Know the format before you build your preparation plan.

Total time

2 h 45 min

Listening, Reading and Writing in one sitting; Speaking the same day or within seven days

Questions

40 + 40

40 Listening and 40 Reading questions, plus 2 Writing tasks

Scoring

Band 0–9

Each skill in half bands; overall is the average, rounded to the nearest half band

Score validity

2 years

One Skill Retake lets you resit a single skill

How the test day runs

Listening, Reading and Writing run in order. Speaking is scheduled separately.

Listening~30 min · 4 parts · 40 Q

Reading60 min · 3 passages · 40 Q

Writing60 min · Task 1 data description · Task 2 essay

Speaking11–14 min · 3 parts

The whole course in 80 seconds

All four skills in the real format, full mocks, and a band estimate that updates with every attempt.

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Read the transcript

Practise all four skills with an AI tutor, full mocks, and a live band estimate. IELTS is trusted by twelve thousand five hundred organisations worldwide. One test, one band, from listening to speaking.

Listening: thirty minutes, four parts, forty questions, one play, real accents. Reading: sixty minutes, three passages, forty questions. Answer from evidence, and build speed without losing accuracy.

Writing: sixty minutes, two tasks, with AI band feedback on structure and argument. Speaking: eleven to fourteen minutes, three parts. Record naturally and get scored fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Know your band today, and your next move. Every attempt updates your estimate, ranks your weaknesses, and builds one plan. Tutor, mocks, analytics, and practice, working as one across devices.

Three steps, every day. Practise each skill, sit a full four-skill mock, then close the band gap. Your band is built one question at a time. Start free at myndaq.com.

Your IELTS preparation library.

Everything we have written on the test, checked against official sources.

FormatIELTS Academic syllabus and test format ScoringIELTS band scores explained FeesIELTS Academic fees and booking PlanIELTS Academic preparation guide PracticeIELTS Academic practice questions ListeningListening section guide ReadingReading: managing 60 minutes WritingWriting Task 2 guide RetakeOne Skill Retake explained CompareIELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE vs DET

YOUR FIRST MOVE

Your next chapter starts with one mock.

Every account gets one free mock for one exam, with no card. It runs section by section on a timed clock, Writing and Speaking are scored by AI as estimates, and the tutor explains every answer. Sign in to start. The free mock is shorter than the full IELTS test; see its exact format before you begin.

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IELTS Academic mock tests page listing five full mocks with timings for each skill

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Free

One complete mock for one exam
AI chat tutor within the daily free limit
Band calculator and all IELTS guides
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Pro

All 5 full timed mocks in the real format
All 66 modules and unlimited AI doubts
AI-scored Writing and Speaking within daily limits
2 course slots

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Your IELTS Academic band.
Your next big move.