Original BandLadder material
Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.
Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.
The first 3 of 9 cards
computer or paper: what stays the same
Some learners worry that the way you sit IELTS changes the test. ielts.org says the format, timings and marking criteria stay the same.
The computer test must be harder to score well on.the worry
The format is the same. How you enter answers changes.
ielts.org, Ways to take IELTS
| Way | You answer by | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Typing on screen | Test centre |
| Writing on Paper | Typing, then pen for Writing | Selected countries |
| IELTS Online (Academic) | Typing on screen | At home |
Speaking is with an examiner (by video for IELTS Online). ielts.org: no paper-based IELTS from mid-2026, by market.
what ielts.org lists
| Paper | Time | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 min | On screen |
| Reading | 60 min | On screen |
| Writing | 60 min | Screen or pen |
| Speaking | 11–14 min | To an examiner |
Card 4 of 9 onwards
Keep reading free
The other 6 cards open in the reader with a free account.
Create a free account →9 cards
Read the full Paper or computer? free
Create a free account and it opens in the study reader, with the rest of the BandLadder library. Download the PDF with any plan.
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Keep reading
Questions
Yes, to read online. Create a free BandLadder account and the full lesson opens in the study reader. No card details are needed.
The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.
The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.
Both versions of the test: it covers what they share and says where they differ.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.
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