About the LISTENING TEST

A The Test
Listening Description Interaction Setting
pattern
Section 1 10 questions dialogue Work and social
situations
Section 2 10 questions monologue Work and social
situations
Section 3 10 questions two or Academic or
three educational
speakers situations
Section 4 10 questions monologue Academic
situations
The IELTS Listening Test tests your ability to understand spoken
English in different situations. The test lasts for approximately 30
minutes and has four sections.
In each section, you listen to a recording and answer ten
questions. Before each section, you hear information about
who is speaking, the situation and the topic. The voice on the
recording then tells you which questions to look at and you read
the instructions for the task on the question paper.
The recordings in each section are divided into parts and there
is a generally a pause between each part so that you can read
the questions before you listen. After the pause, you hear a
continuation of the same recording. You should use the pause to
read the task so that you’re ready to answer the questions.
You hear each section of the recording ONCE only. You should
answer the questions as you listen, and write your answers
directly onto the question paper. You have ten minutes at the
end of the test to copy your answers on to the separate answer
sheet.
Section 1
In this part of the test, you hear a conversation between two
people. The conversation is generally about living, studying or
working in an English-speaking country. For example, you may
hear a conversation between an employer and an employee,
or one between a student and a college administrator or two
friends talking about how to spend their free time.
The conversation has a purpose, such as giving instructions,
asking for information, making a booking or making plans.
Most of the questions test your ability to understand the
detailed information that is exchanged between the speakers
and the conclusions they reach. You often have to complete
the missing information in a form, a table or a set of notes.
Sometimes, you may have to choose the correct answer from
a list of alternatives (A, B, C, etc.).
Section 2
In this part of the test, you hear one speaker giving a talk to
a group of people. The talk is generally about living, studying
or working in an English-speaking country, for example an
employer talking to a group of employees or someone making
an announcement.
The talk or announcement has an aim, such as giving
instructions. Most of the questions, therefore, test your ability
to understand detailed information.
The questions usually ask you to choose the correct answer
from a list of alternatives (A, B, C, etc.). You may have to
answer multiple-choice questions, for example, or match the
information you hear to one answer in a longer list of options.
Sometimes the questions in Section 2 are based on visual
material and you may, for example, have to choose the correct
labels to go on a map. Sometimes you may have to complete
missing information in a set of sentences.
Section 3
In this part of the test, you hear a conversation between two
or three people in an academic setting. The conversation is
generally about an academic topic and the two main speakers
are exchanging both information and ideas. For example,
the conversation may involve two people who are working
together on a research project, or a meeting between a tutor
and two students reporting on their progress.
The speakers may agree or disagree on certain points before
coming to a conclusion. Most of the questions test your
ability to follow the ideas being discussed, to identify each
speaker’s point of view and to understand the outcome of
their discussions. You need to listen to what the speakers say
about each issue to be sure of the answer.
The questions usually ask you to choose the correct answer
from a list of options (A, B, C, etc.). You may have to answer
multiple-choice questions, for example, or match the
information you hear to one answer in a longer list of options.
Sometimes the questions in Section 3 are based on visual
material and you have to choose the correct labels to go on a
diagram or flow-chart.
Section 4
In this part of the test, you hear one speaker giving a lecture
or presentation. The talk is about an academic topic and
the speaker is discussing the topic in depth. You could, for
example, hear about some research that the speaker has
been involved in, or the speaker may be discussing different
people’s ideas and opinions on a subject.
The lecture or presentation has a purpose, such as updating
the audience on developments in a field of research or
providing students with an overview of an area of study. Most
of the questions test your ability to understand and make a
note of the detailed information the speaker presents, as well
as following the arguments.
Most of the questions ask you to write a word or short
phrase to show that you’ve understood the information
and arguments that you hear. You often have to complete
the missing information in a set of sentences or notes that
summarise the main ideas discussed in the talk. Sometimes,
you may have to choose the correct answer from a list of
alternatives (A, B, C, etc.).

6 LISTENING

B Marking
Each numbered question in the Listening test is worth one
mark. If you write the correct answer, then you get the mark.
No marks are taken off for wrong answers, so it’s always a
good idea to write an answer, even if you’re not sure whether
it’s correct or not.
The instructions tell you how many words you can write. If the
instructions say ‘WRITE ONE WORD for each answer’, then
you must only write one word. If you write two words, you
don’t get the mark, even if the information is correct.
The words you write must be spelled correctly. Most of the
words you have to write are familiar words that most students
know how to spell. Both UK and US spellings are accepted
as correct. The answers aren’t technical words or words that
have difficult spellings. Sometimes the names of people and
places are spelled out for you on the recording. This tests your
knowledge of the alphabet.
Remember to write clearly. If your handwriting is unclear, or if
individual letters are not clearly written, you don’t get the mark.
Remember that the words you need to write are the words
you hear on the recording. Don’t try to use your own words.
For example, if the word you hear on the recording is
‘incredible’ and you write ‘unbelievable’ as your answer, you
don’t get the mark. This is why it’s important to write the words
as you listen. If you try to remember afterwards, you may
have understood what you heard, but not remember the actual
words the speaker used.
You can write your answers in either UPPER CASE or lower
case – both are marked correct, and you don’t need to worry
about punctuation. For example, if the answer to the question
is ‘online’ and you write ‘on-line’, you still get the mark. In
questions where the answer is a letter, you only write the
correct letter next to the number on the answer sheet.
C Strategies
Before the test
• Familiarise yourself with the format of the Listening test.
Make sure you know exactly what you have to do in each part –
then you can feel confident and prepared on the day of the test.
• For example, listen to whole tests to know what you have to
do in each part, what information is given on the recording and
what information is given on the question paper.
• The information you hear about the speaker, the situation
and the topic can help you to be ready to understand what you
hear.
• Predict the type of vocabulary and information that you’re
going to hear.
• Practise using the time during the pauses between the
sections and parts to read the task on the question paper.
• Practise predicting the type of words and information that is
missing in tasks where you have to write the answer.
• Remember that reading the task also helps you to know
about the type of information you’re going to hear and the order
the information is going to come in.
• Try to make the most of every opportunity to practise your
listening. For example, listen to broadcasts and podcasts in
English as often as you can.
About the Listening TEST
• Use the Internet to keep up with the latest news and current
affairs in English. While you’re listening, think about the type of
language the speakers use to make their points.
During the test
• The voice on the recording gives you all the instructions
during the test and guides you through the four parts.
• Remember that you hear each recording ONCE only.
• Remember that the questions follow the order of information
in the recording.
• Remember that you hear words and information from the
question paper as you listen to the recording – these will help
you to keep your place.
• Remember there are pauses between each part and
halfway through each part so you can read the tasks and get
ready to answer.
• Always write an answer while you’re listening, even if you’re
not sure whether it’s right or not.
• Don’t worry about spelling while you’re listening – you have
time to check that later – but write clearly so that you can read
your own answers later.
• Don’t stop to think if you’re not sure of an answer. You need
to be ready to answer the next one.
• Don’t panic. You have plenty of time.
At the end of the test
• When the recording has finished, you have ten minutes to
copy your answers on to the separate answer sheet.
• You have time to check your answers, especially the spelling
of the words you wrote while you were listening.
• Try not to change your answers at this stage. What you
wrote while you were listening is probably correct.
• Remember you have to write one answer. If you’re not sure,
don’t put two answers. If you do that, you don’t get the mark.
• Check very carefully that you put your answers next to the
correct number on the answer sheet, and keep checking that
you haven’t made a mistake in the numbering.
• If you don’t know the right answer to a question, always
write something. You may have understood more than you think.
• Only write in the column to the right of the numbers – don’t
write anything in the columns marked /x.
• If you finish before the ten minutes is up, double check that
your answers are in the correct boxes.
• At the end of the test the question paper and the answer
sheet are both collected in.
• Only the answers on the answer sheet count; the question
paper is destroyed.
LISTENING 7