Guide
Computer-delivered IELTS (CD IELTS)
Computer-delivered IELTS is the same exam as paper IELTS — same questions, same marking, same band scores — but you take Listening, Reading and Writing on a computer at a test centre. Here is how it works, what changes, and how to practise for it.
Paper vs computer: what actually changes
- • You type your answers. In Writing you see a live word count, and you can edit, cut and move text freely.
- • Reading is split-screen. The passage is on one side and the questions on the other, and you scroll rather than turn pages.
- • Listening has no transfer time. You answer on screen while you listen and get 2 minutes at the end to check, instead of 10 minutes to copy answers onto a sheet.
- • Results come faster — usually within 1–2 days.
- • Speaking does not change. It is still a face-to-face interview with an examiner.
Timing for each section
Listening
About 30 minutes
4 parts, 40 questions. You type answers as you listen, then get 2 minutes to check them (paper gives 10 minutes to transfer answers).
Reading
60 minutes
3 passages, 40 questions. The passage and the questions sit side by side on one screen.
Writing
60 minutes
Task 1 (about 20 minutes, 150+ words) and Task 2 (about 40 minutes, 250+ words), typed with a live word count.
Speaking
11–14 minutes
Face to face with an examiner, exactly as in the paper test — sometimes on the same day, sometimes within a week.
Tips for the computer-delivered test
- Practise reading long texts on a screen — it tires the eyes differently from paper.
- Type your Writing practice, with a timer, so 250 words in 40 minutes feels normal.
- Learn the tools: highlighting, notes and flagging save time in Reading.
- In Listening, type as you go and use the 2 minutes at the end only to check spelling.
- Take at least one full mock test in the computer format before the real exam.
Practise in the computer-delivered format
IELTS ONE's Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking tests run on a screen built to match the computer-delivered IELTS, with instant marking and AI feedback.
Frequently asked questions
Is computer-delivered IELTS harder than paper?
No. The questions, the marking and the band scores are the same. What changes is how you answer: you type instead of writing, and you read on a screen. Many people find typing in Writing faster and easier to edit.
When do I get my CD IELTS results?
Usually within 1 to 2 days of the test for computer-delivered IELTS, compared with about 13 days for paper.
Is the Speaking test on a computer too?
No. Speaking is always a face-to-face conversation with a certified examiner, in both the paper and the computer-delivered test.
Can I highlight and make notes on the computer?
Yes. You can highlight words in the Reading passage and Listening questions and add notes, and you can move between questions and flag ones to come back to.
How do I prepare for the computer-delivered format?
Practise on a screen that works like the real one, under real timing. IELTS ONE's practice tests use the same layout — split-screen reading, one-play audio, highlighting, notes and a word counter — so the format is familiar before test day.