A control method for an internal combustion engine that controls the valve timings (VTi, VTe) of an intake valve and an exhaust valve and the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine, the method comprising: executing an absolute value control, wherein, when the engine load is in a high-load zone, the actual values of the valve timings (VTi, VTe) of the intake valve and the exhaust valve and the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve are controlled to coincide with respective target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli) set based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine; and executing a relative value control, wherein, when the engine load is in a low-load zone, the actual value of the valve overlap amount of the intake valve and the exhaust valve is controlled to coincide with a target valve overlap amount obtained based on the target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli), target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli) being computed as values that permit the engine to be appropriately operating when the engine is in a steady operating state, decreasing the rate of changing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve when decreasing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve as compared to the rate of changing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve when executing the absolute value control, when the internal combustion engine shifts from high load zone where the absolute value control is executed to a zone, in which the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve is allowed to be decreasing, wherein the zone in which the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve is allowed to be decreasing is a high-speed and low-load zone, wherein a target intake air amount is defined as the target value of an intake air amount to the engine, wherein an engine rotation speed in the high-speed and low-load zone is higher than the engine rotation speed in the low-load zone, wherein the target intake air amount in the high-load zone is higher than the target intake air amount of the high-speed and low-load zone, wherein the target intake air amount in the high-load zone is higher than the target intake air amount in the low-load zone. executing an absolute value control, wherein, when the engine load is in a high-load zone, the actual values of the valve timings (VTi, VTe) of the intake valve and the exhaust valve and the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve are controlled to coincide with respective target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli) set based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine; and executing a relative value control, wherein, when the engine load is in a low-load zone, the actual value of the valve overlap amount of the intake valve and the exhaust valve is controlled to coincide with a target valve overlap amount obtained based on the target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli), target values (Tvti, Tvte, Tvli) being computed as values that permit the engine to be appropriately operating when the engine is in a steady operating state, decreasing the rate of changing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve when decreasing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve as compared to the rate of changing the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve when executing the absolute value control, when the internal combustion engine shifts from high load zone where the absolute value control is executed to a zone, in which the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve is allowed to be decreasing, wherein the zone in which the valve duration (VLi) of the intake valve is allowed to be decreasing is a high-speed and low-load zone, wherein a target intake air amount is defined as the target value of an intake air amount to the engine, wherein an engine rotation speed in the high-speed and low-load zone is higher than the engine rotation speed in the low-load zone, wherein the target intake air amount in the high-load zone is higher than the target intake air amount of the high-speed and low-load zone, wherein the target intake air amount in the high-load zone is higher than the target intake air amount in the low-load zone.