IELTS Listening: synonyms and opposites

Often you don't hear the exact words given in the question. Instead, you hear a synonym, a similar word, or an opposite. For example, if the question contains the word difficult, you might hear too hard or not easy.

Try the following exercise (from Cambridge IELTS 4, page 85). The speaker explains the problems involved with 4 different school science experiments.

Listen and choose the correct problem for the 4 experiments.

Click here to listen

A) too messy
B) too boring
C) too difficult
D) too much equipment
E) too long
F) too easy
G) too noisy
H) too dangerous

Experiment 1: ______
Experiment 2: ______
Experiment 3: ______
Experiment 4: ______

Comments

[Klaus]

experiment 1: H
experiment 2: B
experiment 3: E
experiment 4: C

[Sundas]

Experiment 1: ___H___
Experiment 2: ___B___
Experiment 3: __E____
Experiment 4: __C____

[Giang Nguyen Duc]

Experiment 1: H. someone to get hurt
Experiment 2: B. Need sth bit more interesting
Experiment 3: E. Four night to have result
Experiment 4: can't hear clearly

[Katherina]

1. H
2. B
3. E
4. C

Best Regards

[Rio]

1. H (a bit risky=too dangerous)
2. B (need to be a bit more active and interesting than that=too boring)
3. E (have to wait up to 4 nights=too long)
4. C (a bit ambitious=too difficult)

[sonali]

Thanks sir!! For providing the valuable notes of listening..

[Sherin]

C
B
E
H

[Ali]

Hi Simon,
Thank you for the amazing efforts.

Could you please tell us when to capitalize and when not in the listening part? If we capitalised a word that does not require capitalisation is it wrong?

[Tracy]

h risky
b active
e
c ambitious

[Adib]

Ali

It doesn't matter whether you lower case or upper case. You could use both of them.

Simon has already answered this question. Check out this link:
http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2014/07/ielts-listening-capital-letters-and-plurals.html

[jon]

Hi Simon,
Thanks for your effort.

H
B
E
C

[jonatan]

Hi Simon,

C
B
E
H

[Duc]

1h, 2b, 3e, 4c

[amanda]

Hi Simon, i'm from Iran, Some institute leave out ur video tutorial for free thanks a lot for sharing them.
1. H
2. B
3. E
4. C

Best Regards

[zafar]

1.H
2.B
3.E
4.C

[Nzr]

1-H
2-B
3-E
4-C

[sherif mahmoud]

h
b
e
c
thanks

[Kami]

1. H = too dangerous
2. B = too boring
3. E = too long
4. C = too difficult

[Fatemeh]

H
B
-
C
Thank you

[Shirley Tang]

H
B
E
C

[justine]

H
B
E
C

[Andrew]

1.H
2.B
3.E
4.C

[Mohammad Vicky]

1. H, be risky
2. B, need big more active and interesting
3. E, have to wait up to four night
4. C, don't take ambitious for each group

[r_kermani@yahoo.com]

1.H
2.B
3.E
4.C

[Nazrul Islam]

How-to-improve-your-reading-skills

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWERS FROM SIMON:

1) H
risky is the synonym of too dangerous


2) B
needs to be more active and interesting (opposite of boring)


3) E
had to wait a fortnight (2 weeks) i.e. too long


4) C
ambitious gives the same meaning as difficult

[PINKESH]

I appeared for IELTS-General module on April 8, 2017 and scored BAND of 7.5. It was my first attempt and I didn't join any classes.I used to follow each and every tip given by Simon and also used to view the video lessons repeatedly. Each and every tip given by Simon is precious and invaluable while writing the exam. I practiced from Cambridge Books and followed ielts-SIMON.com on regular basis. I would like to admit saying that this web-site is a master-key for achieving good score at IELTS.

Thanks A Lot SIMON.........hats-off to you.
Pinkesh

[Muhammad Imran Asif]

1;H
2;B
3;E
4;C
I got it but in 2nd attempt.So how can I overcome this problem?

[Ali]

Adib,

Thank you for referring Simon's answer to me. That was so nice of you.

Warm wishes,
Ali

[toto]

H B E C

[Veronica]

H
B
E
C

[Aftab Ashraf]

1.H
2.B
3.E
4.C

[Nhu]

1-h
2-b
3-e
4-c

[Niki]

H
B
E
C

[Meimei]

H
B
E
C - ambitious = difficult

[Gurmit]

c
b
h
a

[katherine]

H
B
E
C

[zain]

1-H
2-B
3-E
4-C

[Ahmed Mounir]

H
B
E
C

[Huyen]

I have a question. How should I practice listening skills each video?
Do I do firstly exercises untill fill fully a gap, then Check answers, finally listen to video and take note? Please!

[Me]

1. too dangerous
2. too boring
3. too long
3. too difficult

Hi simon how can I check my answers whether right or no?

[Sophia]

HBEC

[Mona]

1-H
2-B
3-E
4-C

[Derek]

1. H too dangerous(risky)
2. B too boring (something interesting)
3. E too long( wait fortnight)
4. C too difficult( ambitious)

[Phuong]

C
B
E
G

[Rc]

H,B,E,C

[Beyza nur]

It is very useful for me, thanks a lot !

[Md Kamran]

H B E C....Simon You are amazing

[Ferdian]

H
B
E
C

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWERS FROM SIMON:

1) H
risky is the synonym of too dangerous


2) B
needs to be more active and interesting (opposite of boring)


3) E
had to wait a fortnight (2 weeks) i.e. too long


4) C
ambitious gives the same meaning as difficult