Your cart is currently empty!
Category: Listening Module
6 Ways to boost your IELTS Listening Band Score from 6 to 8 Band
After having a brief of how the questions appear in the IELTS exam’s actual listening test and how they are classified in different parts, students must be aware of ways to tackle them. This module of the test includes the audio recordings played only once. You will not hear them twice; therefore, I will reveal a few secret tips to boost your scores of IELTS Listening and get a perfect band 9.
Time Management
During the listening exam, my students frequently comment that they don’t have enough time to look at the questions or write responses. In the listening exam, it is critical to use your time carefully. Because all students have the same amount of time, students who manage their time well will receive higher grades than students who do not. Take note of how much time is given to you in the instructions: “Now have some time to look at questions 20 to 24” OR “Now you have half a minute to check your answers. ”When it comes to time management, understanding questions quickly and knowing what to listen for is essential.
Be attentive
However, the IELTS Listening difficulty rises as the students proceed with questions, but the examiner also allows cracking answers using indicators and plugins. The examiner uses certain words like however, but, finally, that helps anticipate the speaker’s idea. Try to acquire a sense of what’s going on. You’ll get a short introduction before each part, which is essential to note. It appears for example: ‘Now, you’ll hear a chat between…’ or ‘Now, you’ll hear a lecture on…’ Be aware that this information is not mentioned on the question paper.
Please note who is speaking, why they are talking, and where they are located. Such parameters will make the rest of the tape much more accessible for students to comprehend.
Avoid Distractors
Being attentive and avoiding distractions works hand in hand because the examiner induces several types of distractors in the IELTS Listening Test. Distractors are most commonly seen in dialogues, where one speaker says something and the other speaker corrects him or her. In order words, you’ll hear two different versions of the identical piece of information. One is correct, and the other is erroneous, and if you don’t pay attention, it’s obvious to write the incorrect one. Another example of the examiner distracting students is by setting traps using similar keywords the wrong way in the audio. These distractors may cause you to make dumb errors on the test, so be prepared to deal with them on test day. Avoid them to improve your IELTS Listening scores.
Have Patience
The examiner plays the audio once; therefore, make sure to understand the idea, listen to the correct word in their singular or plural forms, have eyes peeled on questions, and most importantly, write the correct spellings. Doing all such tasks at once can make students impatient. They also tend to lose on listening to some part of the recording and hence miss on questions. You can also be on their part, so be patient whether you miss one question as there is a long way to go. You have the rest of the questions to respond precisely to boost your listening test bands.
Instructions
As mentioned earlier, Instructions are essential to answer the correct way. If you do not follow the examiner’s prescribed guidelines, your answer will not be given attention while marking.
Correct Spellings
Writing the answers to your IELTS listening module with correct spellings is as essential as getting them right. For instance, the speaker in the audio meant ‘principal’, but the answer is incorrect when you write ‘principle’. You heard the examiner right yet misinterpreted the meaning. Some most commonly repeated words appear in the IELTS exam; practice them to avoid errors such as incorrect spellings.
The students can point out these mistakes while practicing for the IELTS exam to improve listening scores. However, be aware of the types of questions appearing in the IELTS Listening section for a perfect band 9.
Wait a minute, Do you need 8+ bands in IELTS Listening?
If yes, How many questions must be correct?
IELTS Listening Band Calculator
must read – Mastering IELTS ListeningEach Question carries 1 mark Marks obtained Bands 39-40 9 37-38 8.5 35-36 8 32-34 7.5 30-31 7 26-29 6.5 23-25 6 18-22 5.5 16-17 5 13-15 4.5 11-12 4 Now that you know how many marks you require as per the band desirability. The following is the IELTS exam question list, and you may encounter some of them in your actual IELTS test. Jot down the ones you find easiest to score as per your overall IELTS band requirement.
Types of Questions appearing in the IELTS Listening test
Although there are only four parts to the listening test, the types of questions differ for every exam. The students may encounter some of the following mentioned questions in their real IELTS test.
- Form completion | Note completion | Summary completion
- IELTS Listening Sentence completion
- Table completion
- Flow-chart completion
- Matchings
- IELTS Listening Multiple choice questions ( MCQs )
- Map labelling | Diagram labelling
[carousel_slide id=’16536′]
How Your Band Score Is Decided in IELTS ?
Table of Contents
Do you want to know how your band score is decided in IELTS? If you’re preparing to take the IELTS test, it’s important to understand how your band score is calculated. This will help you to focus your studies on the areas that will have the biggest impact on your final score.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how your band score is determined and what you can do to improve your chances of getting the score you want.
How Test Takers Are Graded in IELTS
When you take the IELTS test, your band score is decided by a examiner who grades you on four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. And these grades are averaged to give you your final band score.
But what does this mean for you? It means that you need to be proficient in all four skills in order to get the band score you want. You can’t just be good at one and hope to get by.
This is why it’s so important to practice all four skills regularly. And it’s also why I recommend taking a practice test before you sit for the real thing. That way, you’ll know what to expect and you’ll be able to focus on the areas that need improvement.
The Band Score Criteria
There are three different criteria that are considered when awarding your band score in IELTS:
-
- Your performance on the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing
-
- In spoken English not only your level of fluency and vocabulary but also the grammatical accuracy, range, pronunciation and your connection with the question is assessed
-
- The level of accuracy and precision of your written language
Each of these criteria is awarded a score from 0-9, and your band score is then calculated by taking the average of all 4 Modules. So, if you score a 7 on your speaking test, a 7 on your writing test, an 8 on your reading test, and 8 in listening 7+7+8+8 / 4, your band score would be 7.5.
How to Get a High Band Score
You want to get a high band score in IELTS, don’t you? Here’s how it’s done.
First of all, make sure you familiarize yourself with the test format. There are four sections—Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. You’re given a total of two hours and forty minutes to complete the test. The Listening and Reading sections are worth 30% each of your final score, while the Writing and Speaking sections are worth 20% each.
Your band score is calculated by averaging your scores in all four sections. So it’s important to do your best in every section.
Here are a few tips to help you achieve a high band score:
-
- Practice, practice, practice! The more you practice, the better you’ll perform on test day.
-
- Read as much as you can. The more you read, the better your comprehension skills will be.
-
- Listen to English as much as you can. The more you hear native English speakers talking, the better your listening skills will be.
-
- Stay calm and focused on the task at hand. The most important thing is to do your best and not worry about what other people are doing.
The Importance of a Practice Test
The best way to understand how your band score is decided is to take a practice test. When you sit the real test, you’ll feel more confident and prepared. The practice test will give you an idea of the type of questions you’ll be facing and how the exam is structured. It also allows you to time yourself so you can get an idea of how long you’ll need to answer each question.
Most importantly, the practice test will help you identify your weak areas. Once you know where your weaknesses are, you can focus on improving those skills.
How to Register for IELTS
So, you’ve decided that you want to take the IELTS test. Great decision! Now, the next step is to register for it. There are a few ways to do this. You can go online and register on the official IELTS website, or you can go through an authorized IELTS testing center. Whichever way you choose, make sure you do it as early as possible, as spaces fill up quickly.
Once you’ve registered, you’ll be sent a notification telling you when and where your test is going to take place. The test itself is made up of four parts: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. You’ll have 40 minutes for the Listening, 60 minutes for Reading tests, 60minutes minutes for the Writing and 11-14 minutes for Speaking tests.
Make sure you familiarize yourself with the format of the test so that you know what to expect on the day of the test. And most importantly, relax and do your best!
What to Expect on Test Day
Now that you know what to expect on test day, it’s time to focus on the task at hand: getting that band score you need. First, know that the band score is decided by the examiner. It’s based on your performance on all four sections of the test. And remember, the examiner is looking for fluency, accuracy and appropriateness of language.
That means that you need to be as prepared as possible for each section. Make sure you’re familiar with the type of questions you’ll be asked and the format of the test. And don’t forget to practice, practice, practice! The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll be on test day.
Conclusion
Your band score in IELTS is decided by looking at your performance in four areas: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Your score for each area is calculated using a number of factors, including the number of correct answers and the amount of time you take to complete the task.
It’s important to remember that your score is not just based on the individual tasks you complete – it’s also affected by how well you do overall. Your band score in IELTS is decided by looking at your performance in four areas: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
No one area is more important than the others – all four are equally important in determining your final score. Your score for each area is calculated using a number of factors, including the number of correct answers and the amount of time you take to complete the task.
It’s important to remember that your score is not just based on the individual tasks you complete – it’s also affected by how well you do overall.
[carousel_slide id=’16536′]
-
Mastering the IELTS Listening Section
You’re preparing to take the IELTS listening section, and you want to do your best.
But there’s one thing you’re not sure about: what the test is like. It can be tricky to know what to expect, especially since the listening section is completely audio-based. In this post, we’ll give you a little taste of what to expect on test day.
You’ll learn about the different types of questions that appear on the IELTS listening section, as well as some tips for how to approach them. We’ll also show you a sample question and answer so you can get a feel for the format of the test. Let’s get started!
What Is the IELTS Listening Section?
- The first two components of the exam address social demands.
- The following two parts deal with circumstances that are more directly tied to educational or training environments.
- All of the IELTS listening themes are of broad interest, regardless of what disciplines you intend to study or what profession you aim to pursue.
- A range of English accents and dialects are used in the recordings which reflects the international usage of IELTS
Lets Understand About Each Section In IELTS Listening
Part 1
There is a dialogue between two speakers in the first segment. For example, a discussion regarding trip plans, reserving accommodations, or enquiry
Part 2
The second part is a monologue (a speech by one person). It will be situated in a typical social setting. A lecture on student services on a university campus, for example, or dining arrangements during a conference.
Part 3
The third part is a dialogue between up to four persons. A talk between a tutor and a student concerning an assignment, for example, or between three students organising a research project.
Part 4
The final section is a monologue. It is a general academic lecture or talk, such as a university lecture
The IELTS Listening Section is a crucial part of the test. This is the section where you listen to audio recordings and answer questions based on what you hear. It’s important to prepare for this section so that you can do your best on test day.
There are a few things you can do to prepare for the IELTS Listening Section. First, make sure you’re aware of the format of the test. The questions will be based on four different recordings, so make sure you know what to expect.
Also, practice listening to English audio recordings. This will help you get used to the sound of English and the accent of the speakers. And lastly, review the types of questions that will be asked in the IELTS Listening Section. Knowing what to expect will help you stay calm and focused on the task at hand.
IELTS Listening Tips and Tricks
So you’re taking the IELTS exam and you’re feeling a little bit nervous about the listening section? don’t worry, you’re not alone.
The good news is that there are a few tips and tricks that can help you ace this section of the test.
- First, it’s important to understand the types of questions that will be asked. There are four main question types: multiple choice, short answer, sentence completion, and table completion. Familiarize yourself with the types of questions and what the answers might look like.
- Next, practice, practice, practice! The more you listen to English, the better you’ll be able to understand it when it’s played back to you in a test setting. Try to find audio files that are relevant to your interests—news broadcasts, podcasts, interviews, etc.—and listen to them regularly.
- Finally, stay calm and focus on the task at hand. Listen closely to each question and make sure you understand what’s being asked before you begin answering. If you get stuck on a question, don’t panic—there’s no time limit, so take your time and try to answer as best as you can.
IELTS Listening Common Mistakes
It’s important to be aware of the most common mistakes people make in the IELTS Listening section, because these can really hurt your score. Here are some of the most common ones:
Not paying attention to the question: Make sure you read the question carefully and understand what is being asked before you start listening.
Not listening carefully: This is a big one – make sure you listen to every word to get all the information you need.
Not using proper format to transfer the answer – While transferring the answer use clear handwriting. it is preferred to use capital letters and using proper space where required. You should how words are counted in Listening test
Not Reading the instructions– It is important to read instructions to be aware about the word limit.
Answering the question without listening: This happens when you hear the answer to a question and just start writing without actually listening to the audio. Make sure you wait until you’ve heard all the audio before writing your answer.
Not writing everything down: It’s very important to write everything down, as there will be questions later based on information in the audio.
Not transferring answers onto the answer sheet: This is another common mistake – make sure you copy your answers onto the answer sheet correctly.
If you can avoid making these mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to achieving a great score in the IELTS Listening section!
IELTS Listening Practice
It’s no secret that the IELTS Listening section can be tricky. But with a little practice, you can master it. Start by listening to the recordings a few times. Pay attention to the details and try to anticipate what’s going to happen. Then, answer the questions as quickly as you can. Don’t spend too much time on one question—just focus on getting the answer right.
Finally, don’t forget to practice vocabulary and idioms that are commonly used in the IELTS test. This will help you understand the questions and answers better. With a little bit of practice, you’ll be able to ace the IELTS Listening section!
IELTS Listening Score Calculator
So how can you figure out your IELTS listening score?
Well, there’s a handy band descriptor will do the job for you. Just check in your test score and it will give you an estimate of your band score. Pretty nifty, huh?
This Listening score chart can help you keep track of your progress.
Question Types
The following types of question may appear on the test:
- Multiple choices
- Fill ups
- Short Answers
- Classifications
- Maps
- Flow chart/ Table/summary completion
- Diagram labelling
IELTS Listening Tips for Specific Sections
In the IELTS listening section, you’ll be asked to listen to a variety of different types of audio content. This might be a conversation between two people, a lecture, or a presentation.
To score well in this section, you’ll need to be able to understand the main points of the audio and answer the questions accurately. Here are a few tips to help you master the IELTS listening section:
- Listen carefully and don’t worry if you don’t understand everything at first. The questions will help you focus on the most important information.
- Try to anticipate what might be asked based on the question stem. This will help you save time when answering the questions.
- Pay attention to the details in the audio and make sure your answers are correct.
Conclusion
You can pass the IELTS listening section with flying colors by following a few simple tips. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the type of questions you’ll be asked, and practice as much as possible. Stay calm and focused, and read the questions carefully. With a little preparation, you can easily score high on the IELTS listening section. Good luck!
[carousel_slide id=’16536′]
Top 12 IELTS Listening Tips and Tricks to Score a Perfect Band 9
Scoring a band 9 in any IELTS section can be a tricky and, at the same time, score-changing strategy to enhance the overall bands in the exam.
Getting a perfect band 9 in IELTS listening can be made easy with the tips and tricks highlighted below;Top 12 IELTS listening tips and tricks to score a perfect band 9
1. Type of Test
2. Multitasking and Time Management
3. Read all questions and Reread the first two
4. Lengthy Reading
5. Eliminate ones not your answers
6. Listening and the correct Spelling
7. Grammar in Listening
8. Know the word limit
9. o and 0
10. Importance of knowing Directions
11. Attempt Everything
12. Be ConfidentType of Test
There are two types of IELTS tests, paper-based IELTS test, and computer-based. Which kind of test to give? It is fundamental to know what sort of exam is best suitable for you to be confident while attending the exam.
You can choose any type; however, in a paper type, you get to be flexible, and you can write your answers first on a rough sheet of paper and then in the final answer sheet to eliminate errors. In a computer-based test, you listen to the audio, read the questions, and type the answers at one time, moving your eyes from one part of the screen to the other, making it difficult for some candidates to concentrate.
Yet, as everything is shifted online nowadays, more candidates are likely to use a computer in their daily routine, making paper use challenging. Accordingly, it is entirely on the IELTS aspirant to select the type of test.
Multitasking and Time Management
Listening is the toughest of all other exam sections because you have to listen, read and answer tasks simultaneously. If you practice multitasking, you tend to score a perfect band 9 in this particular section.
It is vital to know how to manage time in the listening module of the exam with 40 questions to answer in 30 minutes. Practice is the key to achieving the best time managing factor.
A IELTS listening tips is to balance it by transferring answers at the end of the section as there are more questions and less time. In a paper-based test, you get 10 minutes to share your answers, while in a computer-based test, you get 2 minutes to check your answers. During this time, you can scan your answers and check for any errors to get a perfect band 9.
Read all questions quickly and Reread the first two.
An essential tip is to read all questions to score a band 9 or band 8 in the listening section of the IELTS exam.
Before the audio plays, there is some time to read the questions. A quick tip is to read all the questions as fast as possible and read the first two twice before the audio starts, as you do not want to lose those questions at the beginning of the audio due to a lack of concentration.
Lengthy reading
You only get a few seconds or, luckily, one minute to read, but what to do if there is a long passage or lengthy options to review? It is technically and practically impossible to read each letter within the provided time frame given the particular situation. In such cases, the tip to crack band 9 is focussing on keywords.
Scan your questions and focus on the keywords before the audio plays.
An unsaid and unique tip to pull off your game on IELTS listening is to read the questions on the next part when the time is allotted to check the answers to the last detail. Once the audio ends, there are fewer chances of writing solutions to the questions. A trick is to utilize the time to the optimum.
Eliminate ones not your answers
There are times when the audio starts playing, and the candidate is so confused to get back to the questions and misses the conversation and thereby loses the answer. It generally happens in the MCQ type of questions with extended options to read.
A bit of information for such types is to cancel off the options that are not the answers and solve them at the end of the test when you get time to review. This method increases the chance of getting an answer correct by 80% as two options are already eliminated from 4, and the remaining can be analyzed by the information you heard.
Listening and the correct Spelling
Now that you are aware of how to manage the time between reading the questions and listening to the audio, understand that writing the correct form of response is also crucial.
Spelling errors are not at all justified. However, the British and American form of a word is acceptable, for example, practice or practice but writing in British English is advisable.
Grammar in Listening
Do you think grammar holds importance for the questions asked in the listening component of the IELTS test?
Yes, it is a definite one. Along with spelling errors, you must keep an eye on grammar while responding. Plural form and Singular form are typical mistakes the candidates make, especially while attending the listening section of the IELTS exam. Another is the use of an article – a, an, or the in your responses.
Know the word limit
Apart from concentrating on what to answer, focus on the word limit. Generally, the candidates forget to read the word limit instructions and record the wrong responses.
An IELTS listening tips and tricks is also to know the meaning of the terms “No more than two words” and ” at least one word”. The terms describe the upper limit of writing your responses in words. No more than two words represent the upper limit of two words or less, whereas at least one word means the minimum of one word with no upper limit.
o and 0
In the listening section of the IELTS test, there are usually phone numbers presented. The British spell 0 as oh in phone numbers. Sometimes candidates also get confused with 0 as 4 while listening; concentrating is the only key in this section to score a band 9.
Importance of knowing Directions
At times questions are asked in the form of diagrams in this section, such as maps or tables. Knowing the directions beforehand helps to boost the score. It can be IELTS Listening Tips to make up your mind with the vocabulary of maps—for example, North, South, East, West, North East, South West, and such.
Attempt Everything
Now that there is no penalty for wrong answers, the other trick is to attempt every question. When you concentrate on the conversation, you tend to follow the flow and the chances of getting an answer right by the chance increase.
Be confident
Being confident is good, but overconfidence can rule you off. Confidence helps to pull your concentration level, which in turn can be a perfect way to level up your score on the listening section of the IELTS exam.
Follow the above IELTS Listening Tips and Tricks to improve IELTS Listening bands.
Read more :
IELTS Listening – How to Answer Short Questions?
IELTS Reading – Fill in the Blanks Tips Tricks & Strategies
IELTS Listening – Matching Questions. How to solve accurately?
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic: Tips to Improve the Score and Get 7+ Bands
IELTS Listening – How to Answer Short Questions?
Short Answer Questions in the Listening section of the IELTS exam can lose you a band if you miss concentrating on that part of the conversation where your answer is. So, I will talk about how to answer short questions for the IELTS Listening and reveal some magic tricks and secret tips to respond to the tricky part of the audio.
IELTS Listening – Answer Short Questions
There are three key points to crack and respond accurately to answer short questions of the IELTS Listening section:-
1. Instructions
2. WH Questions
3. DistractorsInstructions are Important
To effectively answer short questions, it is essential to read the instructions carefully. They guide you to respond in a specific manner. For example, Write no more than two words or/and a number, Write no more than three words or/and a number, one word only, one word or/and a number. You must know the meaning of these guidelines and read them during your examination to avoid inputting the
wrong answer.WH questions
Along with knowing how to answer, you must know what you are looking to answer while listening to audio in the examination hall. Short Answer type questions for IELTS Listening are commonly the WH questions – What, When, Where, Who, Which, and How.
Questions could be like The;
Which two factors to consider in a job?
A
B
What type of location is better for a new home?
A
How to be confident in an interview?
A
B
Try to review questions before the audio plays and keep them in mind to jot down when you hear your answer.Distractors
The fundamental thing while answering short answers is to concentrate while you hear the audio as it is played only once, and if you miss catching the correct answer, you will lose. Therefore, focus, avoiding distractors.
Exam paper setters use distractors to confuse the candidate while listening to the audio. They mislead you to answer in a particular fashion.
For instance, listen to this audio and answer questions;
Questions:
1) What date will they leave?
2) What day will the tour visit a farm?
3) The students decide to do a project about
4) problems :
● poor weather
● a lack ofLet us look at the transcript of the audio to find out distractors.
For number 1, the speaker spoke month JULY before the actual answer that is 18th to confuse. Also, there was the use of four dates to mislead. Such types of conversations are framed to trick the exam-giving candidate.
1) You need to book some flights. Is that right? Yes, for me and my family. We’re going to Scotland for my sister’s wedding. Oh, lovely. When’s the wedding? It’s on the 21st of July. That should be wonderful. But I assume you’ll want to fly in earlier. What about the 20th or even the 19th? It will have to be the 18th. I’ve actually got to attend a special dinner on the 19th.
In Number 2 conversation, the speaker mentions all days. Tuesday is a market visit, while on Wednesday, there is a visit to John Smith (a local farmer) at work – correct answer. Here, the framing of days is set such that a candidate gets confused while hearing for the first time.
2) Welcome aboard, everyone. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us and get a lovely glimpse of country life. We’re going to a wonderful market on Tuesday morning. You’ll love that with all the local farm produce on sale. Then on Wednesday, you’ll get to see where all that lovely produce comes from as John
Smith – a local farmer has invited us to see him at work. On Thursday you’ll have a day to eat and relax before we leave on Friday.Practice yourself and note down the distractors for numbers 3 and 4.
Answers:
1) 18th July
2) Wednesday
3) recycling
4) fundsRead more :
Academic Writing Task 1 Sample
IELTS Listening – How to Answer Short Questions?
IELTS Reading – Fill in the Blanks Tips Tricks & Strategies
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic: Tips to Improve the Score and Get 7+ Bands
IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Questions, How to be a pro?
IELTS listening is one of the most challenging sections of the exam. In this section of the exam, multiple choice questions are one such difficult part considered by many candidates. So how to be a pro in the particular part?
Today I’m going to share with you some excellent and perfect secret tips, tricks and strategies to solve multiple choice questions for the listening section of the IELTS exam.
This article will cover tips to solve multiple choice questions , following an example along with its solutions, and in the end, there is a vocabulary practice, so be with me.
Let’s get started.
IELTS listening – Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple choice questions generally appearing in section 3 of IELTS listening are the type of questions that consist of three or more options to choose as a correct answer. Such kinds of questions are one of the trickiest to crack as there are a lot of distractors used in the audio, and the text to read is long given the time frame. Stand out of the crowd with the following sample type of Multiple choice questions.
First, you have some time to review questions 21-24.
Number 1 tip: When the topic’s title is already given, you have a brief on what the content is revolving. Here it is a Self-Access Centre.
Number 2 tip: Avoid reading all the content of the given questions. For instance, the topic itself, note that the self-access centre or the centre is used many times as a distractor to confuse and consume the time of IELTS aspirants.
Number 3 tip: Read-only what matters. To brief, question 22 reads some teachers would prefer to _____? Read-only – teachers prefer from question text while for the options have eyes on close, move, restrict access. This trick will save you some time and make you confident enough when you hear the audio.
Number 4 tip: As you review the questions, keep in mind that all the topics are in order while listening to the IELTS test. For example, consider the above question list, it goes from students’ opinion to teachers to something of library and directors concern.
Number 5 tip: Be aware that as the conversation will be between 2 to 4 people, they will agree on a topic, then disagree to another, consequently all approving to one. Therefore, be attentive to the meaning.
Number 6 tip: Following the above advice, tricks, and strategies as you hear audio. Only reading the questions while listening can be the biggest mistake to lose a band score in the IELTS exam.
Now listen to the audio and answer questions 21-24.
Number 7 tip: You will listen to all vocabulary used in the options. Try to avoid just listening without understanding. Identical words are placed as distractors to check English proficiency and whether the applicant can actually understand the language. At times candidates who fail to perceive the meaning of audio content tend to mark the wrong answer based on the words they hear.
Transcript of the audio
You will hear the director of studies in an English language centre and a student representative talking about their self-access centre.
While listening to the audio, you must know who the director and student representative are because you will hear exact words from either one’s opinion to distract you.
“Hi Yun, as you know, I’ve asked you here today to discuss the future of our self-access centre. We have to decide what we want to do about this very important resource for our English language students. So, can you tell me what the students think about this? Well, from the student’s point of view, we would like to keep it. The majority of students say that they enjoy using it because it provides a variation
on the classroom routine, And they see it as a pretty major component of their course. But we would like to see some improvements to the equipment, particularly the computers, there aren’t enough for one each at the moment, and we always have to share.”This paragraph mentions that the centre is a pretty major component of their course, so the answer is C – it is an important part of their studies. It also includes the word enjoy with variation to confuse with the option A, and later there is mention of equipment, but it is not the correct answer.
However, if you miss hearing the actual response, the director again mentioned that teachers agree the centre is a valuable resource.
“Well, yes, the teachers agree that it is a very valuable resource, but one thing we have noticed is that a lot of the students are using it to check their personal emails.
We don’t want to stop you, students, from using it, but we think the computer should be used as a learning resource, not for emails. Some of us also think that we could benefit a lot more by relocating the self-access centre to the main university library bills.”
For question 22, the answer is given using vocabulary for relocating, meaning moving to another place or shifting. So, the answer is B – move the Self-access centre elsewhere.
Number 8 tip – Vocabulary. Using vocabulary, the examiner has tricked you, but if you are a good English reader and listener, the answer is clear and precise. A little bit of knowledge of vocabs can improve your band scores in the lexical resource marking category.
“How do you think the students would feel about that Yun? Well, the library is big enough to incorporate the self-access centre. But it wouldn’t be like a class activity anymore. Our main worry would be not being able to go to a teacher for advice. I’m sure there would be plenty of things to do, but we really need teachers to help us choose the best activities. Well, there would still be teachers present, and he/she would guide the activities of the students. We won’t just leave them to get on with it.
Yes, but I think the students will be much happier keeping the existing set-up. They really like going to the self-access centre with their teachers and staying together as a group to do activities. If we could just improve the resources and facilities, I think it would be fine. Is the cost gonna be a problem?The answer is B – difficulty in getting help, as the student representative specifies their main worry would be not going to a teacher for advice.
“It’s not so much the expense that I am worried about, and we certainly got room to do it. But, it’s a problem of timetabling the teachers to be in their outside the class hours. If we are going to spend a lot of money on the equipment and resources, we really need to make sure that everything is looked out properly. Anyway, let’s make some notes to see just what we need to do to improve the centre.”
For question 24, the correct option is C – the difficulty in supervising the centre. Cost is not a problem is specified, and nothing is there for space of the centre by the director. Therefore, options A and B get eliminated.
Now, as practice, try and solve the passage below with our tips, tricks and strategies.
Two overseas students called Spiros and Hiroko have just finished their first semester for their university course. They are discussing with their English language teacher how they coped with the course.
Read more :
Academic Writing Task 1 Sample
How to prepare for the IELTS exam?
IELTS Reading – Fill in the Blanks Tips Tricks & Strategies
Top 12 IELTS Listening Tips and Tricks to Score a Perfect Band 9
IELTS Listening Tips: Sentence Completion or Fill in the Blanks! Learn with 1 Solve Sample.
Sentence Completion or Fill in the Blanks in the IELTS Listening section of the exam is definitely there. Therefore, you should know the secret tips and magic tricks to encounter Sentence Completion and Fill in the Blanks of Listening in IELTS. Learn as we proceed with a variety of solved sample examples to guide you better.
IELTS Listening: Sentence Completion or Fill in the Blanks Tips, Tricks, and Strategies.
A quick overview of Sentence Completion and Fill in the Blank.
Sentence Completion or Fill in the Blanks in your Listening section of the IELTS exam will come up with a sentence to complete from the audio you hear. The blanks can appear anywhere in the sentence, but usually, they are framed at the end of the sentence, and we will make you ready to crack any Listening completion sentence with this reading.
What to do before Listening to audio begins?
Before the audio plays, there is some time to read the questions. How to utilize it to the fullest? Let’s learn with a solved example.
Questions 21 — 24
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.21 Jenna and Marco must complete their project by ______
22 The project will be a study of the increase in _______
23 The project will be assessed by _______
24 Jenna and Marco agree they need ______ for the project.Go through the sentences carefully & quickly. The primary key to IELTS Listening is understanding what questions’ answers you are looking for.
For instance, in the example given above, there is a project completion date followed by what the project is about, who will assess it, and How to proceed.
Here the keywords are – complete, a study of, assessed, need. Underlining those keywords to concentrate on while hearing the audio is another tip to crack the Complete the Sentences of Listening IELTS exam. Keywords help you eliminate the distractors set up by the test setter to make the candidate lose bands.
Apart from keywords, as the difficulty level of questions increases with each section, if Fill in the Blanks is in section 3 or 4, the candidate is more likely to lose a band in answering questions grammatically—for instance, use of an article with an answer or using the plural form of a solution.
You will be a little behind at the beginning of your Listening section practice with the tricks mentioned above. However, as you will follow, you will be the master of these tricks. You will see a boost in your IELTS examination overall band scores by following our secret listening strategies.
What to do while the IELTS Listening task audio is playing?
Once reviewing the sentences is done, reread the first two sentences thoroughly to avoid missing them. As your audio plays, a secret tip to get 9 bands is avoiding distractors.
Follow the notes you prepared while scanning the sentences to succeed.Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
Look at the transcript and check out for distractors.
Transcript of the audio-
● Come on, Marco, we’ve got to get on and sort out this project for professor Berkeley. Hang on. I want to make sure we’ve got all the information. Now, Where are we? Well, today, we need to sort out exactly what we’re going to do and how we’re going to divide the workup. Okay. How long have we got,
by the way? The end of term is April 6 & he said to hand in a week. So that’s March 25 at the latest because the beginning of that week is the 21st. So not long. Right.● Have you got the notes there? Yes. He wants us to do a fairly small-scale study like the last one on whether or not businesses were offering more benefits to staff. We now got to look at the rise in older workers. We should be fairly straightforward. Yeah. As long as we keep it small. (Here, the biggest
distractor is using the word ‘study’ before the actual answer. Many candidates are likely to write the answer to this sentence as ‘staff benefits’ or ‘benefits to staff’, which is incorrect.)● Who’s marking it? I don’t know. Sometimes he gets the Ph.D. students to market for him. Oh. Actually, it just says here a senior lecturer. I suppose it’s too much for professor Barclay to do them all. Yeah.
● Anyway, how are we going to go about this? Well, We have to decide how big we want it to be but I think we must sort out a timetable for the project.
Otherwise, nothing will get done. Okay. Do you want to do that? Alright. I’ll do it as soon as we finish here.What to do after the IELTS Listening task audio is done playing?
Now that the audio is done playing, you cannot play it twice and again. So, what to do if you missed an answer or are not sure of your response. As you get some time to look at your responses after the audio, be accurate with your response also grammatically, this is to say, use of an article, plural or singular form, date format, and instructions limit for your reply.
Look at the Answers:-
21) March 25th
22) older workers
23) (a) senior lecturer
24) timetable21 Jenna and Marco must complete their project by ______ Here the answer is March 25th or 25th March, be sure to use the word as conversed in the audio to be specific; here, it is March 25. For such types of questions, at times, the examiner asks for a date. For example, Jenna and Marco must complete their project by ______ March. Many candidates tend to respond as 25th March, which is incorrect.
22 The project will be a study of the increase in _______ Here ‘older workers’ is correct but ‘older worker’ is incorrect. If you aren’t of the proper form of your response, look at the sentence grammar. ‘A study on the increase in’ – there is mention of a rise in something which has to have a plural form.
Assess your answers and practice to be more accurate in IELTS Listening Fill in the Blanks or Sentence Completion type of questions.Read More :
Academic Writing Task 1 Sample
Academic Writing Task 1 Sample 2
IELTS Listening – How to Solve Flow Chart?
IELTS Listening – Matching Questions. How to solve accurately?
IELTS Reading – True, False, Not Given Questions: Tips and Tricks to Solve.
IELTS Listening – How to Solve Flow Chart?
A Flow Chart is a piece of information presented in a flow—data on a specific topic given in a process. The listening module of the IELTS exam covers a similar question type – Flow Chart Completion, which examines the candidate’s English language listening proficiency. IELTS Listening Flow Chart completion can be the easiest or the most challenging question type of Listening module affecting candidate scorecards. Is it easy to solve, or is it complicated? Let’s check.
IELTS Listening Flow Chart – Tips & Tricks to solve.
Flow Chart Completion usually comes in section 2 or section 3 of IELTS Listening, meaning the topic involves a moderate difficulty level because the sections are arranged in the order of complexity. As I mentioned earlier, all the information is presented in order and is a step-by-step process. Furthermore, sometimes you also receive options to respond in a particular manner; however, there can be more options than questions.
Let’s check out an example for more clarity.
In this example of IELTS Listening Flow Chart Completion, have an eye on the process in the form of ‘stages of experiment’.
Tip 1 – Work before the audio starts.
The candidates must concentrate every minor second during the listening part of the exam. Don’t just wait for the audio to play to find the answers as you receive a question to respond to on your screen. Instead, skim and scan your questions prior.
Recognizing the subject beforehand makes you aware and confident of the information to score high bands effectively.
Read and acknowledge questions as well as options and listen to the audio for the answers. First, solve the sample passage of flow chart completion yourself.
Answers:
26 – G
27 – C
28 – H
29 – A
30 – ELet’s solve and unwind some secret strategies to answer the Flow Chart.
Question 26: Select seeds of different ___________ and sizes.
Answer – types
Transcript of the Audio:
[Note: Bold Words are terminologies or synonyms used in the question statement
and words in Italic represent transcriptions of the audio.]Anyway, shall we have a look at the procedure for our experiment? Will need to get
going with it quite soon.
Right, so the first thing we have to do is find our seeds. I think vegetable seeds would
be best, and obviously, they must not all be the same size. So how many sorts do we
need, about four different ones?
I think that would be enough. There’ll be quite a large number of seeds for each one.Tip 2 – Synonyms & Paraphrasing
In the audio, there is no mention of the word ‘types’ directly. However, they converse about sorts (types). Here, by using synonym and paraphrasing techniques, the examiner adjudicated to trick the candidates at the very first part of the conversation into getting them confused and thereby missing all the questions of this section. IELTS aspirants must realize what the examiner is looking for to not lose bands.
Question 27: Measure and record the _______ and size of each one.
Answer – weight
Then for each seed, we need to find out how much it weighs and also measure its dimensions and we need to keep a careful record of all that.
That’ll be quite time-consuming.Tip 3 – Don’t just wait for a similar word from the question to appear in the audio to start listening.
In addition to listening to the audio for the correct response, be attentive and not miss it, just waiting for a similar word to occur. For example, in the above question, terms such as measure & record arrived after the actual answer. The technique is called a distractor that the examiner uses to distract the candidates during their real IELTS exam.
Question 28: Decide on the _________ to be used.
Answer – depthsAnd we also need to decide how deep we’re going to plant the seeds right on the surface, a few millimeters down or several centimeters.
Tip 4 – Direct answers hidden in short sentences
While listening to the audio, have you ever come across a time where you are entirely concentrating yet lose to hear that required word in just a fraction of seconds? It happens because as the answers are direct, the examiner tends to hide them in short sentences for aspirants to miss hearing. Just like in this question, the exact use of the term ‘decide’ is done in the question as well as audio. ‘Decide how deep’, so the answer is depth.
Question 29: Use a different ________ for each seed and label it.
Answer – Container
Okay, so then we get planting. Do you think we can plant several seeds together in
the same plant pot?
No, I think we need a different one for each seed.
Hmm, right, and we’ll need to label them.Tip 5 – Usages of English Grammar
Before beginning with the audio, the IELTS listening exam allows applicants to look at the questions for a few seconds. Some utilize this as a break, rest as a strategy. Using time as a technique can make you confident here, but how?
While reviewing questions, candidates can respond accurately by eyeing English grammar and usage. For instance, in the above statement, the paper setter challenged to use something for each seed & label it. In question 29, only one option container is something one can label. Therefore, you have the correct answer without even listening to the audio.
However, this technique involves a lot of practice; it is effective.
Question 30: After about 3 weeks, record the plant’s _________.
We can use different colored labels then we wait for the seeds to germinate. I reckon that’ll be about three weeks, depending on what the weather’s like. Then we see if our plants have come up and write down how tall they’ve grown.
Tip 6 – Guess and Eliminate
The audio may last for 2-3 minutes, but it can feel completed in seconds during the actual listening exam because of high pressure. What if you miss hearing your answer? Use the guess method and eliminate the options depending on the mean idea of the audio you just heard.
Then all we have to do is look at our numbers and see if there’s any relation between them.
That’s right.
The last step – Investigate the Findings.Use the above tips and tricks and practice all the IELTS Listening Flow Chart Completion questions efficiently and productively. Let us know if this topic was complicated or easy for you guys, and Get in touch with us for any doubts in the comment section below.
IELTS Listening Master Program: Book a Free Training Session
IELTS Listening Master Program: In an IELTS Listening test, you would have to listen to a few audio recordings played by the examiner and answer the questions given below. These audio recordings will be in the form of monologues or conversations between two or more people.
What should you know about the IELTS Listening Test?
- Time allotted for the IELTS Listening section: The duration of the IELTS Listening test is 30 minutes. For a paper-based test, you will be given an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. For a computer-delivered test, you will be given 2 minutes to recheck your answers.
- There are 4 sections in the IELTS Listening test and the difficulty level of the test increases for each section. Each section has 10 questions, and so there are 40 questions in total. Each question carries 1 mark.
- The examiner gives you time to look into the questions before you start listening to the recording that is played and in the end, you will have time to review the answers that you have written.
- The listening tests will be of the same type for both academic as well as general training categories.
- To answer these questions, you might need to have a good understanding of the monologues and conversations to interpret them and write the answers, as the words in the audio and questions might not be exactly the same.
- Be cautious about the word count limit and instructions. As some of these instructions would specify whether your answer should be a word, two words, a number, or numbers.
IELTS Listening Resources ( IELTS Master Program )
IELTS Listening Practice Test: Here you can practice IELTS Listening, find IELTS listening audios, question samples, and answers.
Note: IELTS Material Master Program – IELTS Listening is the same for Academic and General. So these practice tests hold good for IELTS Academic and General aspirants.
Test Overview
The first two parts of the test are about social requirements.
The latter two parts deal with situations that are more closely tied to educational or training settings.
All of the IELTS listening themes are of broad interest, regardless of what subjects you aim to study or what type of work you plan to pursue.
The recordings feature a variety of English accents and dialects, reflecting IELTS usage around the world.
How is the IELTS Listening module classified?
The classification of the listening module of the IELTS test is given below;
IELTS Listening Band Calculator
Now that you know how many marks you require as per the band desirability. The following is the IELTS exam question list, and you may encounter some of them in your actual IELTS test. Jot down the ones you find easiest to score as per your overall IELTS band requirement.
Types of Questions appearing in the IELTS Listening test
Although there are only four parts to the listening test, the types of questions differ for every exam. The students may encounter some of the following mentioned questions in their real IELTS test.
Form completion | Note completion | Summary completion
The students get questions like Note Completion or Form completion in the first part of the IELTS listening test. These questions are nothing but fill-ups. You will have missing gaps in a statement to fill up with usually exact words of the speaker from the audio. The difficulty level is the easiest compared to other parts of the test because of the order of difficulty criteria. The students must try their best to get all 10 questions of section 1 correct to grab easy bands with no effort.
The students might also get a conversation where the speaker corrects himself. For example, ‘It’s Loren gram, no Loren gran spelt with N.’ Do not take this negatively as it is distracting but instead take it positively that the speaker is helping you write the correct answer.
The best example of Form Completion is a quotation form of a company.
Besides form completion, note completion is also attributed to fill-ups, and in this task, there will be notes. The speaker will systematically give a piece of information. Moreover, if the speaker summarises the information on a topic stepwise, it is Summary Completion.
SAMPLE LISTENING- NOTE COMPLETION PRACTICE TEST 1
Instructions on How to Give This Practice Test:
1. Take a pencil and a copy.
2. Click on the audio link below.
3. While listening to the audio, answer questions 1-7 followed by the audio file.
(Reminder: In the real exam, you will write answers directly on the question paper and will get an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet once the listening part is done.)
AUDIO –
Questions 1-7:
Complete the sentences below.
Write No More Than Two Words for each answer.
The Yavari: The Incredible Ship
Today
Where you can see the ship now: close to a 1. ………. At Puno Bay in Peru.
What visitors can do:
• Take a 2. ……….
• Sleep on the ship
History
Year when the ship was built: 3. ……….
Main material used in building the ship: 4. ……….
How it was transported to Peru by sea in small sections
How it was transported across Peru:
• By 5. ……….
• On horseback
Working Life
Raw material carried by the ship:
• Precious metals
• 6. ……….
The type of engine first fitted on the ship: 7. ……….
Answers: 1. (big) hotel 2. guided tour 3. 1862 4. iron 5. train 6. wool 7. steam (engine) Note: Words in brackets are optional – they are correct, but not necessary
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the above listening practice test. You are now familiar with the IELTS Listening Test question type – Form Completion. Now you can move on to get introduced to another type of IELTS Listening Test question which is termed as Note Completion.
IELTS Listening Sentence completion
Sentence Completion in the IELTS Listening part will provide you with a sentence to complete based on the audio you hear. The blanks might exist anywhere in the statement, but they are most commonly framed near the conclusion. Identifying what queries you are aiming for is by far the most crucial aspect. Moreover, practice more Sentence Completion question tasks of the IELTS Listening module and learn tips and tricks to crack them easily.
Commonly seen in the first section of the listening module, the examiner places a lot of distractors in this question task.
SAMPLE LISTENING- SENTENCE COMPLETION PRACTICE TEST 1
AUDIO-
Instructions on How to Give This Practice Test:
1. Take a pencil and a copy.
2. Click on the audio link below.
3. While listening to the audio, answer questions 21-25 followed by the audio file.
(Reminder: In the real exam, you will write answers directly on the question paper and will get an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet once the listening part is done.)
Questions 21-25:
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
21. Ministers and officials put the ………. of the agriculture business first.
22. Hormones make cattle ………., thus making meat production more profitable.
23. The use of hormones was banned over ………. ago in Europe.
24. The USA and Canada asked the WTO to declare the ban ………. .
25. A Danish study that hormones are over ………. more dangerous than was previously thought.
ANSWERS- Answers 21-25: 21. profits 22. grow faster 23. 20/ twenty years 24. illegal 25. 200
SAMPLE LISTENING- TABLE COMPLETION PRACTICE TEST 1
AUDIO –
Questions 11-17:
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and the Ozone Layer
11. ………. Electron Capture Detector invented by James Lovelock 1973 Lovelock one self-funded 12. ………. to Arctic/ Antarctic Lovelock’s conclusion: CFCs 13. ………. 1974 Rowland and Molina publish world’s first 14. ………. on connection 1975 State of Oregon introduces world’s first ban of CFCs 1978 CFCs in 15. ………. banned in US and some parts of Europe 16. ………. Hole in ozone layer above Antarctica first detected 1987 Signing of Montreal Protocol 1989 EU ban production of all CFCs by end of 17. ………. Answers –
Answers 11-17: 11. 1957 12. research trip 13. not harmful 14. scientific paper 15. spray cans/ spray – cans 16. mid 1980s/ mid – 1980s 17. (the) century
Flow-chart completion
Yet another critical task of the IELTS Listening module is Flow chart completion. This task depicts the steps of a process. There will be a beginning and a finish to the procedure, with various steps in between.
A flow chart in IELTS Listening may include almost anything that can be broken down into stages, such as a lecture or essay outline, an application procedure, training course stages, or an explanation of the manufacturing process.
Having moderate difficulty, this question task usually appears in section 2.
SAMPLE LISTENING- FLOW CHART PRACTICE TEST 1
Audio –IELTS Listening – Flow Chart Completion – IELTS SUPPORT
Questions 1-5:
Complete the flow-chart below.
Write No More Than Two Words for each answer.
Five Stages in the Process of Designing a Building
Answers
Answers 1-5: 1. client’s/ clients’ needs 2. materials 3. plans 4. contractors 5. clarifying
(Reminder: In the real exam, you will write answers directly on the question paper and will get extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet once the listening part is done.)
IELTS Listening Multiple choice questions ( MCQs )
The examiner can frame two types of Multiple Choice Questions. One is to choose one correct answer and another to choose multiple answers. IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Questions are difficult and therefore usually appear in section 3 or 4 of the test. The task is difficult because there are long sentences to read and choose a correct response in very little time. In addition to that, sometimes, if any question candidate misses out while hearing the audio, it is very likely to miss all questions and lose 5 or more marks.
Further, if the examiner asks to choose multiple answers with lengthy statements, it becomes harder to answer and gain bands.
SAMPLE LISTENING- MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS PRACTICE TEST 1
AUDIO –
(Reminder: In the real exam, you will write answers directly on the question paper and will get an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet once the listening part is done.)
Questions 1-6:
Circle the correct letters A-C.
1. Emiliano is hoping to rent a house for
A. 8 months
B. 6 months
C. 7 months
D. 12 months
2. As proof of identity, Emiliano gives his
A. passport and student card
B. passport and bank card
C. student card and bank card
D. student card and driving licence
3. Emiliano can be contacted
A. on his mobile
B. by leaving a message at his homestay
C. by telephoning his school
D. by e-mail
4. Emiliano is looking for a house which is less than
A. half an hour away by bus
B. one hour away by bus
C. one hour away by bus or train
D. half an hour away by bus or train
5. He can find the weekly cost of the house by
A. asking the estate agent
B. looking at the house list
C. looking at the sign outside the house
D. asking the owner of the house
6. When he moves out, Emiliano will get back
A. his deposit and agent fee
B. the equivalent of one week’s rent
C. his deposit
D. the equivalent of one week’s rent and his deposit
Answers 1-6: 1. B 2. A 3. A 4. D 5. B 6. C
Map labelling | Diagram labelling
The last task of the listening module is map labelling or diagram labelling. Students might get puzzled by the recording and, therefore, may lose bands in this task. For example, the speaker explains some routes to various areas or floors in a college hall. Another example most commonly appears in the IELTS exam is of routing places of a complex such as restaurants, clubs, libraries, and likewise.
Diagram labelling, on the contrary, lets students label any picture based on the audio recording. For instance, two speakers discuss a bicycle and define various elements of it, such as tyres made of a particular material, and the students will have a similar option to label with tyres.
SAMPLE LISTENING- MAP QUESTIONS PRACTICE TEST 1
AUDIO –
(Reminder: In the real exam, you will write answers directly on the question paper and will get extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet once the listening part is done.)
Questions 11-15:
Label the map/ plan below.
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letters A-I next to the questions 11-15.
ANSWERS
Answers 11-15: 11. H 12. G 13. D 14. B 15. F
Both of these tasks of IELTS Listening are easy if students pursue good listening skills.
In conclusion, the Listening module of the IELTS exam is easy. The students can get 8+ or perfect band nine if they understand how to respond to them smartly.
[carousel_slide id=’16536′]
