IELTS listening test is also significant like its speaking counterpart, and you must have a good band score to crush the IELTS. Do you want to excel in the IELTS listening strategies, types of questions, and the entire section? This guide has you covered with IELTS Listening tips.
It is among the best 4 parts of this IELTS test that is similar irrespective of whether you opt for taking the general or academic tests. Here, recordings will be played once, and you have to answer 40 questions to a total of 4 recordings.
Stick to last, and this complete guide to IELTS listening will showcase all the necessary information you need to know to crack this exam. Let’s get started.
IELTS Listening Exam: Overview
The duration of this test is 30 minutes, and it is identical to both the IELTS General Training test and the IELTS Academic test. The rule of the IELTS exam is you have to listen to 4 recordings which are the blending of lectures and conversations from a wide array of native speakers. Each recording contains 10 questions, which will be played once.
As far as the difficulty level of IELTS is concerned, it doesn’t require any specialized knowledge to pass. Hence, it’s all about verifying your English speaking, writing, reading, and listening ability. The motive of the IELTS listening test is to examine your capability to do the following:
- Follow logical arguments
- Perceive opinions or behaviors
- Understand core ideas
- Rummage for particular details, such as addresses or numbers
Details of the IELTS Listening Part
Recording 1: Two people are communicating in a daily social context
Recording 2: A lecture set in a daily context, for example, a monologue about local authorities
Recording 3: Communication happens between max 4 people in the training or educational context, for example, a student or a university teacher talking about coursework or assignments.
Recording 4: A speech on an academic topic, for example, a university lecture.
Structure of IELTS Listening Test
Let’s look at the standard Listening test structure of IELTS:
General Vs Academic IELTS Listening
You might have questions like if the general and academic IELTS exam is similar. You would be happier to know that no such difference between IELTS General and Academic Listening. The listening section is analogous to the general and academic training versions of this English proficiency test. Therefore, you can create in a particular way regardless of which variation of the test you take part in.
Timing
You will need to listen to approximately 30 minutes of recordings, including time for going through the questions carefully. Here, for the IELTS listening test, clear instructions will be given to you to glide through the exam, and you will also be notified about your remaining timing to crosscheck your answers or read the subsequent set of questions.
Once time is up, you will get another 10 minutes to shift your answers from the question paper to the answer sheet. Make sure that the answers you copy on your answer paper will be considered.
Format
In this IELTS Listening test part, you will need to listen to 4 distinct listening passages and diligently answer 10 questions from every section, implying 40 in total. Here, the passages come in 4 isolated recordings; those will get difficult gradually.
- Passage 1In this first passage, you will listen to a conversation between two people, where the context will be regular social interaction. For example, someone wants to know a product cancellation procedure, and the customer care executive offers him a solution. In brief, the topic will be daily life or ordinary conversation.
- Passage 2This passage 2 will be a script; implying just one person will keep speaking. It will again be an ordinary social setting, and some of its examples include talking about any facilities, providing details about services, or letting someone know about a place.
- Passage 3The academic half of the IELTS listening exam starts in this passage 3. Here, you will listen to an interaction between 2 or more people discussing something based on academics, such as a post-lecture discussion or a college assignment. Moreover, a maximum of 4 people can be there, and all you need is to understand their attitudes and opinions.
- Passage 4The last one is tough as it’s a script of an academic context. It is somewhat similar to passage 3, and a conversation of the recording between a lecturer and other speakers will be played for you, giving talks on a particular topic. Here, you need to amass factual details and track their opinions and attitudes.
IELTS Listening Tips
-
Understand the format of the IELTS Listening test, which consists of four sections and lasts about 30 minutes, followed by 10 minutes to transfer your answers. Familiarizing yourself with the structure will help reduce exam stress.
-
Practice active listening by exposing yourself to various English accents (British, American, Australian, and Canadian) through podcasts, news channels, and movies. This will help you get accustomed to different pronunciations and speaking styles.
-
Carefully read the instructions for each section, paying close attention to word limits (e.g., “Write no more than two words”). Exceeding the limit will result in a wrong answer.
-
Preview the questions before the audio starts, and try to predict what kind of information you will need to listen for (names, dates, places, numbers, etc.). This will help you stay focused and alert.
-
Focus on keywords in the questions by underlining or highlighting them. Transition words like however, therefore, and because often indicate important details that might hold the answer.
-
Practice with realistic tests to get a feel of the actual exam environment. Gurully’s IELTS Listening practice tests are designed to simulate real-time conditions and help you assess your skills effectively.
-
Pay attention to spelling and grammar, as mistakes in these areas can result in a loss of marks, even if the answer is correct. Make sure to double-check your answers during the transfer time.
To wrap up, if you are wondering about the strategies for success in IELTS listening, it is nothing but practicing. Moreover, you have to be well-versed with listening to English, listening for particular details in monologues, and conversations with exam techniques. Lastly, perceiving the instruction of any exam will always be helpful. These IELTS listening tips and tricks will help you score high.
Achieving a high band score in the IELTS Listening section requires consistent practice and strategic preparation. Make sure to practice section-wise listening tests on Gurully to enhance your accuracy, time management, and confidence. With Gurully’s expert-guided mock tests and real-time assessments, you’ll be better equipped to tackle the IELTS exam and achieve your desired score. Start practicing today and get closer to your dreams!
