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IELTS Syllabus
International English Language Testing System. The complete IELTS outline — 4 subjects, 12 chapters and 40 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
IELTS subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
IELTS flashcard decks
203 question-and-answer cards across 4 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the IELTS syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Listening carries 11 topics while Speaking carries 9. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for IELTS.
The ~30 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
IELTS syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the IELTS syllabus?
IELTS covers 4 subjects: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Together they contain 12 chapters and 40 named topics.
How many topics does the IELTS syllabus contain?
The full IELTS outline breaks down into 12 chapters, 40 topics and 0 sub-topics. Listening is the largest single subject with 11 topics across 3 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole IELTS syllabus?
Roughly 30 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 1 weeks.
Are there IELTS flashcards?
Yes — 203 question-and-answer flashcards across 4 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this IELTS syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the IELTS syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.
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