IELTS Academic Test Time Management Tips

“Time and tide wait for none” – who knows this proverb better than IELTS examinees? You’re constantly running against time during the IELTS Academic test. The exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes long, consisting of four sections, each with a set time limit. You not only have to finish before the clock runs out but also target accuracy to add up your points as you do. Nothing can be a bigger bummer than knowing the answers but not having enough time to get them down. That is why time management strategies are just as important as developing your skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Effective time management can make the difference between hitting your target IELTS band score and missing it. In this blog post, we break down the tips and tricks to finetune your time management for the IELTS Academic. 

Everything About the IELTS Academic Test Format

Knowing how the test works is the first step in understanding how you will manage your time. The IELTS Academic test breaks down into 4 different segments to test your skills in the English language. Each segment tests a different skill and has distinct question patterns and assessment criteria. One thing all four segments have in common, though, is that each requires you to complete the section within a time limit. 

Listening

The first segment and one that is tricky for most applicants without the right practice is the IELTS Listening test. During the exam, you will hear four separate recordings of people speaking in English, in everyday or academic settings. For each of the audio recordings, you will then need to answer a corresponding set of ten questions, totaling 40 questions with one point each for the whole section. 

The audio recordings for this section always follow the same themes:

● Track 1: Two native English speakers talking in an everyday social context, e.g., booking cinema tickets
● Track 2: One person speaking in an everyday context, e.g., a museum guide summarizing a tour to guests
● Track 3: Two to four individuals having a discussion in an education setting, e.g., students asking a professor for advice/feedback for a class presentation
● Track 4: One person speaking in an academic context, e.g., delivering a lecture or presentation to a class or seminar

IELTS Listening Tips for Time Management

One of the most critical tips to ace the IELTS Listening section is to make every second count. This portion of the IELTS Academic test is 60 minutes long and the audio recordings will play only once. So, make sure that you:

• Scan the questions: take note of keywords and instructions before the audio of each section starts to play
• Answer the questions as the audio recording plays: the questions will appear in the same sequence as the information in the recording. Don’t wait for the recording to stop playing before you answer the questions – you may not have enough time or may forget the answers.
• Skip to the next question if you are stuck: Circle back to any questions you skip after the recording ends. Otherwise, you risk missing the rest of the information in the audio recording for subsequent questions

If you are sitting for the IELTS on paper, you will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to your answer sheet. For the IELTS test on a computer, you will have only two minutes. The best tip here is to practice the Listening section as much as you can because nothing teaches faster and better than experience.

Reading

The IELTS Reading section tests your ability to read quickly through academic passages, retain information, and apply it where relevant. This section consists of three passages and a corresponding set of questions that you will need to answer within 60 minutes. The section will have 40 questions overall, with each correct answer earning you a point. The questions may be of the following types:

● Multiple choice
● True/False
● Yes/No
● Matching information
● Matching headings
● Sentence completion
● Summarizing
● Short questions
● Labeling a diagram

IELTS Reading Tips for Time Management

For this section, you will have 60 minutes to read all three passages and answer 40 questions. As a result, one of the most important strategies to keep in mind is how you allocate your time across the passages. You might find that the passages increase in complexity from first to third. As a result, you can tentatively allocate time for each passage as follows:

● Passage #1: 15-20 minutes 
● Passage #2: 20-23 minutes
● Passage #3: 23-25 minutes

To make the most effective use of your time:

● Practice skimming and scanning the passages to pinpoint key information quickly.
● Read the questions thoroughly so you understand exactly what you need to do.
● Circle back to questions you get stuck on so you can answer the rest effectively. 
● Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to understand where you may find relevant information. You can locate that paragraph and read it in-depth when you come across a relevant question. 
● Factor review time into your time management so you have a couple of minutes to go over your answers and fix any avoidable mistakes.

Writing

Many applicants consider the Writing section the most challenging for the IELTS Academic. It’s not unusual for students to spend most of their IELTS practice time developing failproof writing task strategies. 

IELTS Writing consists of two writing tasks:

● Task 1: The task presents you with a graph, table, chart, diagram or other form of visual information. The task is to describe and interpret this information within 150 words. 
● Task 2: You need to write an essay from scratch about a prompt highlighting a point of view, topic, or argument. This essay needs to be at least 250 words long.

IELTS Writing Tips for Time Management

The total time you have to answer the Writing section questions is 60 minutes. Test instructors always recommend putting aside 20 minutes for Task #1 and 40 minutes for Task #2. A strong score for the IELTS Writing section can make a big difference to your overall IELTS band score. 

Break down your time by making sure you:

● Spend no more than 20 minutes on Task #1.
● Allocate time at the beginning of the task to outline and plan your write-up.
● Allocate time at the end of the task to review and improve your answer.
● Avoid writing too much in the hopes of scoring more points. 
● Develop a concise, easy-to-follow argument, grouping your points by relevance, in paragraphs using the appropriate linking words.
● Consult as many model answers as you can to:

o Understand how many points you need to discuss and in how much depth for a great score.
o Get a feel for the ideal structure of high-scoring Writing task essays.
o Pick up strategies for written expression that align with the Writing section’s evaluation criteria.

● Practice as many times sample questions as you can to develop a knack for getting your point across effectively for a range of question types within the time limit

Speaking

While some students swear the IELTS Writing section is the hardest, others lose sleep over the Speaking section. The Speaking portion of the IELTS Academic involves an interview with a real IELTS examiner. The entire discussion will be in English and, on top of that, there is a time constraint that is less easy to track in comparison to the other three sections. 

The Speaking test will be between 11 and 14 minutes long and consist of 3 main segments:

● Introducing yourself: The examiner will introduce themselves first and then ask you to do so as well. They will then ask you questions about your personal and professional life – for example, your job, family members, and where you live. This may take 4-5 minutes.
● Talking about a topic: You will receive a task card with a topic. The examiner will turn on a timer, give you a minute to jot down your discussion points, and ask you to speak about this topic for around 2 minutes. This section overall lasts 3-4 minutes including the time you take to prepare.
● Discussion: The examiner will then ask you questions about the topic you just spoke about. You will share your opinions about the topic, analyze the subject matter, and relay your thoughts in both general and specific ways, depending on the topic. This section will be around 4-5 minutes long.

IELTS Speaking Tips for Time Management

In the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections, you will be timing yourself and allocating time between the different components of each section. For the Speaking section, the examiner will be keeping you on track so you don’t go over your time limits for the three components. 

This means that sometimes, the examiner may need to stop you while you are answering one question to move on to the next one. Because this can throw you off, make you nervous, and cause you to stumble over your answers, practice how to keep your answers concise, to the point, yet effective and in-depth.  

● Practice Speaking section questions while timing yourself so you have a good idea of how long you can speak during each component of the test.
● Don’t drag your answers out – practice answering concisely, organizing your points meaningfully, and relaying them effectively.
● If you run out of time, you may not get to share all your points. Make sure you practice how to get your point across within time limits to avoid this.
● If the examiner has to shift you to the next question, remember that it is not because you made a mistake – you are simply sticking to a time limit.
● Watch and listen to recordings of past examinees or model answers to understand what constitutes effective, time-efficient answers.

General Tips to Improve Your Time Management During the IELTS

A plan is only as good as your ability and success in executing it. To execute it effectively, practice is of the utmost importance. Alongside the section-specific tips, remember to keep the following strategies in mind for the IELTS Academic test overall:

● Assess Your Skill Level: Before you start, find out your strengths and weaknesses. Understand which parts of the test you are struggling with when it comes to time management. Allocate more time to practicing your time management for these sections.
● Prioritizing Weaknesses: Double down on the areas where you have room for improvement. If you are struggling to answer within the time limit for IELTS Writing, for example, keep timing yourself as you sit the test while honing your strategy so the clock doesn’t run out on you. 
● Consistent Daily Habits: Practice things like reading and speaking regularly. Listen to English news and TV shows. Practice small sections of IELTS practice questions. A few daily habits can go a long way.
● Mock Tests and Coaching: Consult model answers and sample questions. Often, an insight into the most effective ways to answer questions and score can teach you a lot more about the best strategies to adopt than a text or guidebook can. Try to take official mock tests under exam conditions and track your improvement over time. 

Rounding Up

Don’t overlook time management when it comes to your success strategies for the IELTS Academic test. You not only need to polish up your skills and strategies for each IELTS section but also need to apply them effectively within the time limit. Mastering time management lets you sit the test with complete confidence. You are able to put forward your best performance, completing each section to the best of your ability without the nerves or tension of fighting against the clock. Remember to practice as much as you can while timing yourself to reap the best rewards!