IELTS Academic Practice Test with Band Score

The IELTS Academic Practice Test with Band Score is a free 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests readiness for IELTS Academic across all four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — with exam-style tasks, band-descriptor-based explanations and the strategies examiners reward. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable IELTS Academic Readiness certificate (SOA-IELA). Every question is based on published standards and research — including IELTS test types and format (IELTS (ielts.org)), IELTS band scores explained (IELTS (ielts.org)), IELTS Academic test (IELTS (ielts.org)) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a IELTS Academic Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: IELTS test types and format (IELTS (ielts.org)); IELTS band scores explained (IELTS (ielts.org)); IELTS Academic test (IELTS (ielts.org)). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Listening (Form and note completion, Multiple choice and matching and Following signposting); Academic Reading (Skimming and scanning, True / False / Not Given and Matching headings and information); Academic Writing (Task 1: describing data, Task 2: essay argument and Coherence and lexical resource); Speaking (Part 1 interview, Part 2 long turn and Part 3 discussion and fluency). Every question is an original scenario based on a published standard, official documentation or research, named under the question.

International student, University applicant, Healthcare professional, Skilled migrant and English teacher. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show IELTS Academic skills, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

It gives a percentage score for each of the four skills, which shows your relative strengths. Official IELTS band scores come only from the real test, which is marked by certified examiners. Use the explanations — written against the public IELTS band descriptors — to see what moves you up a band.

Listening and Speaking are the same in both. Academic Reading uses longer texts from books, journals and newspapers, and Academic Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a graph, table, chart or diagram. General Training uses everyday and workplace texts and a letter for Writing Task 1. Universities usually require Academic.

No. It is an independent practice test written to the publicly available IELTS Academic content outline, for checking your readiness before you book the real exam. Science of Apps is not affiliated with British Council, IDP and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and passing earns a Science of Apps certificate rather than the official credential.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Advanced: assumes years in the role or deep specialist knowledge. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.