Breaking News! IELTS has announced some changes to the test pattern

IELTS has, effective, 4 January 2020, made changes to one component of the four-component test.

The changes are minor and do not affect the content of the test. There will still be the four components of the IELTS namely listening, reading, writing and speaking. None of them will change in form or difficulty level or the skills they are designed to assess.

The changes are only made to the listening component. The rest of the other tests are not affected.

Hitherto, an example is played before the start of part one of the listening test. Now, there will be no example so the recording will start from the message required for answering the first question of the first part of the test. Again, the four sections of the listening test will be called four parts. Instead of section 1, 2, 3 and 4, we will now have part 1, 2, 3 and 4. Finally, there will be no reference to the page numbering in the listening test, only the question numbers will be referenced.

In short, the changes are 3 and they are listed below:

1. No example will be played before the start of the test.
2. The sections will now be called parts.
3. There will not be any reference to the page numbers

More to come soon.

Source ielts.org