IELTS Listening Test

• Format of the test
• Types of tasks
• Sections
• Assessment criteria
• Types of activities
• Techniques for taking the test 
• Examples
• Strategies

Test Format

Recorded tape played once only

• 30 minutes
• Four Sections, each with 10 questions
• Time allocated for
  • Reading questions
  • Writing and checking answers
  • Transferring answers to an answer sheet

Types of tasks

• A variety of question types
  • Multiple choice
  • Short-answer questions
  • Sentence completion
  • Notes/summary/diagram/flow-chart/table completion
  • Labeling a diagram which has numbered parts
  • Classification
  • Matching

Sections

Section 1 Questions 1-10

• Completing a table
• Labelling places on a map

Section 2 Questions 11-20

• Write NUMBERS or NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer

Section 3 Questions 21- 30

• Multiple choice - choose the correct letters A-C
• Write NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer

Section 4 Question 31 -40

• Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
• Write NUMBERS OR NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer

Assessment Criteria

One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40 item test

Be very careful when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.

Types of Listening Activities

Section 1: A conversation between two speakers in a social and semi-official context

Section 2: A talk by a single speaker based on a non-academic situation (monologue)

Section 3: A conversation with up to 4 speakers based on academic topics or course-related situations

Section 4: A university-style lecture or talk

Techniques for the listening tasks

Before you listen, survey the questions and try to build up an idea and reason for listening. 

e.g. What is the topic? What is the situation? How many characters are there?

Follow the instructions carefully, get the information you need and answer the questions accurately

Strategies for taking the test

• Your purpose in listening is to identify what the question requires you to understand
• It is not necessary to understand every word that is spoken
• Listen for keywords to get the meaning
• You will hear the information once only, so prepare yourself by anticipating what you will hear
• Read and analyse the question as a pre-listening task

Example 1

Sample test for Section 1 Questions 1 - 10

Section 1: A conversation between two speakers in a social and semi-official context

• Completing a table
• Labelling places on a map

 Sample Test 1

Example 2

Sample test for Section 2 Questions 11 - 20

Section 2: A talk by a single speaker based on a non-academic situation (monologue)

• Write NUMBERS or NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
• Completing a table

 Sample Test 2

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