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IELTS Listening: four parts, 40 questions

IELTS Listening has 40 questions in four parts, 10 in each, and takes about 30 minutes. You hear each recording once only. Every right answer is worth a mark, and your total out of 40 becomes a band score. It’s the same test for Academic and General Training.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

The four recordings

PartWhat you hear
1A conversation between two people in an everyday situation
2One person talking about an everyday situation
3A conversation between two main speakers in an education or training setting
4One person talking about an academic subject

The questions follow the order of the recording, so if you lose your place, the next question tells you roughly where you are. You’ll hear British, Australian, New Zealand and North American accents.

Question types

The mix changes from test to test, so practise all six.

  • Multiple choice
  • Matching
  • Labelling a plan, map or diagram
  • Completing a form, notes, a table or a flow chart
  • Sentence completion
  • Short-answer questions

How many right answers for each band?

BandListening marks out of 40
516
623
730
835

IELTS publishes the average number of marks needed for some bands. The exact number moves a little between versions of the test.

Free official Listening practice

The official sample questions have a recording for every question type, plus the transcript and answer key. Listen once, answer, then read the transcript for anything you missed. That shows you whether the problem was hearing the words or understanding the question.

IELTS: Academic sample questions ↗

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewIELTSQuestions and pass markHow many questions are on IELTS, and what’s the pass mark?ScoringHow IELTS band scores workBook IELTSHow to book your IELTS test in the UKCostHow much does IELTS cost in the UK?What to bringWhat to bring to your IELTS testOnline testCan you take IELTS online?ResultsIELTS results: when they come out and how to check themWriting testIELTS Writing: Task 1 and Task 2Speaking testIELTS Speaking: the three parts and the cue cardReading testIELTS Reading: Academic and General TrainingAcademic or General Training?IELTS Academic vs General TrainingIELTS for CanadaIELTS for Canada: CLB levels and Express EntryTest dates and centresIELTS test dates and test centresLife Skills (A1, A2, B1)IELTS Life Skills: A1, A2 and B1One Skill RetakeIELTS One Skill Retake: resit just one sectionOfficial samplesOfficial IELTS sample test questionsPractice testIELTS practice testWhere to learnWhere to prepare for IELTSStudy plannerIELTS study planner
Sources: IELTS and 2 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.