6 Tips on Acing the IELTS Listening Section

The IELTS listening test is designed to evaluate your ability to comprehend and record responses in the English language, as well as the ability to pay attention to detail and recollect information like names and numbers. The IELTS listening test is common for IELTS General and IELTS Academic Test, with both the tests having the same IELTS listening questions, format, and scoring pattern.

IELTS Listening Section Format

The listening test has four sections with 40 questions, and you have 40 minutes to complete the section. The first 30 minutes are for hearing the conversations and jotting down the answers, and the last 10 minutes are for transferring the answers from the question booklet to the answer sheet.

The first two sections contain recordings based on social situations. The only difference is that in the first section you will hear two speakers and in the second there is only one speaker. Sections three and four of the IELTS listening section are based on academic topics. In section three, there may be three to four speakers. In section four, which is typically an academic lecture, there is only one speaker. The recorded conversations increase in the level of difficulty as you go through the four sections of IELTS listening test.

The questions, based on the recorded conversations, can be of different types; these include multiple choice questions, labelling a map/plan/diagram, filling a form, completing a table or a flowchart, and writing short answers. Each correct answer earns you 1 mark, and your overall score out of 40 points is scaled to the IELTS 9-band scale.

Tips on Scoring Well in the IELTS Listening Section

It is not difficult to score high on the IELTS listening test. However, doing well on the IELTS listening test does require a good amount of practice. That's because this section of the test requires you to use multiple skills at the same time - listening, comprehension, and writing. Each recording is played only once, which means you must focus to recognise and note the main details.

You will find loads of online IELTS listening section practice tests; attempt as many of these as you can to prepare yourself for the main exam.

In addition to completing practice tests, pay attention to the following to achieve a good score on the IELTS listening section.

1. Be careful to follow instructions

Often you will see instructions such as 'write no more than three words'; this means that your answer must be less than three words. If you write more than three words, you will lose marks.

Similarly, in a 'fill the form' type questions, only write the missing answer on the answer sheet. For instance, if the statement to be completed is ‘She had ___cats’, and you write ‘3 cats’, the answer is wrong. You need to write ‘3’ as the answer.

2. Familiarise yourself with British accent

You will hear a variety of accents in the recorded passages played during the IELTS listening sections, including British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian, but primarily the recordings will be of people with a British accent. One of the best ways to improve your understanding of the British accent is to listen to BBC programs on television and radio or watch videos on the BBC website.

3. Use the correct spelling and write clearly

As you transfer the answers to the answer sheet, ensure that the spellings are correct. During the IELTS, you can use British English or American English spellings; e.g. colour (U.K. English), instead of color (U.S. English). However, it's important that you stick to one of the two all through the exam, rather than oscillate between using American and British English. Write clearly so that the evaluator can easily read your responses.

4. Pay attention to details in recordings

As you listen to the conversations, pay attention to details. For instance, when someone is talking about their pet dog in the recorded conversation, try to listen for information on the breed of the dog, or how many dogs the person owns.

Be aware of the 'numbers' shared during the recording. It could be about numbers in a group ( a phone number for instance), or any other detail such a house number. Also, pay close attention to the pronunciation. For example, the number 13 and 30 may sound similar in a recorded conversation.

5. Take the time between sections to read the questions in the following section

During the IELTS listening test, you will get some time between the sections to check your answers. If you are confident of your answers, use that time to read the questions in the following section, rather than wasting time reading what you have already written.

Reading ahead will give you a clue to the information you need to listen for in the next section. Also, you may also be able to predict some of the answers, which you can quickly verify as you hear the next conversation.

6. Practice listening and taking notes simultaneously

The IELTS listening section, apart from testing your hearing skills, also tests your reading and writing skills. You must become adept at reading, writing and listening at the same time. As you listen to programmes on the BBC (refer point 2), practise taking notes of the keywords/ facts/ figures, and the crux of the information presented.

There are no penalties for incorrect answers so you must attempt all questions. If you are unsure of your answer to a question, don't waste time mulling over it; move on to the next question.