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IELTS Life Skills B1 practice tests

Test format checked against official sources on 6 October 2026

IELTS Life Skills B1 is the speaking and listening test for UK settlement and British citizenship. It has no reading or writing, and the result is a pass or a fail. These free practice tests follow the four phases of the real test, with the same timings.

Length
Up to 22 minutes
Skills
Speaking and listening
Taken with
An examiner and one other candidate
Result
Pass or fail

Choose a practice test

Each test has all four phases. The examiner and your partner are read aloud, every step has a timer, and the listening task is marked for you. They are free and need no account.

The four phases of the B1 test

  1. Phase 1a

    Questions with your partner

    3 minutes

    The examiner asks your name, where you come from and how long you have lived here. Then you and the other candidate ask each other questions about an everyday topic for two minutes.

  2. Phase 1b

    Talk for one and a half minutes

    7 minutes

    Each of you gets a topic and one minute to prepare. You talk for about a minute and a half, and your partner then asks you three questions. Then you swap.

  3. Phase 2a

    Listen to two messages

    5 minutes

    You hear two short recordings. You say what each one is about, choosing from three options. You hear them again and answer two questions about the details.

  4. Phase 2b

    Plan together, then discuss

    7 minutes

    You and your partner plan something together for two minutes, such as a trip or a party. Then you talk together about a related topic for about four minutes.

What B1 level means

At B1 you are expected to understand straightforward information and stories, and to follow simple explanations and instructions. You need to give information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, and to take part in a conversation: making your own points and responding to what the other person says.

Compared with the lower levels, B1 asks you to do more with the language: give reasons, compare things, tell a story about the past, ask about past and future events, and say how sure you are about the future.

The topics are everyday ones: personal details, family, shopping, work, health, free time, education, transport, housing and the weather.

How to prepare

  • Practise asking questions. In three of the four phases you have to ask your partner something, and many people only practise answering.
  • Time your long turn. A minute and a half is longer than it feels. Use the one-minute preparation to note four points, and say something about each.
  • Listen for the changed detail. The messages often give two times or two days, an old one and a new one. The question asks for the new one.
  • Answer the question that was asked. A short, correct answer to a listening question is enough.
  • React to your partner. Phrases such as "That's a good idea", "I'm not sure, because" and "What do you think?" show that you are having a real conversation.
  • Agree on a decision. In the planning task, finish by saying what you have decided together.

Questions

How long is the IELTS Life Skills B1 test?
Up to 22 minutes. You take it with an examiner and one other candidate.
Is there reading or writing in IELTS Life Skills?
No. Life Skills tests speaking and listening only. The only things you read are short task cards with a few words on them.
How is IELTS Life Skills B1 marked?
There are no band scores. Your result is a pass or a fail.
Does the other candidate affect my result?
No. You talk to the other candidate during the test, but their performance does not affect your result.
Who needs IELTS Life Skills B1?
People applying for indefinite leave to remain (settlement) or British citizenship who need to prove B1 speaking and listening. Check GOV.UK for your own route, because some people are exempt.
Can I practise IELTS Life Skills alone?
Yes, although a friend is better because the real test is taken in pairs. Our practice tests read the examiner and partner lines aloud, time each step and mark the listening task, and give example answers for the speaking tasks.

More for UK settlement and citizenship

Official sources

The topics, messages and questions in our practice tests are our own. They are written to match the format of the official sample test and are not real exam questions.