IELTS Listening is a section that demands unmatched coordination between most of the senses. What your eyes will hear must be interpreted well by your eyes and delivered correctly via your hands. Maintaining a balance between all these things isn’t easy. However, you can’t let these things hamper your score as coming up with flying colors in the IELTS exam demands perfect performance in all the sections. If you also have trouble improving your Listening section, read the IELTS Exam Tips.
1. Look for transition words
The answer is often hidden in the transition words. So, if you want to figure out the right answer in a short span of time, look for transition words. Transition words are words that link two phrases that are linked with each other.
The most common transition words are – because, however, and therefore. So, pay attention to the mention of transition words in the audio and note down the details that are mentioned before and after them. Your answer must be hidden in it.
2. Use IELTS Practice Tests
Perfecting the skills isn’t enough. One has to do a real-time assessment of subject matter expertise to identify the seen and unseen loopholes at the right time. This is where the IELTS practice test for listening comes to the rescue. As they are based on actual IELTS exams, future test-takers can use them to check the level of expertise earned.
Attempting the free IELTS mock papers will allow the text-taker to get familiar with the exam pattern beforehand and improve final performance. This resource is a great way to improve the score when used in full swing. Make sure that you’re using the timed IELTS Listening practice papers, as it will help you learn time management skills.
3. Get familiar with the native accent
The recording will be in the native accent, which is different from the non-native accent. To make sense of the audio, you first need to understand what’s said. So, listen to many native recordings and get familiar with the native accent. You can refer to the news, watch movies & TV shows, and listen to radio recordings. There is no dearth of resources if you’ve got the passion for it. There are IELTS-specific podcasts as well. They are very useful as well.
4. Understand the difficulty level of all the four sections
There are four sections in the exam, and the difficulty level increases as you move from 1st section to 4th. The 4th section is considered tough because it features an academic lecture and lots of technical words. Making sense of it is difficult unless your vocabulary is rich and you’re aware of the native accent.
So, distribute your preparation time accordingly. If you’re spending 3 hours on IELTS Listening preparation, make sure y 40 minutes are spent on the 4th section.
5. Capitalization matters a lot
IELTS accepts answers both in standard format and all capital letters format. The standard format is correct only if you are aware of capitalization basics such as proper noun star with capital, the first letter of a sentence is always capitalized, and so on. But, if you’re not very much aware of the rules of capitalization, it’s better to write the answer in all capital letters. This way, you reduce the error possibilities. In IELTS, accuracy is the topmost priority.
Make your move for a better IELTS Listening Score.
Even though the IELTS Listening section is a bit daunting, you can’t avoid it. You can overcome all the hurdles if you refer to a timed IELTS Listening practice paper, focus on capitalization, work on the native accent understanding, and distribute your available time as per the difficulty level of the section. These things will make sure that you’re giving your best to this section.
Conclusion
The IELTS Listening section may seem like a complex web of accents, note-taking, and time constraints. However, with the right strategies, you can approach it with confidence. By incorporating these tips – identifying transition words, utilizing practice tests, familiarizing yourself with native accents, strategically allocating study time, and adhering to capitalization rules – you’ll be well-equipped to tackle this crucial section and achieve your desired score. Remember, consistent practice and focused preparation are the keys to unlocking success in IELTS Listening.
