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Most candidates think of IELTS Writing when they hear this word combination. Spelling mistakes influence your score in this section. However, it is often a surprise for test-takers that spelling really matters for the IELTS Listening section as well. To tell the truth, spelling mistakes can ruin your score in this section. While you are still preparing for the IELTS exam, it is a good idea to learn the most common mistakes made by candidates and avoid them.
Where can you make spelling mistakes? In IELTS Listening there are various types of questions such as multiple choice, note completion, matching, labeling a plan or a map, etc. In IELTS Listening, you are given one mark for each correct answer, i.e. the correct spelling matters. You have to be all ears in all parts of the Listening section but spelling mistakes are often made when candidates write their answers to labeling and note completion questions. You might have to write down such things as key words/phrases, lists, headings/subheadings, numbers/bullet points, names/surnames, places/times/prices, addresses, telephone numbers, stages, etc. We have grouped spelling mistakes by different types.
Candidates are often confused under pressure and they might make this mistake when they are not sure how many letters to write: one or two. This group of words is the largest. Here are some examples:
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In English there are many letters that are not pronounced in words. However, you have to write them:
When it comes to the combination of these two letters, even advanced learners often make spelling mistakes. However, you can easily remember how to write the words properly with the help of the following mnemonic: ‘I before E except after C’. For example:
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule in English:
Watch out when you write the following words:
READ ABOUT: 8 strategies to achieve a perfect score in IELTS Listening
These are the words that sound the same. However, their spelling is different. Here are the most common pairs of words:
accept – except
plain – plane
peace – piece
scene – seen
stationary – stationery
steal – steel
sauce – source
sore – soar
for – four – fore
their – there – they’re
hour – our
band – banned
capital – capitol
chili – chilly
choral – coral
cite – site – sight
council – counsel
die -dye
discreet – discrete
daft – daught
flue – flew -flu
genes – jeans
hole – whole
marshal – martial
weather – whether
whose – who’s
you’re – your
loose – lose
affect – effect
principle – principal, and many others.
READ ABOUT: How to organize your responses on the IELTS speaking exam?
Many English words are spelled differently when they become another part of speech or when verbs are used in different tenses. For example:
benefit – beneficial
influence – influential
circumstance – circumstantial
pronunciation – pronounce
argue – argument
decide – decision
refer – referring
frolic – frolicking
occur – occurred
unity – unify
justice – justify
significant – signify
maintain – maintenance
violent – violence, etc.
While preparing for IELTS, you can still learn how to avoid making spelling mistakes. Here are some tips to help you:
Tip #1. Watch out for words with double letters. If you are not sure about the spelling, double check.
Tip #2. Always make sure you use the correct form of the verb.
Tip #3. Know which word you want to use. Check the meaning in the dictionary.
Tip #4. Watch where you place the apostrophe.
Tip #5. Don’t write what you hear. Check the spelling if you are not sure.
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Many students who choose to take IELTS wonder whether they can see the questions in the Listening section. IELTS has a great advantage over the other international language exams because candidates have an opportunity to read the questions before they can hear the track. If one chooses to do the paper-based IELTS, the questions will be printed in the question booklet. In the computer-delivered IELTS, the questions are displayed on the screen, and you have to answer them as you listen to the audio. In this blog post, we are going to give some tips on how to exploit this opportunity – benefit from displayed questions in the Listening section.
Usually, we listen to the audio to find the answers to the questions. However, the questions can also tell us a lot about the audio before we listen to it. For example, look at the following IELTS listening task:
If you read the information in the questions, you will know that the audio you are going to listen to will be discussing different cultural events: an opera, a film, and an art exhibition. What is more, you can predict that the speaker is going to talk about when and where the events will take place, and how much the tickets cost. Probably, the speaker will mention different types of arts or make recommendations about places to visit depending on the tastes in arts.
Aren’t you more confident enough now about what you are going to hear? This tip will surely help you with comprehension.
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This might sound crystal clear because you will pay attention to the information that will help you answer the questions you have read. What is meant by ‘paying attention to information is being more specific about what you have to listen for. By reading the questions you can sharpen your ears, become more selective and choose only the information that provides or is the answer to the question.
In the task above, you have only three options for answer. It is obvious that Jack will be talking to the tutor about all courses, but you will have to choose only the option (A, B, or C) which is his final decision for each of the courses (21-25). This means that you can repeat the answer if, for example, he decides not to do two of them, etc. So you know you have to listen for words and phrases that either mean he agrees, refuses or hasn’t decided yet (hesitates). Or the speaker can first decide to do the course and then change his mind. So, listen for the final decision.
Reading questions before listening is, of course, beneficial. However, reading too much is also not very good for you. In the IELTS exam, there can be two sets of questions that refer to the same lecture or conversation. These questions are usually of different types. However, each set of questions is based on a separate part of the conversation or lecture. This means that there are two separate audios as well. That is why it is not a good idea to read all sets of questions before listening because you might get lost and will not remember what to focus on. This automatically will lead you to making mistakes and losing scores.
Read only the list of questions based on the part of a lecture or conversation you are going to hear. How do you know? The instructions are played before every part, and the numbers of questions you have to answer are specified.
Of course, questions in the next parts of the IELTS Listening section become longer, and candidates do not have much time to read and analyse every word. We recommend skimming the questions for keywords and phrases that will help select the most important things and concentrate while listening. To learn the strategies for each question type and to practise with instant feedback from IELTS experts join our online IELTS Academic preparation course.
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Have you ever been lost in a new city? If yes, how did you get directions? If no, imagine you had no map or technology. How would you get to your destination? Probably you are going to read signs on the road. They can tell you about the distance to the spot and whether you have to go straight or turn left or right.
Many students and candidates often get lost when they listen to lecture portions of the IELTS Listening test. They struggle to understand everything that is being said and give up the task. However, there is a solution to this problem. It is quite simple, and it works not only for lectures but for longer conversations as well. It is a good idea to listen to signposts.
Signposts or signposting language are the words and expressions speakers usually use to guide the listener through what they are saying. In the IELTS Listening section, they signal a specific type of information in a listening passage. For example, there are signposts that signal that a new topic is going to be introduced or that the speaker is going to give a definition of some key term, etc. Look at the following task and the script of the conversation. What do these signposts tell us?
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Here the speaker warns us that he is going to talk about the process now. That means, he is moving from the first part of the conversation to the next one where we have to complete the diagram.
Here we are ready to hear that the speaker will be talking about the first step in the process.
By talking about the distance first, and then making a contrast, the speaker emphasizes that he is telling the correct answer to the question.
Here the speaker explains what ‘salinity’ is and immediately provides us with the word we need to complete the gap, also by giving us the definition.
So, can you see now that the IELTS Listening test tries desperately to show you where the answers are?
Signpost words and expressions help you to predict what is going to be said next. Finally, as you listen to them, you get a clear understanding of the point the speaker is making, be it comparing, contrasting, adding information, or just sequencing, and you start seeing the whole picture. Even if you get lost in the lecture or a conversation, listening for signposts will definitely help you get a better sense of what is happening in the lecture, which will help you become focused again.
READ ABOUT: Linking words for IELTS Speaking
|
Signposting words and expressions |
What they indicate |
|
Introducing a definition |
|
Giving examples |
|
Repetition (repeated information
is often tested on the IELTS test ) |
|
Main idea |
|
Starting a new topic/part/point |
|
Describing process |
|
Advantages and disadvantages |
|
Cause and effect |
|
Finishing a topic/part/point |
|
Contrasting and comparing |
|
Summing up |
Once you learn to listen to signposting language during your IELTS preparation, you are likely to reduce stress on the day of your exam and answer more questions correctly.
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Among several different question types such as notes or summary completion, multiple-choice, etc. in the IELTS Listening section, matching tasks are the most common. That is why you should always be prepared to get one in your test, i.e. you have to learn and practice the strategy of answering this type of question. Many students and candidates struggle to answer such questions because they do not understand what to do in the task and how to approach it. Read further, and you will find out how to do matching tasks in a few easy steps.
Most often you may come across this type of question in parts 1 or 3 of the Listening section, which means that you will be listening to the conversation between two or more people.
Let us have a look at the following example:
Here you can see a numbered list of items from the listening text and a set of options (A, B, C). While listening, you have to match these pieces of information together. There will always be a list with numbers — these are questions, and a list with letters — these are options to choose from. The list of options can sometimes be shorter as in the example above. What does this mean? Yes, you can use one option for more than one question.
This task type checks if you can understand the details and notice the relationships and connections between different facts in the listening passage. It also checks if you can follow a conversation with a few speakers.
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Here are a few tips that will help you to answer the matching questions easily.
Remember that the list with numbers follows the order of the listening passage. This means you will hear the information about each question one by one. This will help you not to get lost in the recording. If you cannot work out an answer, be ready for the next question.
What you read in questions and what you hear will come in different words. This means that everything is paraphrased, and you will have to look for synonyms. Listen for the same meaning, not only the same words.
Remember about distractors. They are here to confuse you and to check if you really understand the details of the conversation. The speakers might mention several options. However, only one of them is the answer to the question.
READ ABOUT: Can computers really grade your IELTS Writing and Speaking?
Now when you are aware of what is required to be done to complete the task, we will look at some strategies for successfully answering any matching question. Follow these easy steps in order to complete the task.
Step 1. Read the instructions carefully.
This step will help you understand what exactly you need to do and how many options you can use. So, what you have to do is to check if there are any extra options. Besides, you may be allowed to choose any letter more than once. This is usually mentioned in the instructions.
Step 2. Look at the lists of questions and options to make predictions.
If you read the two lists carefully, you will likely guess what the recording is about and what you might hear in it.
In the case of our sample task, the names of the courses will probably be the same in the recording and in the task. What will be different are the options. They will definitely be paraphrased. This means you have to predict what words Jack might tell his tutor about these courses. What are the other ways to say ‘I’ll definitely do it’, for example? Jack might say, ‘I’m sure this course is perfect for me’, ‘I’ll go for this course’, ‘That’s a definite for me’, etc.
Try to paraphrase each option before you listen. By doing so you will prepare yourself for the listening.
Step 3. Listen and match information.
As you will hear the recording once, it is important to remember that the answers are usually paraphrased and come in order. Choose one answer to each question. For example:
| You will see: | You will hear: |
| What does Jack tell his tutor about each of the following course options?
A He’ll definitely do it. B He may or may not do it. C He won’t do it. Write the correct letter, A, B or C next to questions 1 — 5. You may choose any letter more than once. 1 Media Studies – C 2 Women and Power 3 Culture and Society 4 Identity and Popular Culture 5 Introduction to Cultural Theory |
Dr Ray: So for example the Media Studies Option will cover quite a lot of the same area you did in the core module on mass communications this semester — the development of the media through the last two centuries, in relation to political and social issues.
Jack: Mmm. Well that was interesting, but I’ve decided I’d rather do something completely new. There’s a Women’s Studies option, isn’t there? |
Step 4. Check that you have answered all the questions.
If you have not answered all the questions, the guesswork will help. You should not leave any blank answers if you want to get a better score for the listening section.
Go to our course to learn and practise strategies for all the parts of the IELTS Academic exam. Not only you will learn and practise, but save all the tips and tools in your personal Knowledge Bank, get 24/7 support and instant feedback from our IELTS experts. Depending on how much time you have, we provide you with a study-plan to help you make the most of your IELTS preparation. The more you practise, the more confidence you have on the day of the exam.
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The IELTS Listening section is the same in both general and academic training exams. It lasts for 30 minutes and includes 40 questions that are split into 4 parts. Questions tend to get more complicated as you progress through the test. You need to answer 30 questions correctly to get band 7, or 35 questions to get an 8. Sounds a bit tough, doesn’t it? However, if you learn how to manage your time effectively during the exam, and what mistakes to avoid, you will be able to answer more questions regardless of the version of the exam you are planning to take: paper or computer-based.
Candidates very often waste their time and lose points just because they do not know what to do, what to look at, where to write their answers etc. In order to avoid this, during your preparation make sure you learn:
You can learn all of these things in our online self-study IELTS Academic preparation course. We will take you through all types of tasks step by step, teach you tips and useful strategies, and give you immediate feedback.
It is advisable to practice doing past papers and mock exams, which is also a part of our self-study course.
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You never know exactly what information you will need to answer the questions. For the questions like form-filling, for example, you need to listen carefully for things like names, dates, time, or other details. For multiple-choice questions, you have to understand the general idea of the conversation. Not following the instructions might cost you too much. To avoid this, there are a few steps to do before you start listening to the recording:
What happens if you do not follow these steps? For example, you might be asked to circle more than one answer. If you circle only one, the answer will be incomplete, i.e. incorrect. Do exactly what the instructions say. In the other case, the instructions can tell you how many words you should write in the answer, e.g. ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER’. It is highly recommended to read the word-count instructions very carefully. If the instruction says ONE word and you write ‘the gym’, the answer will be marked as incorrect, even though ‘gym’ is the correct word.
READ ABOUT: Key facts you need to know about the IELTS Listening test
It is true that you have to know and apply a certain strategy for answering each type of question in the IELTS Listening section. Poor skills in particular question types create a huge challenge to IELTS candidates in labeling maps, for example. If you are unfamiliar with this question type, it will be really difficult to get the right answer. The best solution is to understand all the question types and learn strategies on how to answer them. We cover and practice using all strategies in our online course.
Similarly, it is important to pay attention to the keywords. How does it work? You will have some time to read the questions before listening to the audio passage. Look for keywords in the questions, underline them and listen to them carefully in the passage. This will not only give you the idea of what the passage is going to be about but help you not to lose focus while listening to longer conversations or a lecture.
Losing focus is a real problem for many students and candidates: this can happen at specific places, and they miss important information for the following questions. However, you can avoid this problem if you listen for signpost words as well. These are the words the speakers use to indicate the different stages of the talk. For example, if the speaker wants to compare two things or talk about something different, you might hear ‘On the one hand / on the other hand’, ‘Another point to consider is…’, ‘However,…’, etc. When he or she is summarizing information, you might hear ‘Finally’, or ‘To summarize…’, ‘Lastly’, etc.
You will know what information is coming next, and this will help you follow what the speaker is talking about.
READ ABOUT: How are IELTS Listening and Reading scores calculated?
In IELTS paper-based test, you will write your answers on question sheets, and then you will get extra ten minutes to transfer your answers into the answer sheet. If you take a computer-based exam, you answer directly on the screen, so you do not need those ten minutes. You will have only two. In the computer-delivered test, the questions you have answered will be highlighted.
Make sure you do not leave any blank spaces. In IELTS Listening you do not lose marks for wrong replies. The power of probability can be applied by guessing where there is a possibility that the supposed answers might be right.
Check your spelling. If you make spelling mistakes, your answer counts as the wrong one and you do not get any points for it. Make sure you can spell commonly used words correctly, e.g. library, environment, street, avenue, professor, names of city or country or address, etc.
Check your grammar. Pay attention to singular and plural nouns, verb forms. The sentences always have to be grammatically correct. For example:
In the note completion questions, read the sentence to see if it is grammatically correct. This is how you can check yourself.
The last but not least, make sure you put the right answers in the right place. This might happen when candidates do a paper-based test and transfer their answers to the answer sheet. It’s always good to double-check.
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IELTS is a multilevel exam designed to assess what candidates can do in English rather than measure them against a standard they may have not yet reached. For example, those with B2 level of English according to CEFR “can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization; can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party etc.” In the IELTS exam, you will get a score between 1 and 9 for each section: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. The average of those makes your overall band score. Unlike the Writing and Speaking sections, in which your skills are marked against a number of criteria, including ‘fluency and coherence’, ‘lexical resource’, ‘pronunciation’, ‘grammatical range’ and ‘accuracy’ , your answers are either correct or incorrect in the Listening and Speaking sections, i.e. the marking is quite different.
READ ABOUT: How is IELTS Writing assessed?
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There are 40 questions in the reading section. This part of the exam uses various types of questions such as multiple choice, matching headings, True-False-Not Given, sentence completion. You have to answer all the questions to get a higher score. However, your answers are either correct or incorrect. Each correct answer gives you one mark. The total number of marks determines your band score. You do not get any penalties if your answer is wrong.
Below you can see that the number of marks required to achieve a certain band score is different for the IELTS Academic Reading and IELTS General Reading.
General Reading:
| Band score / 9 | Raw score / 40 |
| 9 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 39 |
| 8 | 37-38 |
| 7.5 | 36 |
| 7 | 34-35 |
| 6.5 | 32-33 |
| 6 | 30-31 |
| 5.5 | 27-29 |
| 5 | 23-26 |
| 4.5 | 19-22 |
| 4 | 15-18 |
| 3.5 | 12-14 |
| 3 | 9-11 |
| 2.5 | 6-8 |
Academic Reading:
| Band score / 9 | Raw score / 40 |
| 9 | 40-39 |
| 8.5 | 38-37 |
| 8 | 36-35 |
| 7.5 | 34-33 |
| 7 | 32-30 |
| 6.5 | 29-27 |
| 6 | 26-23 |
| 5.5 | 22-19 |
| 5 | 18-15 |
| 4.5 | 14-13 |
| 4 | 12-10 |
| 3.5 | 9-8 |
| 3 | 7-6 |
| 2.5 | 5-4 |
You can also use an online IELTS calculator to know your approximate score.
READ ABOUT: Which IELTS should you take: general or academic?
There are 40 questions and 4 parts of the Listening test, 10 questions per each part. There are some common types of questions you may come across and need to know how to answer such as matching, multiple choice, note completion, labeling a plan or a map etc. Each type of questions requires the knowledge of certain strategies from you. However, your answers can be correct or incorrect like in the Reading section of the exam.
Although there are two modules of the IELTS test: General and Academic, the Listening section will be the same for all candidates. Each of your correct answers brings you one mark, i.e. you can get maximum 40. The raw score is converted into IELTS band from 1 to 9:
| Band score / 9 | Raw score / 40 |
| 9 | 39-40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 |
| 8 | 35-36 |
| 7.5 | 32-34 |
| 7 | 30-31 |
| 6.5 | 26-29 |
| 6 | 23-25 |
| 5.5 | 18-22 |
| 5 | 16-17 |
| 4.5 | 13-15 |
| 4 | 11-12 |
The marking and scoring of the computer-based IELTS exam is the same as paper-based IELTS.
READ ABOUT: How computers grade your IELTS Reading and Speaking
In our course, you will learn about the types of questions, analyse the strategies and practise completing the tasks in the Reading and Listening sections of the exam. You also receive a downloadable summary of the main strategies and examples that will help you perform better.
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When it comes to answering multiple-choice questions in the IELTS Listening sections, many students and candidates tend to overcomplicate it. There are at least two things you can do to make it more complicated for yourself: trying to read all the questions and all the choices and trying to remember all the options. What can you do to avoid this? How can you keep it simple and give the correct answer to get an excellent score in IELTS?
In IELTS Listening, there are two variations of this task: with one or several correct answers. You will see immediately which one it is. If you have a question and three options A, B, C — you need to choose one correct answer. If there are many options, you should choose two or three of them — check the instructions to learn how many. For example:
Multiple choice questions are common for parts 2, 3 and 4 of IELTS Listening test. You can expect to have 2 – 4 speakers, and it is always in a general or academic context. This means you might hear: students discussing a presentation, a tutor giving feedback to a student, group mates planning a project etc. Sometimes the speakers agree or disagree, or they might change their minds as they are speaking.
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What is the most confusing for test-takers is that there is too much text to read. What is more, there are three possible options in the question. The speakers often mention information and say vocabulary from all of them. For example, the answer may be B, but you can hear vocabulary from A and C as well. These are called distractors.
In IELTS, the purpose of multiple choice questions is to test a wide range of skills. You may be required to have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the listening text.
Before you listen, you will have some time to prepare yourself. There are two steps you have to make before your start listening and before you hear the recording. They are very important.
Step 1. Look at the title and questions quickly.
This will allow you to become familiar with the topic, i.e. you will understand better what the conversation is going to be about. You will also prepare yourself and scaffold your listening.
Step 2. Read the questions and options, and underline keywords in them.
Keywords are important words that will draw your attention while you listen to the audio recording. Generally, you will want to avoid underlining adverbs, pronouns, or basic adjectives.
Focus on the meaning of these keywords. You do not have much time: around thirty seconds or so. If you need to, try to say the keywords in simple English to yourself. Your aim is to get to the meaning of the questions and options.
READ ABOUT: Tips for note completion questions in IELTS Listening
Now, you will listen to recording, and here are the next steps to follow.
Step 3. Listen to the introduction to the recording to understand the context better.
Do not skip the introduction — it will tell you a bit more about the conversation. For example, in this introduction the speaker will say, ‘You will hear a customer arranging with a shipping agent to send a large box overseas.’
Step 4. Listen further and answer the questions.
Now, you will hear the conversation. It is time to answer the questions. Always think about one question, but also keep an eye on the next one. You never know when the information about it will begin. As you hear the options mentioned, cross out obvious distractions. It is very important. All options may be mentioned, but only one of them is correct.
Remember that in IELTS Listening almost everything is paraphrased. What you read in questions and what you hear will come in different words. Listen for the same meaning, not only the same words.
For example:
| You will see:
|
You will hear: |
| Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
9 Type of insurance chosen
A Economy (I’ve been stung before with economy insurance) B Standard C Premium (I’ll go for the highest) |
A OK right. Now obviously insurance is an important thing to consider and our companies are able to offer very good rates in a number of different all-inclusive packages.
B Sorry, could you explain a bit more?
A Yes, sorry, um. There’s really three rates according to quality of insurance cover – there’s the highest comprehensive cover which is Premium rate, then there’s standard rate and then there’s economy rate. That one will only cover the cost of the contents second hand.
B Oh I’ve been stung before with economy insurance so I’ll go for the highest. |
| 10 Customer wants goods delivered to
A port (The port’d be fine – I’ve got transport that end.) B home C depot |
A Mh’hm and can I just check would you want home delivery or to a local
depot or would you want to pick it up at the nearest port?
B The port’d be fine – I’ve got transport that end.
A Fine and will you be paying by credit card?
B Can I pay by cheque? |
Step 5. Check that you have answers to all questions.
If have not answered all the questions, do guesswork. Don’t leave any blank answers. Chances are you will choose the correct answer and get a better score for the listening section.
Go to our course that provides you not only with examples, but teaches you strategies for all the parts of IELTS Academic. You will learn and practise step by step, save all the tips and tools in your personal Knowledge Bank, get 24/7 support and instant feedback from our IELTS experts. Depending on how much time you have, we provide you with a study-plan that will help you manage your IELTS preparation.
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Can computers really grade your IELTS Writing and Speaking?
Useful tips to tackle true or false questions in IELTS Reading
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In the IELTS Listening test, there are questions where you need to complete gaps in a form, a table or notes. These types of questions usually appear in Parts 1 and 4 of the Listening section. This means, there are very high chances you can get them in your test, and it is important to know how to deal with them in order to get a higher score.
They can appear in many different forms but will always be a gap fill activity of some sort where you have to fill in missing words. Today, we will look closer at notes, sample questions, and give you some strategies and tips for note completion questions in IELTS Listening.
In real life, we often take notes to remember information, which is important to us. Talking about the IELTS Listening section, if you take notes you will know what the speakers have discussed and you will be able to provide the right answers. So, what kind of things should we write down? Notes contain such things as:
What they do not contain is full sentences. Often, notes are grammatically incorrect or awkward as they do not conform to the rules or principles of grammar or accepted usage.
In the IELTS Listening section, the note/table is usually about the main points discussed in the conversations or monologues. For example, in part 4, the main points are often important academic concepts and details.
READ ABOUR: Key facts you need to know about IELTS Listening
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This is the very first thing you have to do in order to complete this type of task. Look at the title, the information in the form, and the instructions. You will learn many things by doing so. You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you should write might vary. For example:
Let us have a look at the Listening sample task below and think what we can learn from the form:
Taken from https://www.ielts.com
From the title of the form, we know that the conversation is going to be between a customer and a manager, and the customer probably wants to send something in the container. In the form, we also read about details such as name, address, size of the container and cost. The instructions say that we can write up to three words and / or a number. Can we write 4 words in the gap? The answer is ‘No’.
READ ABOUT: IELTS Academic Writing topics in 2020
After you have got the general idea about the conversation, it is time to look closer at the gaps you have to fill. Look at the words on the left and on the right, and try to predict the answer. This will help you stay more focused while listening and select the appropriate information.
For example:
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
READ ABOUT: Get ready for IELTS Listening
Listen carefully to the conversation and complete the gaps. Remember, in such type of task you have to write the exact words or numbers you hear. Don’t forget to check that they fit the gap: the right meaning and the right grammar. Here are some tips to help you.
width → 0.75 metres wide
height → 0.5 metres high or deep
If you have time before the recording starts, identify key words or phrases in the question that are likely to be replaced by synonyms and think of some that might be used.
June — JUNE
Smith — SMITH
Thousands are written with a comma: 1,000.
Fractions are used with a full stop: 0.5 / 0.75.
Dates can be written in many ways, but we recommend that you choose the easiest correct format: day — month — year, for example, 15 July 2003, without ‘th’ at the end of fifteen.
Measurements can be written in short: ‘m’ for metres, km for kilometres, kg for kilograms.
In our course, we will provide you with all the necessary tips to complete this type of task and you will do a lot of listening practice. You will also save all the tips in a Knowledge Bank and will be able to return to them any time you want. Our experts will explain all the nuances of notes completion in video lessons, so you will be confident about scoring high at IELTS Listening.
This is the shortest but the most important step. Do not leave blank answers. Even if the exam looks difficult, choose your best guess and maximize your chances of scoring high.
Recently, we have written about 8 strategies to achieve a perfect score in IELTS Listening.
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Students and candidates who prepare for IELTS know that you get scores for each part of the test. What is your perfect score in IELTS Listening? Of course, you aim at 7+, and it is trouble-free if you know the strategies to achieve it.
Test-takers also believe that the challenge of the Listening test is increasing as you progress through it. To some extent, it does. What is the catch then? Candidates make many mistakes in part 1, which seems to be the less complicated. This is because there you need to write down the exact information such as numbers or names, or dates or spell words correctly. So, this increase in the level of difficulty is quite disputable. This means you should be attentive in each part of the test. And here comes our foremost strategy for the IELTS Listening test.
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Unlike Reading or Writing sections of the IELTS Academic, you will not have time to think about what you have read, written or heard. You will hear the recording only once, so you won’t have a chance to hear what was said again.
Moreover, while listening, you will have to read the questions and give your answers. Here you have to be on your toes, because you will often hear a paraphrased version of what you read in the questions, i.e. you will read the different words, but the meaning will be the same. If you do not catch it, you will not be able to match it with the questions.
The truth is you will do a monumental work for around 30 minutes by paraphrasing and answering questions. But now, you know the tip.
In our course, we will teach you how to paraphrase, and you will learn how you can benefit from paraphrasing at the exam.
At the beginning of part 1, the speaker on the recording will tell some information. You will also hear, ‘now you have some time to look at Part 1’. You do not need to wait for this command. Instead, start reading the questions immediately.
As soon as you have answered the questions from the previous part, do so in each part of the Listening test. Before anything else, focus on keywords such as nouns, verbs, adjectives that carry the meaning (underline them in the paper-based version).
Also, try to predict the answers. If the task is to fill in the gaps, try to guess what type of word is missing. In a map, look at all the objects that have names, and think what names you could give to other objects.
Once you have read the task, try to remember about it while answering. The most common mistakes happen due to lack of attention. For example, the candidates forget the number of options they have to choose, or how many words they should write in a gap, or even if they have to write numbers or letters. You do not need to spend too much time on reading the instructions, but check up on what to do.
They are wrong answers that are similar to the correct ones, designed to see whether the person being tested can notice the difference. For example, there is one form of distractor that is very common in part 1 of the IELTS Listening test. This is when you hear a speaker correct him/herself, or the other speaker will correct them. In order to avoid mistakes, do not assume the first thing you hear as the answer is the actual answer – listen carefully to what comes after that.
When you are listening for one question, you never know when the information about it will start and when it will finish, and the speaker will move on to the next question. In order not to miss this transition, always keep in mind two questions that go one after another.
READ ABOUT: What to expect at the IELTS Speaking test
Don’t keep thinking about the previous question even if you’re not sure about the answer you’ve given. The speaker is already talking about another one. If you continue thinking about the previous questions, chances are you will not answer the following ones and lose your scores.
Even if you have selected a wrong answer, but listen further, there is more chance for you to score higher, than if you keep thinking about the same question and lose track of the recording.
Sometimes test-takers do not hear all the answers. If this happens to you, apply your logic. There might be hints in speaker’s intonation, for example. Very often speakers use linking devices that help you follow their thoughts. Even you are not sure, answer ALL questions. What if the answer you write turns to be correct? Candidates are not penalized for the wrong ones.
At the end of the test, you will have from 2 to 10 minutes to look through your answers, depending on the version of the IELTS exam you choose. Use this time to scan your answers for grammar mistakes and spelling. If you do not spell the words correctly, or, for example, write a singular noun instead of plural, you will lose points.
These were the basic strategies on IELTS Listening. They are easy to follow. However, in our course we give candidates more specific guidance on each question type. Join us to get more confidence, learn more tips and tricks, do practice tasks and get feedback from experienced IELTS tutors.
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Key facts you need to know about the IELTS Listening test
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Students and test-takers find Listening to be a rather difficult part of IELTS. However, knowing what to expect when you get into the room on the day of your IELTS exam is your major advantage. We have collected the key information about the format of the test, question types, marking tips and scoring of the IELTS Listening test to give you more confidence about it. In this article, you will learn how much time IELTS Listening takes, number of questions and parts, what happens in each part and how listening is scored.
There are two modules of the IELTS test: General and Academic. Regardless of the module, the Listening test will be the same. The candidates who take either module of the IELTS exam arrive at the same venue on the same day, and sit the exam in the same room. They also listen to the same recordings and fill out the same answer sheets. Both modules differ in content only in the Writing and Reading sections of the test. That is why the assumption that IELTS General is easier is partially wrong.
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The duration of the Listening section is 30 minutes. However, candidates who have chosen paper-based test will have 10 minutes to transfer their answers into the answer sheet. In a computer-based test, you will have 2 minutes to check your answers.
In IELTS Listening you have to answer 40 questions. There are 40 questions and 4 parts of the Listening test, 10 questions per each part. Before 2020, parts of Listening used to be called sections. That is why you may still see this word in practice tests. However, you don’t need to worry, the difference is only in the name.
You are not expected to have a detailed knowledge of the topics. Many candidates fear to fail because they do not know anything about engineering, pharmacology or paleontology, for instance. However, IELTS checks your listening skills, not your knowledge of the topic:
· your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information;
· if you can differentiate opinions and attitudes of speakers;
· if you understand the purpose of an utterance;
· your ability to follow the development of ideas.
READ ABOUT: Which IELTS should you take: general or academic?
Each part has a fixed format. First two parts of the test relate to social situations, while parts three and four relate to educational and training situations.
In Part 1, you will hear a conversation between two speakers on a general topic. For example, someone wants to buy a house or someone is applying for a job.
Part 2 has a monologue, again on a general situation from real life. For instance, a person is giving instructions to new company employees, or a guide is telling people about a museum.
In Part 3, there is a conversation with up to 4 people involved. They talk on an academic topic, for instance, the professor and the students discuss the project they are working on as a part of studies.
In Part 4, you will listen to a lecture. One person will be talking about a scientific or academic subject, for example, about the impact of global warming etc.
There are certain types of questions in IELTS Listening. Tasks you can get in each part of this section may differ. There are some common types of questions you may come across and need to know how to answer:
· Matching
· Multiple choice
· Note, form, table, diagram or flow-chart completion
· Sentence completion
· Summary completion
· Short answer questions
· Labeling a plan or a map
READ ABOUT: How to get ready for IELTS Listening
You have time to read the questions before listening. Once the Listening test starts you will open your test paper and read the instructions. They are short, clear and easy to follow. Read them carefully. Many of them state the number of words you have to write. For example:
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER
or
Write ONE WORD ONLY
or
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
You will also have some time to read the questions before you actually listen to the recording. This is one of the advantages of the IELTS test. However, don’t read too far ahead. You should read only the questions for the part of the audio you are about to listen to. Moreover, in the recording, you will also hear what questions you have to answer.
At the end of each part of the IELTS Listening test, you’ll hear the following instruction: ‘You now have half a minute to check your answers.’ Use this time to read the questions of the part that follows.
Candidates can get maximum 40 points for the Listening test. One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40-item test. Write your answers carefully on the answer sheet because poor spelling and grammar are penalized and are likely to reduce your score.
The table below indicates the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Listening:
| Band score | Raw score out of 40 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 23 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 35 |
Now, you are aware of what the IELTS Listening test is like, and you are already at an advantage. To get more confidence, learn more tips and tricks, do practice tasks and get feedback from experienced tutors join our IELTS Academic Writing self-study course and get access to Listening, Speaking and Reading preparation parts as soon as the course updates are released.
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