To do well in the IELTS Listening Exam and to achieve a high band score it is essential to first understand the test and the types of questions that you will be asked.
The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of the IELTS listening exam.
Summary of the listening test
- As IELTS is an international test there will be a range of accents, the most common being British and Australian.
- British English and American English spelling are both acceptable.
- All students take the same test regardless of whether they are taking the Academic or General IELTS exam.
- There are 40 questions split up into four sections, which are:
- Two people speaking, perhaps in a phone conversation, in a restaurant or an apartment.
- One person, perhaps a tourist guide, speaking.
- Three or four speakers having an academic discussion.
- One person delivering an academic lecture.
- The test lasts for 40 minutes:
- 30 minutes for listening and writing down the answers.
- 10 minutes for transferring the answers to the answer sheet.
- The sections get progressively more difficult.
There are nine types of questions, which you might be asked in the exam:
- Sentence Completion.
- Note completion.
- Form completion.
- Table completion.
- Map labelling.
- Former chart.
- Summary completion.
- Sentence completion.
To do well in the exam and get a high band score practise answering these nine question types so that you will be used to the type of question when you sit the exam.
When you practise taking sample tests train yourself to get progressively quicker at answering them until you can answer them within the time limit. During the exam you will take the listening reading and writing tests together without a break. You will be allowed a total of two hours and 40 minutes for all three tests, which is why it is important to practice answering questions within the time limit. The IELTS speaking test lasts for 40 minutes.