IELTS Listening: try these techniques

Here are 4 techniques that you could experiment with when practising IELTS listening tests from the Cambridge books:

1. Work on specific sections rather than doing full tests. For example, you could focus on section 1 this week, then do lots of examples of section 2 next week.
2. Do a full test, but allow yourself to listen two or three times. See how many extra answers you get the second or third time you listen to the recording.
3. Do a full test, but give yourself as much time as you want during the breaks (by stopping the recording). This takes away the problem of not having time to read the questions properly, and allows you to focus more on your listening skills.
4. Change the listening test into a reading test. Instead of listening to the recording, use the transcript at the back of the book. Did you get a higher score than usual? If you did, your listening skills need more work. If you didn't, maybe your problem is related to vocabulary.

The suggestions above might help you to find where your weaknesses are. They might also make exam practice a bit more interesting!

Comments

[chhu]

Thank you so much Simon!
I don't know where can I find a "Like" button!

[Ako]

Hello Simon,

I was practicing Writing task2. It was Globalization topic in September 2010.
As I was wiring my essay, I was wondering how to state my opinion.
Do I have to stick to the one side? If I agree that globalization is beneficial, should I stay with it all the time?
Or is it OK to say that I agree that globalization is beneficial with some conditions?
I would like to say that globalization is beneficial if the negative points are carefully managed.

Please give me some advice and sorry for this comment that is not totally related to today's topic.

[Ajay]

Hi Simon
How r u, i don't have any question for you but i just want to ask how do you find these tips & tricks you are just perfect IELTS tutor, keep doing this good work
regards
Ajay

[natasha]

Hi, Simon,

Thanks for these ideas that I am looking for.

I always fail to focus on the listening test during the whole process, what can I do to change this condition.

Natasha

[Salamat]

Hi Simon,

Indeed great advice you put here about listening. I'd like to add something from my own experience here regarding listening:

First of all, I think most candidates have problems with sections 3&4 as those setions tend to use more sophisticated words and phrases, besides the questions are likely to be longer and understanding of the questions requires you to have good memory to recall quickly. In this case I think one to improve this could try to listen a piece of listening then pause then try to remind what the announcer said as much as he can. This ability lets him/her to hold big pieces of records in his mind to read the questions while listening. The more you can remind information, the more likely you can do well in this one.The most problems appear in those questions which have long sentences to read is dealing with too much details while requiring to read question leads to miss what you have heard. I think this would be an effective way to score higher points in section 3 &4. Remember that we do it unconsciously in our mother tangue.
Good luck

[namita]

hi simon
I am unable to understand the Technique 4
please explain

[Simon]

Hi Namita,

Instead of listening to the recording, read the scripts at the back of the Cambridge books. This means that you are doing the listening test as a reading test. If you find it easier when reading the script, you obviously have a problem 'hearing' the answers when doing listening tests. If you still can't get the correct answers when reading the script, your problem must be related to not understanding the language.

Hope this makes it clearer!

[Julia Robert]

Thanks for such nice IELTS Listening Techniques.its really helpful for the IELTS Students who wants to improve Listening section score.