IELTS LISTENING TEST: TIPS

1. Only one listening test

- Academic
- General
 Same test
2. Content of the test
4 sections in total with 40 questions
- Section 1 (Social) Two speakers

Typical situation is a call: Date, name, address, telephone number or booking a table at a
restaurant => specific information

- Section 2 (Social) One speaker

Everyday situation. i.e: Tourguide: What the facilities there are, the history about a resort

Taking about a historical building or a charity, a company or an organization

- Section 3 (Academic) Three/four speakers

This is challenging because it is a discussion (an academic dicussion)

Different voices you have to identify who is speaking and who is saying what

- Section 4 (Academic) One speaker

The most difficult section: An academic lecture
3. Length = 40 minutes
30 mins = Audio
10 mins = Transfer answers to the answer sheet
The test takes 40 minutes in total: 30 minutes to listen to the recording and answer the
question then you are given another 10 minutes to tranfer answers from the question
paper to the answer sheet
4. Practice using the answer sheet (Download anwser sheet)
5. You hear the recording only one
At the same time, you are listening, reading and writing so you really are multi-tasking
6. Use pencil
7. Scores are calculated by correct answers
8. Capital letters or lower case
I.e: GARDEN/ garden
MR BROWN/ Mr Brown
9. Number of words for each answer
No more than two words and/or a numbet
a) Craftmen
b) Local craftmen
c) 60 local craftmen
d) 60
10. Prepositions
“at” the hospital
PLACE: (2) ………………….. (hospital)
(2) The best place to meet is …………………….. (at the hospital – 3 words)
11. All words and numbers are counted
A holiday/ 1950
12. Spelling is important (Capital letters, grammar check,… )
13. Words or letters (Multiple choice)
a) Spring
b) Summer
c) Winter
14. Question types
- Multiple choice
- Map completion
- Diagram labelling
- Form completion
- Note completion
- Flowchart completion
- Sentence completion
- Summary completion
- Short answer questions
- Table completion
15. Don’t try to understand everything
16. Prepare the questions and answers
You have time to read and prepare for question 1 to 5 but it isn’t long
I.e: The town square was built by ….
Town square (the main content we will listen)
Bulit = constructed (Paraphrase)
By: A person, an organization, a group of people (what type of answer we need)
17. Answers can come quickly
18. Keep your eye on the next question
19. Make notes
I.e: “Uni bksp” stands for “University bookshop”
20. There may be a gap between answers
21. Common traps
- Answers that are changed (Oh actually sorry, how about …?)
- Using similar words rather than paraphrases
22. Repeated answers (You mean?)
23. Listen for plurals
24. If you don’t know the answer, guess! Don’t leave the answer space

Band 5.5 18-22

Band 6 23-25
Band 6.5 26-29
 Band 7 30-31
Band 7.5 32-34
Band 8 35-36
Band 8.5 37-38

25. Listen to the example given

- A range of accents will be used
- Look for titles (diagrams, maps, tables) which help you prepare for the topic that
coming
- Check where all the questions are (maybe on the other side of the paper)
- If you miss an answer, move quickly to the next one
- Technical/ academic language is not always paraphrased.
- Write the words you hear
Ex: Children must be accompanied by an adlut at all tmes
Question:
No children are allowed without
Answer
An accompanying adult => wrong
An adult
- Check your headphones are working
- Concentrate!!
Keep focused!
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