AI band score
A band for each module and an overall band, averaged and rounded to the nearest half band the official way.
AI writing & speaking feedback
Submit Task 1, Task 2, and speaking responses and see what held the band back.
Academic & General
Practise the route you actually need: Academic for study, General Training for migration.
What you practise
Listening
Four parts and 40 questions; the audio plays once, as in the real test.
Reading
Academic or General Training passages, 40 questions in 60 minutes, with answer review.
Writing
Task 1 and Task 2 in 60 minutes, with AI feedback on task response, coherence, vocabulary and grammar.
Speaking
Parts 1 to 3 with an AI examiner, with feedback on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
IELTS on computer: format and timing
The real test has four sections and takes 2 hours 45 minutes, in the same format wherever you take it. On IELTS on computer, Listening, Reading and Writing are done on screen and Speaking is with an IELTS examiner, face to face or, at IDP centres in India, by video call. The mock follows the same order and timers.
| Section | Real IELTS | This mock |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes; 4 parts, 40 questions; each recording heard once | 32 minutes; 4 parts, 40 questions; audio plays once |
| Reading | 60 minutes; 3 sections, 40 questions | 60 minutes; 3 sections, 40 questions |
| Writing | 60 minutes; Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2 (at least 250 words) | 60 minutes; both tasks, typed |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes; 3 parts with an examiner | About 15 minutes; 3 parts with an AI examiner, recorded through your microphone |
On the paper-based test you get an extra 10 minutes at the end of Listening to copy your answers onto the answer sheet; on computer you type them as you go. Results for IELTS on computer take 1 to 5 days according to ielts.org, and IDP India says its computer results arrive 1 to 2 days after the last section (IDP India FAQ). Timings are from the Academic and General Training format pages, read on 12 October 2026.
How the mock is scored
Every module gets a band from 0 to 9. Listening and Reading are marked against the answer key straight away, and your mark out of 40 is converted with the same table as our IELTS band score calculator, so 30 out of 40 in Listening is band 7.0 in both places.
Writing is scored by BandLadder AI on the four official criteria: task achievement or task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1, as it does in the real test. Speaking is scored on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation, with a transcript of what you said.
Your overall band is the average of the four module bands, rounded to the nearest half band, the rule described on ielts.org: an average of 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.0. Alongside the bands you get your answers marked right or wrong and feedback on what held each writing and speaking answer back.
How to take a full IELTS mock at home
- Block out 2 hours 45 minutes in one go. A full mock cannot be paused, so pick a time when nobody will need you, ideally the same time of day as your real test.
- Use a laptop or desktop with headphones and a microphone. Check both before you start: Listening audio plays only once, and Speaking is recorded.
- Choose Academic or General Training. Take the module you will sit for real; Reading and Writing differ between them.
- Keep a pen and paper for notes. Use them in Listening and to plan your cue card in Speaking, as in the real test.
- Sit it like the real thing. No dictionary, no pausing the audio, and no going over time on Writing Task 1.
- Review before you do anything else. Go through every wrong Listening and Reading answer and read the writing and speaking feedback. Note the question types and criteria that cost you most.
- Practise the weakest module, then take the next mock. Use the question-type drills in between, then check whether the band has moved.
Is a mock score the same as the real IELTS score?
No mock can promise your test-day band, so be wary of any that claims to. Treat the result as a range of about half a band either side. Listening and Reading come closest, because the marking is objective, though ielts.org says the marks needed for each band vary slightly from one test version to the next.
Writing and Speaking are AI estimates of how an examiner would mark you. On the day, an examiner marks them, Speaking is a live conversation, and nerves play a part. If your mock bands are consistently half a band above your target in every module, you are probably ready to book. If one module is below target, that is where your preparation time should go.
One mock or several?
One mock gives you a baseline: your band in each module and the question types you miss. Several show whether you are improving, which a single score cannot. A useful pattern is a first mock as soon as you start preparing, then one every week or two with focused practice in between, and a final one about a week before your test.
Taking mocks back to back without reviewing them mostly measures the same mistakes again. If time is short, practise single modules instead: a 60-minute Reading or Writing section or one Speaking part still uses the real timing. Your first full mock is free; after that, a free account still gets 2 speaking and 2 writing AI scores a day.
Academic vs General Training mock tests
Listening and Speaking are the same in both modules. Reading and Writing differ, so take the mock for the module you will actually sit. There are 40+ Academic and 10+ General Training full mocks on BandLadder.
| IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | University study and professional registration, such as doctors and nurses | Work, training and migration, such as Canada PR |
| Reading | Longer academic texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers | Everyday and workplace texts, then one longer general-interest text |
| Writing Task 1 | Describe a chart, table, process or map in at least 150 words | Write a letter in at least 150 words |
| Writing Task 2 | An essay of at least 250 words | An essay of at least 250 words on a topic of general interest |
| Correct answers for band 7 in Reading | About 30 out of 40 | About 34 to 35 out of 40 |
Not sure which you need? Check what your university or visa asks for, or compare the two tests most people choose between in PTE vs IELTS. To practise one speaking part at a time, use the IELTS cue cards with sample answers.
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Take a test, see your feedback, and decide from there.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the IELTS mock test free?
Yes. A free account gets 1 full mock plus 2 speaking and 2 writing AI evaluations a day, no card. The rest of the 50+ full-length mocks (40+ Academic, 10+ General Training) come with a plan, from 7 days, priced in your local currency. The 1k+ reading and 100+ listening drills are free to attempt with an account.
How is the band score worked out?
Listening and Reading are marked against the answer key and your mark out of 40 is converted to a band with the same table as our band score calculator. Writing and Speaking are scored by BandLadder AI on the four official criteria. The overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band.
Is a mock test score the same as my real IELTS score?
No. It is an estimate. Listening and Reading are the closest, but the marks needed for each band move slightly between test versions. Writing and Speaking are AI estimates, and on test day an IELTS examiner marks them. Read a mock band as a range of about half a band either side.
How often should I take an IELTS mock test?
Take one early to get a baseline, then one every week or two while you practise your weakest module in between. Take the last one about a week before the test, in the same time slot as your real test if you can. Back-to-back mocks without reviewing your mistakes add little.
How long is a full IELTS mock test?
About 2 hours 45 minutes, the same as the real test: Listening about 30 minutes, Reading 60, Writing 60 and Speaking 11 to 14 minutes. Our mock allows 32 minutes for Listening and about 15 for Speaking.
Can I pause a full mock and finish later?
No. Like the real test, a full mock runs in one sitting once you start it, so block out 2 hours 45 minutes before you begin. If you only have an hour, take a single module or a question-type drill instead.
Can I choose Academic or General Training?
Yes. Pick IELTS Academic for university and professional registration, or General Training for migration and work. Listening and Speaking are the same in both; Reading and Writing differ.
Is IELTS getting harder in 2026?
There is no sign of that in what ielts.org publishes. The test still has four sections and takes 2 hours 45 minutes, and the marks needed for each band are adjusted slightly between test versions so that a band means the same thing on every version.