How Can I Improve My English Listening Skills?
My notes about the IELTS listening exam.
I’ve gathered the most important information about the IELTS listening test.
Listening
The test lasts about 30 minutes. You will have 2 minutes at the end of the computer-delivered test to check your answers.
The user interface of the computer based ielts listening test
The Listening test is divided into four sections, each of which contains one or more sets of question types. Before and after each audio recording, you will be given instructions for each section of the Listening test. You’ll also have time to prepare for each set of questions.
- Before you listen to the tape, read the questions before.
Examine the type of response you must provide (e.g., a letter, a checkbox option, etc.). - Underline or circle terms in the instructions and questions with a pencil to help you focus on what to listen for in the audio.
- After the audio clip has finished, check your answers for spelling and use this time to prepare for the next section of the test.
- Read the question carefully so that you understand what information you are looking for.
- Spend some time examining the information you’ve been provided before listening to the instructions.
- Consider synonyms for your keywords (words with similar connotations), as the recording will employ words or phrases that differ from the phrasing in your question booklet.
Part 2 of the Listening test consists of tasks such as labeling a map, plan, or diagram. You’ll have to find out where things are, what they’re composed of, and how they work. You may be assigned a task that requires you to identify locations, structures, parts, or phases of a process.
The recording will include some keywords to assist you. These keywords could be:
- Adjectives (size, shape, and quality) and verbs
(North, south, east, and west) - Position or place prepositions (in front of, next to, behind)
Part 3 of IELTS Listening requires you to follow a discussion with up to four speakers discussing a study-related topic. You will be required to listen for key facts, ideas, reasons, points of view, or opinions.
It can be difficult to tell who is speaking and what they are saying, therefore always:
- Before you begin listening to the recordings, read the text.
- Take notes on the speakers, their relationships, and how it pertains to the scenario.
Part 4 (the most difficult part) involves listening to a talk or lecture on an academic subject (for example, a university lecture).
Listen for signpost words that the speaker uses to signal distinct stages of the conversation. Signpost terms can include, for example:
- Firstly
- On the other hand
- Although
- Because
- To name a few
- Finally.
These words indicate what information is coming next and can help you understand what the speaker is saying.
Part 1 — Conversation (two speakers)
In Part 1, one speaker requests information from the other. Conversations in this section frequently involve one speaker performing everyday tasks such as registering for a course or renting an apartment. Listen for precise information such as names, numbers, dates, and locations.
Part 2 — Monologue
Part 2 has a monologue, which means there is only one speaker. A second speaker, on the other hand, may ask the main speaker one or two questions. Cooking, nature and animals, weekend activities, travel and health, or following directions on a map are among the themes covered.
Part 3 — Conversation (up to four people)
Part 3 will have two to four speakers discussing a topic linked to education and training. For example, you might overhear university students discussing their studies and tasks.
Part 4 — Academic lecture
One speaker will be heard in Part 4. The subjects are scholarly in nature. For example, you might hear a university instructor discussing an academic subject. This segment is difficult since you must listen to a lengthier lecture. While there may be a halt in the middle of the audio recording in Parts 1–3, the recording does not stop in Part 4.
In the IELTS listening test, there are six different categories of questions:
- Multiple choice
- Matching
- Labeling (plan, map, and diagram)
- Completion (form, note, table, flow-chart, and summary)
- Sentence completion
- Short-answer
Word counts
The directions for the Listening test will tell you how many words are in the solution. For instance, no more than ONE word, TWO words, and/or a number.
To avoid adding unnecessary words, carefully read the word-count guidelines and remember:
- If the instruction specifies a single word and you write ‘the bus,’ your answer will be marked incorrect, even though ‘bus’ is the right term.
- It is allowed to write a number in words rather than digits. For example, ‘320’ is a number and counts as a number.
Tips on listening for specific information
Tip 1: Pay attention to question words
- Take note of any material that addresses queries like: What? When? Why? Where? Who? or How? For instance, ‘When would you like to book? Keeping an eye out for these query words can help you identify specific facts.
Tip 2: Listen for any changes to specific information
- A detail is frequently changed by the speaker. For example, ‘next Tuesday — no, next Wednesday, April 16th’. Keep an eye out for these distractions, which are typical in the IELTS listening test. Don’t choose your answer hastily.
Tip 3: Practice listening to numbers and spelling
- Practice number recognition and spelling in English. For example, names, passport numbers, phone numbers, addresses, dates, and so on.
Guessing Unknown Vocabulary
When you listen to different topics, you may hear terms that you don’t understand. You do not have to understand every word in order to answer the questions.
Consider two approaches to guessing foreign vocabulary: using context and seeking related words.
Making use of context: When you hear a term you don’t recognize, try to deduce its meaning from the context, or the words around it.
Looking for related terms: Looking for related words is another way for predicting unfamiliar vocabulary. Some words are connected because they belong to the same category (for example, clothing: shirt, shoes, singlet, and pants). If you know one of the words in the passage, you can make a reasonable guess that some of the others are related to it.
Distinguishing Between Speakers
Before you listen:
- Read the questions and, if possible, identify the speakers’ names.
While you listen:
- At the start of the dialogue, pay attention to the speakers’ names and distinguish between their voices by noticing:
- Tone: The pitch of their voice.
- Volume refers to how loudly or softly they speak.
- Is there a difference in their accent? Is it, for example, American or South African?
Listening for Numbers
In this section of the test, you may be asked to fill out a form or listen for numbers in the following formats:
Times, dates, phone numbers, and credit card prices in decimal form.
There are several ways to pronounce numbers, for example:
5,500 (five thousand, five hundred fifty-five hundred, fifty-five thousand)
Time
Date
Prior to 1999, the year was expressed as a pair of two-digit numerals. As an example:
- 1910 — nineteen ten
- 1985 — nineteen eighty-five
If the year is greater than 2000, it might be stated as follows (for example, 2018):
- two thousand and eighteen
- two thousand eighteen
- twenty eighteen
Suffixes
Signposts in a short talk
You must listen for words or expressions that will help you understand the conversation’s structure and the relationship between concepts. These are known as’signposts’.
Opinion Indicators
Part 4 of the listening includes frequent organizational patterns like as:
- comparison and/or contrast a historical (chronological) record of an event
- classifying / categorizing a process
- a breakdown
- problem, solution, and suggestions
- a study report: the study topic, the method, the results, the discussion and conclusions, and the recommendations
downsides and benefits
Common Listening Strategies
Before Listening
Pay close attention to the verbal directions.
Pay attention to the listening passage’s topic.
Take note of the number of speakers.
Examine the Questions:
Read the directions.
Examine the number of questions.
Examine the title.
Determine the topic of the discussion.
Determine keywords:
Consider synonyms and antonyms.
Recognize the names of persons and places.
Predict possible responses:
Try to predict rational responses.
Consider word forms in grammar.
While Listening
Actively listening:
Pay attention to crucial terms and their synonyms.
Listen for clues and use them to guide you through the themes in the listening passages.
Keep an eye out for distractions.
Record your answers as you listen:
- The answers are listed in the same order as the questions.
- Leave no questions unanswered.
- Be wary of the distractors, and don’t rush to respond if you hear a keyword.
- The answers in the listening test are presented in the same sequence as the questions. If you miss one, simply move on to the next question and guess at unanswered questions later.
- Don’t worry if you miss one; simply move on to the next question and speculate about unresolved questions later.
Labelling Questions
Because these questions often indicate direction, be mindful of your starting position, geographical names, and direction-defining terms.
Before you start listening, guess what is missing from the table and try to forecast possible replies.
A compass image may imply that you may hear directions such as ‘in the north’ or ’south of’.
Some common location words include:
- next to, beside, next to, not far behind, at the back of on the right, opposite, across from, in front of to the north of, north of.
Other listening tips:
- Keep an eye out for solitary and plural forms.
- Write the exact word you hear, without changing it.
- Although the answers are given in the correct sequence, the spoken material may not be in the correct order.
- When an answer involves a number, use the digit rather than the whole word.
- Try to predict rational responses. Predict the type of response.
While listening, enter your answers.
Listening Examples
My Experience
Because I was not actively doing something, I got distracted a lot. The exam did not feel hard and was similar to the ones online. Do not forget the audio will not play again and the answers are in order right after each other so try to not get distracted, else you can easily lose questions like me.
My Listening Score : 7.0
