IELTS Listening: Basic Information

The Listening Test is the first thing you have to do when you take an IELTS exam. If your exam is at the Manchester test centre, you should arrive at 9.15am. You will be taken to an exam room and your ID documents will be checked. The Listening Test starts at 10.00am.

The Listening Test has 4 sections. Each section contains 10 questions, so there are 40 questions in total. The test lasts about 30 minutes, then you have an extra 10 minutes to write your answers on an answer sheet.

Here are some of the problems students have with IELTS Listening:

• You only have ONE chance to listen to the recording.
• Correct spelling is important.
• Different English accents are used.
• Some of the questions are designed to trick you.

To solve these problems, we need to do a lot of listening and spelling practice. There are also some exam tips and techniques that I can give you. However, listening practice will help you much more than exam techniques.

If you want to have "a good ear", you need to listen to as much English as possible. We'll start in next week's lesson.

Comments

[Andy]

Simon, here is a good link for spelling practice of common words found on the listening test, especially days/ months, professions and education (nearly always good for Part 3). http://www.ugru.uaeu.ac.ae/Spelling/IELTS/IELTS.htm It is aimed at Emirati students, but others may find it useful, but I should mention the radio buttons for American and British English appear to be the wrong way round at the moment

[Simon]

Great, I'll give it a try and pass it on. Thanks Andy

[Liy]

Hi simon

how much time is given to read the question before the recording starts?

according to http://www.englishonline.org.cn/files/u1/time_ielts.pdf

its only 20-30 seconds for each section

Are the tips provided in this article reliable?

[Simon]

Hi Liy,

I couldn't open the file, but I'd say it's usually 30 to 40 seconds.

[ahfangss]

Hi simon,

If I have made mistakes in grammar when answer the gap filled question, is it count as wrong or correct?
For example, out of print written as out of printed.
Thanks a lot!1!

[Simon]

I'm afraid it is usually marked wrong if the grammar is wrong.

[Venky]

Hi Simon,

Can we use CAPITAL LETTERS for gap filling questions in both Listening and Reading?

For instance:
Universal
UNIVERSAL

Can we write the full words and all letters in every word in CAPITAL LETTERS? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Venky

[Simon]

Hi Venky,

Yes, you can if you want. They don't care about capital letters in the reading and listening tests, so it's impossible to make a mistake in that.

[Helen]

Hello Simon!

I have found this website just a few days ago and I have my IELTS exam tomorrow... You give a lot of really useful information, unfortunately personally I didn't have enough time to read and practice everything. However, thank you for your work!

I have a question about listeting. I have tried to do a listening section and there I should write a date of birth.
It was 23rd April 1989 and I wrote 23.04.89. Answer was wrong (it is Top Tips for IELTS programme) and they supposed it as 23.(0)4 (19)89 Would it really be a mistake?

[Simon]

Hi Helen,

No, that's not a mistake. It's fine.

[suresh]

hi simon,can you tell me ? how many questions have to correct to get 6 in reading for academic and general ielts test .

[Simon]

Hi Suresh:

http://www.ielts.org/researchers/score_processing_and_reporting.aspx

[Rukhsar patel]

Hi simon
I have done all your listening and reading tests which you have given and I found it very useful.I request you to keep some of the practice of both daily.
thanks a lot once again.

[Dave]

I have done a few listening practice tests, but im unsure how best to write my answers down while listening. Should I be looking at the questions while listening or is it best to to try and remember the main points and write down as much information? I seem to be struggling in listening and writing at the same time despite being a British National! My brain cant seem to keep up....

[Thang Trinh]

Hi Dave,
Let me try to answer your question. I'd say you should underline key words in the questions in the 30-40 seconds given before each section of the listening test. But please note that these 30-40 secs does not allow test takers to read and underline all 10 questions, so just do your best. You probably can skim through 6-8 questions.
While listening you should follow the questions but perhaps don't need to "stick" your eyes onto the questions. Rather you should try to listen and "catch" the key words in the conversations, but remember that key words in the questions may very likely be paraphrased in the conversations.
My final point is NOT to write as much information as possible because it's difficult to choose the details you need to fill in from a heap of information. And also by doing this you may miss the next questions.
There's a book focusing on Listening and Speaking by Sam McCarter. I very highly recommend this book!!
Hope my comments help!

[tian]

The most difficult part of listening for me is to finish the gap of map. Because I am not good with directions, I used to get lost when I was listening to the map section regarding the campus road map.Is anyone can give me a good piece of advise to how can i improve this section of my listening?Although my listening is quite good.

[mahedi]

hi, please answer my question.My question is," We all know that there are some time to give instructions before starting section 1 in ielts listening. I wanna know the pin point time which is given before starting.In CAMBRIDGE books there is around 1:30 minutes, but I heard that in real exam time given is too little before starting section 1. Please convey me the exact time figure." Thanks.