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Everything you need to know the IELTS Listening Section

Everything you need to know the IELTS Listening Section
Photo by Austin Distel / Unsplash

Welcome to part two of our ongoing series on how to ace the IELTS exam.
Here’s where we’re at:

I got an 8 on Listening section of the IELTS. 

We’re naturally better at listening because we are more exposed to it but effective listening can be difficult when you only get one chance to listen and then answer a bunch of questions. There’s a lot of dependency on your memory which makes the listening section of the IELTS a bit tricky to navigate.

In this post, I will share everything you need to know about the IELTS Listening Section so you can truly ace it.

Let's get started!

Fundamentals

As always, we’ll begin with the fundamentals.

The fundamentals are beautifully explained on the IDP’s website so I won’t try to reinvent the wheel and utilize the information from their website for the sake of this article. If you want to visit IDP’s website, click here.

Duration: 30 minutes 

The Listening test is the same for both IELTS Academic test and IELTS General Training test. You will need to answer 40 questions in response to four recordings. 

You will listen to four recordings which are a mix of monologues and conversations from a range of native speakers and you will only hear each recording once. There are 10 questions for each part of the Listening test.  

These questions test your ability to understand: 

  • Main ideas and detailed factual information 
  • The opinions and attitudes of speakers 
  • The purpose of an utterance 
  • The ability to follow the development of ideas. 

Listening part details: 

Recording 1: A conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.  

Recording 2: A monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.  

Recording 3: A conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.  

Recording 4: A monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture. 

Here’s a simplified explanation of the various question types you might encounter in the IELTS listening test:

Multiple Choice

  • Questions where you choose the correct answer(s) from options given.
  • For some, pick one answer; for others, you may need to pick multiple answers.
  • Focus carefully to select the correct option(s) based on the listening text.

Matching

  • Match items from the listening audio to options on the paper.
  • This will check if you can understand details and follow conversations.
  • For example, linking spoken descriptions to different types of accommodations.

Plan, Map, Diagram Labelling

  • Label parts of a picture, like a building or map, based on the audio.
  • Choose answers from a list and make sure they match the visual based on the description heard.
  • Understand directions mentioned in the audio to label correctly.

Form, Note, Table, Flow-Chart, Summary Completion

  • Fill in missing information in an outline or form.
  • The answers will come directly from the audio. Pay attention to word limits.
  • Make sure your answers focus on main ideas or facts mentioned in the audio.

Sentence Completion

  • Fill in gaps in sentences with information from the audio.
  • Keep your answers within the word limits specified.
  • Focus on key information and relationships like cause and effect from the listening text.

Short-Answer Questions

  • Answer questions briefly using information from the audio.
  • Follow the word limits strictly, and focus on getting concrete facts like places or prices from the audio.

Now, let’s dive into the strategy and 30-days plan for acing the IELTS Listening Section.

Strategy

The IELTS Listening section requires a strategic approach to ensure success. Here are some strategies to help you tackle this part of the exam:

  1. Practice Listening Once:
    It's recommended to practice listening to recordings only once to mimic the exam conditions as recordings in the actual exam are played just once.
  2. Stay Focused:
    Maintain your focus throughout the listening section. If you miss a question, move on to the next one without losing your concentration. There's no time to review, so it's better to preview what's coming next.
  3. Analyze the Questions:
    Before listening to the recording, utilize the time given to read the questions. Determine the type of question and find keywords that will help you concentrate on specific information while listening.
  4. Predict Answers:
    Try to predict answers as you analyze the questions. This doesn’t mean guessing the answer but having an idea of what to expect which will help in better understanding the recording.
  5. Practice under Exam Conditions:
    Simulate the exam conditions while practicing. This includes timing yourself and ensuring that you're comfortable with the types of questions and the format of the listening section.

By implementing these strategies and practicing regularly, you can improve your performance in the IELTS Listening section.

30-Days Plan

Let’s dive into our 30-days plan.

To follow along with the plan, you can find practice resources from the official IELTS website here: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-practice-tests/listening

Week 1:

  • Day 1 (Monday): Solve at least one audio script paper and check your answers.
  • Day 2 (Tuesday): Listen to recorded monologues and conversations.
  • Day 3 (Wednesday): Solve an audio script paper and check your answers.
  • Day 4 (Thursday): Take a mock test and listen to audio news reports.
  • Day 5 (Friday): Listen to an English documentary or an audio clip on your favorite topic for 30 minutes.
  • Day 6 (Saturday): Listen to recorded monologues.
  • Day 7 (Sunday): Take a mock test and listen to the news or watch your favorite movie.

Week 2:

  • Work on your listening by listening to documentaries and audio clips​.

Week 3:

  • Day 1 (Monday) to Day 7 (Sunday): Various activities like solving past audio script papers, taking mock tests, listening to audio clips and audio versions of monologues, and listening to recorded monologues/audio clips are included to enhance your listening skills​.

Week 4:

  • Day 1 (Monday): Listen to a documentary for 30 minutes.
  • Day 2 (Tuesday): Solve a previous audio script paper and evaluate your answers.
  • Day 3 (Wednesday): Take a mock test.
  • Day 4 (Thursday): Listen to an English documentary.
  • Day 5 (Friday): Solve a previous audio script paper.
  • Day 6 (Saturday): Take a mock test.
  • Day 7 (Sunday): Take a final mock test on listening and try to complete the test in 60 minutes​.

This 30-day plan is designed to be intensive and requires a solid commitment. With consistent effort, feedback, and refinement, you can significantly improve your listening skills for the IELTS listening section.

Conclusion:
A structured approach, improving your listening skills, and consistent practice are key to achieving a high band score. Following the provided 30-day plan and utilizing the shared strategies can significantly enhance your listening skills and confidence, paving the way for IELTS success.