Skip to content

Recent IELTS exams

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

IELTS exam in Liverpool, UK – June 2009 (Academic Module)

Our friend who had an IELTS exam in UK recently reports about the questions and topics she remembered – many thanks to S and here they are:

Update: later on I’ve received an email from Uzbekistan and their IELTS exam identical this one.

Listening test

Section 1: a customer was calling the travel agency and asking some questions about an excursion. This part was very easy, the task was to fill in the gaps
Section 2: an interview about a new music school, also very easy, the task was to fill in the gaps.
Section 3: something about ships construction – quite difficult, not many questions, but they had spoken for a long time, so it was really easy to get lost;
Section 4: a discussion between a teacher and a student about his dissertation. The tasks were multiple choice questions with answers a, b, c, d – quite easy.

Reading test

Passage 1: something about remembering and recognizing faces. The tasks were paragraphs matching, this paragraph was the most difficult for me.
Passage 2: the topic was astronomy, task – paragraphs matching
Passage 3: about hybrid cars and Toyota Prius in particular. It wasn’t hard, the tasks were to fill in the gaps.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (report)
We had to compare 3 pie charts: how countries like South Korea, Sweden and United Kingdom deal with dangerous waste products;

Writing task 2 (essay)
Should people who cause road accident be strictly punished to minimize amount of accidents? Are there any other ways, what is your opinion?

Speaking test

Interview
– What is your name?
– Do you work or study?
– Do you use any machines for your work?
– So you think your work can change in the future?
– What are your interests outside of work?
– Do you like visiting friends?
– Do you have many visitors?
– Is there anything special that you prepare for guests?
– What age is in your country in the most important for people?
– When people are considered adult (mature)?
– What occasions people celebrate in your country?

Cue Card
Tell me about best time in your life, please say
– when was it,
– what did you do,
where did you live then,
– why was that time the best for you

Discussion
– At what age people can be responsible for themselves?
– Our society is getting older – is that good or not?
– What it looks like in your country?
– Do you think it is good to be older?
– What changes in society are caused by people living longer?

IELTS exam in Malaysia – June 2009 (General Training)

Here are the questions from a recent IELTS exam in Malaysia, thanks to G who remembered quite a bit:

Listening test

Section 1: A conversation between father and daughter about choosing a venue for a wedding from a few different ones. Questions: fill in the blanks, information matching.
Section 2: Zoo staff briefing two trainees about their job with the polar bears. Questions: Fill in the blanks, complete sentences.
Section 3: A professor talking at a seminar about designing a computerized car by Uni students. Questions: fill in the blanks.
Section 4: Wind turbines in some place in Australia

Reading test

Passage 1: About tour packages.
Passage 2: Advertisement of a position with Chemical company.
Passage 3: About a journey of a botany professor, the discovery of Douglass Fir trees and bringing them back to the UK.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (letter)
Write a letter to local council about the closure of playground and explain
– why so few children are using the playground
– how to increase the number of children using the playground
– why this is important

Writing Task 2 (essay)
Some people are staying in the same line of work while others change it. What are the reasons for staying or changing? What is your opinion?

Speaking test

Interview
– What do you do, work or study?
– What type of work do you do?
– What are your responsibilities at work?
– How do you liaise with your colleagues? Why do you need to communicate with them at work?

Cue card
Describe a speech you heard recently, you should say:
– Where was it?
– Who was the speaker?
– What was the main purpose of this speech?

Discussion
They asked about having outside speakers going to schools to talk to children:
– What kind of speakers will be good for children?
– And kind of speakers will be good for adults?
– What is the main criteria for speakers catering to adults?
– Do these speakers need visual aids in their talks?
– What are the speakers concerned of when speaking to adults?