The essential IELTS listening tips and information for success in your test. Learm the right listening techniques with over 25 top tips to help you achieve a high score. Learn about the listening exam content, writing the answers correctly, types of questions, scoring, making notes and much more. This is A MUST WATCH video lesson for all IELTS students
IELTS Listening tips
Bellow is a list of IELTS listening tips that have been given in the video above Read these tips carefully
The recording will be played only once. You will not hear it a second time.
Before the test
- Improve your general listening skills
The goal of IELTS Listening section is to test your listening skills. Don’t use practice tests to improve your score: it’s not enough! They will help you to become familiar with the test, but won’t much improve your listening abilities. It is much more effective to do various listening exercises, listen to general listening materials (radio reports, TV-shows, documental programs etc) and only after that do IELTS Listening practice tests. - Polish your topic vocabulary
Section 3 is almost always about education. For example, students and a tutor talking about an assignment. Learn all the vocabulary you can about studying at university. This way you will understand this section better.
1. You must practice completing a full listening test by listening only once before your test. You should do this a number of times 2. When you are developing skills and vocabulary, you might want to practice listening more than once. This is fine when you are in training.
2. You will need to multitask. This means you must be able to read the
questions, listen for the answer and write down words all at the same time.
You should practice doing this
3. Practice transferring your answers to the answer sheet at home before your
best. Here is a link to download the IEL IS listening answer sheet. 4. You should write your answers on the answer sheet using pencil not a pen This is the same as the IELTS reading test
5. Scopes are calculated by the number of points you got correct. Here is a link to learn all about the IELTS hand scores IELTS Band Scores Explained. You don’t love a mark if your answer is wrong Your score will not change due to
incorrect answers
6. If you don’t know an answer, guess. Always write something in the box on your answer sheet Who know maybe you guess right !!
7. You can write your answer using capital or lower case letters. However, I
recommend using all capital letters.
8. Check the number of words you can have for your answer. Each time the question type changes, the numb of words for the answer might change too. Here is an example of instructions: “No more than two words and/or a number. To learn exactly what these instructions mean, please watch the video lesson above.
9. Check the instructions to see if you can have a number (which means only
one) or numbers (plural which means more than one number).
10. How words and numbers are calculated
1. A date “1950 is considered one number.
2. A large number 1,000,500″ is considered one word. 3. A hyphenated word “part-time” is considered one word.
4. A compound noun which is not hyphenated “tennis shoe is considered
two words
11. “at the hospital” or “hospital” Should you write the article and preposition” Your answer will depend on the type of question you have If you are
completing the sentence, for example
1. The best place to meet is the answer must be grammatically correct so you need “at the hospital”.
2. If the question is a note or form completion, such each 1) PLACE ……. –
the answer can be just one word (with or without the article) “hospital” or “the hospital” (if two words are possible.
12. SPELLING!!! If your answer is spelled wrong, the answer is marked wrong. You must have the correct spelling to get a point and have the answer marked
correct.
1. Don’t worry about spelling while you are listening because you don’t have time to concentrate on spelling You need to concentrate on
listening to the recording and following the questions. 2. Check your spelling when you transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
That is the time to check and make sure everything is correct.
13. Writing letters or words. If you get a multiple choice question, it will ask you
to write down the letter as your answer. For example:
La) spring
2.b) summer
3:0) winter
4 If the answer is b, you must write “bon your answer sheet not
“Summer” The word “summer would be marked wrong because the introduction ask you to write a letter not a word
14. IELTS Listeming Question Types
Som completion
2 mete completion
3 summary completion sentence completion
6 diagram labelling 7. map labelling
8 table completion 9. form chart
10 li you want practice with these types of question, go to my IELTS
15 Don’t try to understand everything IELTS will add lots of extra information
but you only need to listen for answers. Keep yourself focused on listening for
wers to questions
16 Answers may come quickly. You might get three answers in a very short time.
Geady to write your answers down quickly. Answers may come slowly
There may be a gap between arswers. Don’t panic This is common in section Look out for answers which are plural IELTS know that students have
ly hearing the plural So, these answers will certainly be given to
test your listening ability
18. Common Problems
1. Giving the answer and then changing it. Here is an example: “Is it ok to meet at 7pm?”/”Yes, 7pm works fine for me” / “Oh I’ve just remembered I have a late meeting, could we make it half past instead?” The answer was 7pm but then the speaker changed it to 7.30pm. Always keep listening and be ready for the speaker to change the answer. 2. Similar words might not be the right answer. Watch this video about
IELTS listening multiple choice to understand this tip.
19. If you miss an answer, just move on to the next question. Don’t waste time. Don’t lose your place in the recording.
20. CONCENTRATE!!! 30 minutes is a long time to actively listen for answers. If you lose focus, you will miss answers. Don’t let that happen to you Practice
full tests at home to build up your ability to concentrate.
- Don’t write answers too quickly
A lot of students fall into this trap: as soon as they hear the needed information, they take it for the correct answer. But sometimes this information is repeated or corrected further in the section. Example:
Sam: Thank you! I’ve received your email. So it is loren-hanson@gmail.com.
Loren: No-no! You have mistaken, it is loren-hamson@gmail.com, spelled with M.
Sam: Oh, I’m sorry… - Check for silly mistakes
After each section you have 30 seconds to check your answers. It is important to check spelling, plurals and word forms. Remember that only correctly written answers will gain points. - “Plug in” the situation
Try to get an idea of the situation. Before each part you will be given a short introduction: ‘Now, you will hear a dialogue between…‘ or ‘you will hear a lecture on…‘ This information is not written on the question paper, so be attentive. Note: who are the speakers, why are they speaking and where are they. This will make understanding the rest of the recording much easier. - Watch out words-indicators
Listen for words-indicators, such as however, but, then, finally. They help you to anticipate what the speaker will say.