Skip to content

Recent IELTS exams

Real students tell about their recent IELTS exams: IELTS questions, topics, tasks, answers.

IELTS test in the USA – January 2010 (Academic Module)

IELTS exam in the USA was described by R. (thank you, our kind friend!), who remembered it all and made this update possible, for the sake of all IELTS test-takers out there:

Listening test

Section 1: Conversation between two people regarding online shopping.

Questions: filling in the blanks, multiple choice questions.

Section 2: Radio Announcement regarding an upcoming festival.

Questions: filling in the blanks in a table.

Section 3: Lecture/Report regarding the results of a research.

Questions: multiple choice, filling in the banks.

Section 4: Don’t remember.

Reading test

Passage 1: About glass-making.

Questions: Information matching (match which paragraph contains the topic item), filling in the diagram, True/False/Not Given.

Passage 2: Studies about dreams.

Questions: information matching (match the person/persons to their contribution/statements), multiple choice questions.

Passage 3: Underwater Archeology.

Questions: multiple choice, filling in the blanks/summary.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)
We had 4 line graphs: amount of nitrogen oxide emitted of 4 different vehicles in relation to speed.

Writing task 2 (an essay)
Museums and Galleries are no longer needed because historical objects and works of art can now be seen using a computer. To what extent do you agree / disagree?

Speaking test

Interview
– What’s your name?
– How shall I call you?
– Where are you from?
– Can you tell me something about the place you came from?
– Did your family ever moved away from the place you were born? Why?
– Talk about activities that you and your family enjoy doing.
– Where do people nowadays go to for leisure time?
– What kind of types of outdoor activities are there?

Cue Card
Talks about a park/garden you’ve been to, you should say:
– what it looks like,
– what you can do there,
– what people you would go with there with.

Discussion
I had various and random questions. Sometimes they were connected to the previous ones, and then the examiner would change the subject. Generally, the topics we talked about were about gardens, leisure time environmental changes, government roles, cooking, etc. I listed few of the questions that I can remember:

– Is it important to have gardens/green spaces in the city?
– Do you think it’s important for the government to do something about the environmental changes happening today? Why?
– Do you think people have a role in the climate change today? Why?
– How do you think cities affect the areas surrounding them?
– Do you like cooking?
– Do you see yourself cooking more or less in the future?

IELTS test in India – January 2010 (General Training)

IELTS test in India was described by A. (thanks a lot!), who remembered the following details:

Listening test

Section 1: Different types of barbecues – gas, charcoal, gas or charcoal.

Questions: Filling in the blanks.

Section 2: A trip to England covering an old museum, local activities, etc.

Questions: True / False / Not Given.

Section 3: Different activities of birds, how they eat, what they eat, their reactions to different conditions.

Questions: Filling in the blanks.

Section 4: Don’t remember.

Reading test

Passage 1: 7 advertisements were there, and we had to select correct options.

Questions: True / False questions.

Passage 2: About Soleus, bird scientist, his discoveries and how other scientists reacted to it.

Questions: Information matching, select from A-H which paragraph states the following.

Passage 3: Bird patterns, learning their behavior, different species of birds.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)
Write a letter to the principal of a college in which you got accepted and say that you cannot start your course. Please include in your letter:
– Which course had you applied for?
– Why cannot you start?
– Ask about the future courses availability.

Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people think that teenager years are the happiest years in a person’s life. Others believe adult life is much more happier despite of the family responsibilities. Discuss, what is your opinion?

Speaking test

Interview
– What is your full name?
– What do you do: work or study?
– All the usual questions.

Cue card
Tell me about the most memorable card you received, you should say:
– From whom it was,
– What message it had,
– Why it was memorable.

Discussion
– Do you like sending cards?
– Do people like receiving mail through post or via email and why?
– What is the importance of literacy in your country?