IELTS Listening Tip
Want a good IELTS listening tip? Read the advice on the previous page
(again) and follow it. Seriously! It's amazing how students often do the exact opposite of what they know to be good for them.
As stated on the previous page, a good listening tip is to learn how
to take notes while listening. To do this, you need to know what you should be listening
The following IELTS listening tip is designed to help you better take
notes for the listening test.
First off, beware of some typical 'traps' on the listening test. For example, some
questions require a number (i.e.: a telephone number, a postcode, a student identification number, etc.) and
you'll hear someone say; "that's five nine six four five, right? and then you'll hear someone else say; "no!
that's five five, six four five."
In other words, the number given is done so incorrectly by the first speaker, only to be
corrected by the second. This problem may be compounded when the question is asked concerning the number that
was first given. So don't just write down the first number you hear!
Also, remember that there are no points taken off for wrong answers so
if you really don't know an answer it's best to take a guess - especially if it's a multiple choice
One more IELTS listening tip that may prove quite valuable for you is
to read the instructions very carefully! I know it goes without saying yet we've seen students lose valuable
points do to carelessness and not following the directions.
All the listening practice in the world won't help you if you don't
follow the directions.Some questions will require you to use three words or less... so
doNOT answer with four words! It will be counted wrong.
The following gives you a rough guide of the band scores for the Ielts
Academic Listening Test. As you can see, if you want to score at least a band 6, you will need to score at
least 25/40 on the test.
We recommend you learn to eliminate as many mistakes from the first
two sections of the test in order to 'allow' for mistakes in the more difficult third and fourth sections of
For another IELTS Listening Tip and to learn how to eliminate mistakes in the first two sections of the IELTS listening
test, click on the preceding link.