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IELTS online test

Short answer: you can sit a full IELTS Reading, Listening or Writing paper online here and get a band in one session — the papers are real length with real timing and the official conversion tables. What you cannot do online anywhere is sit the certificated exam unsupervised; that is still booked through IDP or the British Council.

Sit all four skills Or read a passage first, no account →

What you can sit

Six IELTS tests you can take online right now

Each row says what the test actually is, how it is marked, and how it compares with the real paper. Where a test is shorter than the real thing, the row says so.

IELTS tests available online, their length, how each is marked, and what access each needs
Test	Length	Marking	Access
ReadingReal exam: 3 passages, 40 questions, 60 minutes	1 passage, ~13 questions, ~20 min	Instant, per question, with the trap behind each wrong answer named	No accountRead any of 31 topic passages with no account. Checking your answers needs a free sign-in.
Reading (full paper)Real exam: Same as the real exam	3 passages, 40 questions, 60 min	Raw score out of 40 converted on the Academic band table	Free accountFree account. The clock runs from a server timestamp, so a refresh does not reset it.
ListeningReal exam: Same as the real exam	Parts 1–4, 40 questions, ~30 min	Scored on the official Listening conversion table	Free accountFree account. Audio plays once, as it does on test day.
WritingReal exam: Same as the real exam	Task 1 + Task 2, one 60-minute clock	A band per criterion, then Task 2 weighted double	Partly openTwo essay checks a day without an account, returning a band only. The full four-criterion report needs a free account.
SpeakingReal exam: Same as the real exam	Parts 1–3, ~11–14 min	A band per criterion from your recorded answers	Free accountTimed Part 2 practice at /speaking/cue-cards/practice is open with no account, but unmarked.
All four, one sittingReal exam: Condensed Listening and Speaking; Reading and Writing full length	≈ 2 h 20 min	A band per section and an overall band	Free accountFree account. Reports save to your history so you can compare sittings.

The honest limit: no online test produces a certificate, and no online Speaking band is an examiner's judgement. What an online test does well is measure Reading and Listening exactly, and track whether Writing and Speaking are moving. Book the real exam through ielts.org.

Without an account

What is open, and what a free account adds

No account needed

31 reading passages, readable in full
All five band score calculators
One essay check a day, band only
Timed Part 2 speaking practice, unmarked
11 question-type strategy guides

A free account adds

Graded results with per-question feedback
The full 40-question Reading and Listening papers
Full four-criterion Writing reports
A scored Speaking test across all three parts
Band tracking per question type, saved

Create a free account

Taking IELTS tests online — common questions

Can I take an IELTS test online for free?

You can take realistic online practice tests free, including here. You cannot sit the real, certificated IELTS online from home — the at-home IELTS Indicator was retired, and IELTS Online is still a supervised test booked through IDP or the British Council.

Is an online IELTS practice test the same as the real exam?

The Reading, Listening and Writing papers can be reproduced exactly: same length, same question types, same timing, same conversion tables. Speaking cannot, because the real test is a live interview with a trained examiner. Treat an online Speaking band as an estimate.

How accurate are online IELTS band scores?

Reading and Listening are objectively marked, so a band from a full 40-question paper is as accurate as the conversion table it uses. Writing and Speaking are criterion-marked judgements, so those bands are directional — useful for tracking movement, not for predicting a certificate to the half band.

Which IELTS skill should I test online first?

Reading, because it is objectively marked and gives you an honest baseline in 60 minutes. Once you know your Reading band, test the skill your target requires most — for most candidates that is Writing.

Do I need to create an account to test online here?

No, to read passages, use the band calculators, and do timed Speaking practice. Yes, for graded results, the full papers and saved history. A free account includes several practice sets a day plus monthly Writing and Speaking checks.

How often should I sit a full online mock test?

Roughly every two to three weeks. A full paper measures; it does not teach. Drilling the two or three question types you lose marks on is what moves the band between sittings.