When the mock session ended, Leo didn't feel the usual exhaustion. The familiarisation test hadn't just taught him where the buttons were; it had stripped away the "what ifs." He closed the browser, the blue light now feeling less like a spotlight and more like a window to where he was going.
This story follows a student using the British Council's IELTS Familiarisation Test to transition from paper-based studying to the computer-delivered format. ielts familiarisation test
As the interface loaded, the screen split—a reading passage on the left, questions on the right. Leo’s finger twitched, instinctively reaching for a non-existent highlighter. Then he saw it: the digital highlighting tool. He dragged his mouse, and the sentence turned a reassuring neon yellow. No more losing his place while turning a page. When the mock session ended, Leo didn't feel
Last reviewed: 2026 – accurate for current IELTS computer-delivered format. As the interface loaded, the screen split—a reading
| Resource | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Authenticity | |----------|-----------|---------|---------|----------|--------------| | | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | High (official) | | IELTS on Computer mock test (IDP) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (no scoring) | ❌ | High | | British Council Road to IELTS (Free version) | Partial | Partial | ❌ | ❌ | High | | YouTube mock tests (e.g., E2, IELTS Advantage) | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Medium |
The full test lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes .