IELTS Listening

IELTS Listening

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About Listening

You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of your ability to understand the main ideas and detailed factual information, the opinions and attitudes of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and evidence of your ability to follow the development of ideas.

There is no difference in the content, format or level of difficulty and scoring of the computer-delivered IELTS test. The type of Listening questions asked, thus, remain the same as in the paper-based test

IELTS Listening Description
Duration Questions Types Marks
30-36 minutes 40 10 Each question is worth 1 mark

Tips & Tricks

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Listening Test Duration: 30 minutes

The IELTS Listening test is broken down into four sections:

Section 1

is a conversation between two people set in an everyday context (e.g. a conversation in an accommodation agency).

Section 2

a monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities

Section 3

a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.

Section 4

a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.

  • 01
    1. Tips

    if you cannot hear the audio clearly, let a member of staff know straightaway. follow the instructions carefully; they may be different to practice or previous tests. listen for the specific information you want. try and anticipate what the speaker will say; this will require concentration. do not worry if there is a word you do not understand; you may not need to use it.

  • 02
    2. Tips

    if you do not know the answer to a question, attempt it but do not waste time; move quickly onto the next one. be careful with your spelling and grammar. do not panic if you think the topic is too difficult or the speaker is too fast; relax and tune in. read, write and listen at the same time. focus precisely on what you are asked to do in completion type questions.

  • 03
    3. Tips

    pay attention to the word limit; for example, if you are asked to complete a sentence using no more than two words, if the correct answer is ‘leather coat’, the answer ‘coat made of leather’ would be incorrect.

  • 04
    4. Tips

    if the question asks you to complete the note ‘in the…’ and the correct answer is ‘morning’, note that ‘in the morning’ would be incorrect; the correct answer is 'morning'.

  • 05
    5. Tips

    attempt all questions; there are no penalties for incorrect answers. check your answers.

IELTS Listening description

Practice for your Computer-delivered IELTS Listening test

Type - Multiple Choice

In multiple choice quetion type, there is a question followed by three possible answers, or the beginning of a sentence followed by three possible ways to complete the sentence. Test takers are required to choose the one correct answer - A, B or C.

Sometimes, test takers are given a longer list of possible answers and told that they have to choose more than one. In this case, they should read the question carefully to check how many answers are required.

Note: Multiple choice questions are used to test a wide range of skills. The test taker may be required to have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the listening text.

Practice Test
Type - Matching

Candidates are required to match a numbered list of items from the listening text to a set of options on the question paper. The set of options may be criteria of some kind.

Note: Matching assesses the skill of listening for detail and whether a test taker can understand information given in a conversation on an everyday topic, such as the different types of hotel or guest house accommodation. It also assesses the ability to follow a conversation between two people. It may also be used to assess test takers’ ability to recognise relationships and connections between facts in the listening text.

Practice Test
Type - Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling

Candidates are required to complete labels on a plan (eg of a building), map (eg of part of a town) or diagram (e.g. of a piece of equipment).

Select answer from the list of options on the test screen. And, choose the correct answer.

Note: This type of task assesses the ability to understand, for example, a description of a place, and to relate this to a visual representation. This may include being able to follow language expressing spatial relationships and directions (e.g. straight on/through the far door).

Practice Test
Type - Form Completion

Candidates are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text.

You either have to select your answer from a list of options given on the screen or question paper and write down the correct answer. Or identify the missing words from the recording. You do not have to change the words (i.e. write the word as it is) if selected from the recording.

Note: This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

Practice Test
Type - Note Completion

Candidates are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text.

A set of notes: used to summarise any type of information using the layout to show how different items relate to one another

You either have to select your answer from a list of options given on the screen or question paper and write down the correct answer. Or identify the missing words from the recording. You do not have to change the words (i.e. write the word as it is) if selected from the recording.

Note: This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

Practice Test
Type - Table Completion

Candidates are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text.

A table: used as a way of summarising information which relates to clear categories – e.g. place/time/price

You either have to select your answer from a list of options given on the screen or question paper and write down the correct answer. Or identify the missing words from the recording. You do not have to change the words (i.e. write the word as it is) if selected from the recording.

Note: This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

Practice Test
Type - Flow-chart Completion

Candidates are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text.

A flow-chart: used to summarise a process which has clear stages, with the direction of the process shown by arrows.

You either have to select your answer from a list of options given on the screen or question paper and write down the correct answer. Or identify the missing words from the recording. You do not have to change the words (i.e. write the word as it is) if selected from the recording.

Note: This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

Practice Test
Type - Summary Completion

Candidates are required to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text.

In this question type, you have to fill in the gaps provided in the summary in context to the recording.

You either have to select your answer from a list of options given on the screen or question paper and write down the correct answer. Or identify the missing words from the recording. You do not have to change the words (i.e. write the word as it is) if selected from the recording.

Note: This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.

Practice Test
Type - Sentence Completion

Test takers are required to read a set of sentences summarising key information from all the listening text or from one part of it. They then fill a gap in each sentence using information from the listening text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER’.

Candidates are penalised for writing more than the stated number of words. (Test takers should check this word limit carefully for each task: the limit is either ONE, TWO or THREE words). Contracted words will not be tested. Hyphenated words count as single words.

Note: Sentence completion focuses on the ability to identify the key information in a listening text. Test takers have to understand functional relationships such as cause and effect.

Practice Test
Type - Short Answer Questions

Test takers are required to read a question and then write a short answer using information from the listening text.

A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. Test takers are penalised for writing more than the stated number of words. (Test takers should check this word limit carefully for each task.) Contracted words will not be tested.

Hyphenated words count as single words. Sometimes test takers are given a question which asks them to list two or three points.

Note: Sentence completion focuses on the ability to listen for concrete facts, such as places, prices or times, within the listening text.

Practice Test
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