Computer-delivered IELTS Listening: what’s different

IDP, one of the organisations that runs IELTS, says the content, the question types and the marking are the same on paper and on computer. Only the Listening timing is slightly different. The reason is simple: on computer, there is no answer sheet to fill in.

Paper IELTS has now ended in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, so Listening there is on a computer. Even with Writing on Paper, Listening is on the computer. For the full picture, read our computer-delivered IELTS guide.

Many older books and websites still describe the paper test. The table shows what is different, so you know which advice still fits your test.

On paper, you write your answers on the question paper while you listen. At the end, you get 10 minutes of transfer time. Transfer time means time to copy your final answers onto the answer sheet, a separate page for your answers. IDP says these 10 minutes come on top of the 30 minutes of the Listening test.

On computer, you type each answer straight into the box on the screen. Nothing needs copying, so there is no transfer time. You get 2 minutes at the end to check your answers. IDP suggests using them to fix spelling mistakes and to answer any question you left empty.

This changes how you work. Type each answer as soon as you hear it, and do not plan to tidy everything up at the end. IDP also says you get some time to read the questions before each part, and some time to review your answers after each part.

The chart shows the approximate times. IDP’s country websites give slightly different totals for the whole Listening test on computer. IDP UAE says 30 to 34 minutes, and IDP Bangladesh says 30 to 36 minutes. So treat every number here as approximate.

IELTS Listening has four parts, with 10 questions in each part, so 40 questions in total. It is the same test for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Each correct answer gets 1 mark.

The questions follow the order of the recording. The answer to question 1 comes before the answer to question 2, and so on. You hear different accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American.

The test centre gives you headphones. IDP says headphones are always provided for IELTS on computer. A volume control at the top right of the screen lets you make the sound louder or quieter.

All 40 question numbers are shown at the bottom of the screen, so you can move between questions. If you want to check a question again later, click the Review button to mark it.

You can change an answer at any time before you submit. You can also take notes on the paper the test centre gives you. Before your test day, try IDP’s familiarisation test, a practice version of the computer test that shows how the screen works.

Spelling counts. IDP says words with spelling mistakes in the Listening test are marked as incorrect. British and American spellings are both accepted, but use one style and keep to it.

Capital letters do not matter. IDP says you can type your answers in capitals or in small letters, and it does not change your score.

Read the word limit in each instruction, for example “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER”. IELTS says you lose the mark if you write more words than the limit. A hyphenated word such as “check-in” counts as one word.

For more ways to stop losing easy marks, see how to improve your IELTS Listening score.

Practise the way you will take the test: play each recording once, and type your answers while you listen. If you type slowly, check your typing speed with our free IELTS typing test.

Map and plan questions catch many test takers, so practise them too with our guide to IELTS Listening map labelling.

After a practice test, count your correct answers out of 40. Then turn that number into a band with our IELTS Listening band calculator. A band is the IELTS score from 0 to 9. To see how your Listening band joins the other three skills, read how IELTS band scores are calculated.