IELTS Listening Section

The International English Language Testing System, popularly known as IELTS, can help candidates prove their English language skills, bringing them one step closer to studying, working, or settling abroad. The IELTS tests four language skills, one of which is listening skills. Listening in English requires the ability to understand intonation patterns, comprehend vocabulary, and follow accents. To truly master the English language, one must have adequate listening skills.

IELTS Listening Section Format

The IELTS listening section is the same for the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. It consists of 4 recordings. Candidates are expected to answer 40 questions related to the recordings in 30 minutes. Additional 10 minutes are provided to transfer the answers to the answer sheet. The questions on the IELTS listening section test a candidate's ability to follow the logical development of ideas through verbal communication and understand opinions and attitudes within a conversation.

Types of Recordings

The four recordings can be categorized into two distinct styles. The first two recordings are more informal in their language, occurring in a social setting. The latter two recordings are more formal and intellectual. The context can be academic and professional. Each set of recordings includes a conversation and a monologue.

Recording	Type	Example
Recording One	Informal Conversation (Social)	A telephone conversation between a woman selling furniture to a customer.
Recording Two	Informal Monologue (Social)	A guidance counsellor talking to a classroom of students.
Recording Three	Formal Conversation (Professional)	A conversation between a tutor and two students discussing an upcoming test.
Recording Four	Formal Monologue (Professional)	A speech about time management.

The voices on the recordings may differ in accents, such as British, North American, New Zealand, or Australian accents. Each recording will be played once, and candidates are expected to note down the answers as the recording plays. Candidates will not be able to pause any recording once it has started to play.

Types of Questions

The questions in the IELTS listening section follow the order of the information given in a recording. This means the answer to the first question will be revealed before the answer to the second, and it will continue like this for all questions. Candidates need to ensure that all instructions are read and followed carefully. The types of questions are the following:

• Multiple choice: These questions will require candidates to choose the correct answer or the correct 'end-of-sentence' from the given options. If there is only one correct answer, there will likely be three options to choose from. If there are multiple answers, there are more than three possible options.
• Matching: These types of questions will require candidates to match the information given in the recording to the ones mentioned in the question. These questions can be designed to check how the facts in a recording connect with each other.
• Plan/map/diagram labeling: These questions require candidates to represent the information from the recording visually. There may be a diagram that needs to be completed, usually with the help of a list provided along with the question. These questions test the candidate's ability to understand descriptions and relate verbal information to visual information.
• Form/note/table/flow chart/summary completion: The questions ask candidates to fill in an outline that may summarize the information in the recording. Candidates must answer these questions according to the instructions given.
• Sentence completion: This form of questions is basic 'fill in the blanks' with the information presented in the recordings. When answering these questions, the candidate might be asked to follow a specific word limit.
• Short-answer questions: These questions require short answers written by candidates in their own words. These questions show how much of the recording was clear to candidates.

IELTS Listening Section Scoring

Each question in the IELTS listening section counts for one point. Since there are 40 questions in this section, the total score is 40. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. The final overall band score is calculated between 0-9 and is measured as a whole or half. For instance, 30 correct answers will result in a score of 7, and 32 correct answers will be a 7.5 score in the Listening section. Answering 39 or 40 correct answers will result in a high score of 9. The average score candidates earn in the IELTS listening section is 7.5 - 8.

How to Ace IELTS Listening Section?

• Instructions on how a question must be answered are given. Candidates must ensure these instructions are understood clearly before answering. For example, if the correct answer is "b) summer" and the question asks to choose the correct letter from the given options, candidates must answer "b". If candidates answer "summer", the question will be marked as incorrect, as the instructions asked for the correct letter, not a word.
• Answers may be written in all upper case (SUMMER) or lower case letters (summer). But consistency in answering is required. Candidates must keep in mind that if writing in lowercase letters, proper nouns are still capitalized. For example, 'Mr. Smith'.
• Instructions may state to follow a word count. Candidates must know that all words are counted. For example, 'a car' is two words. Hyphenated words are counted as one word.
• Incorrect spelling or grammatical errors will lead to answers being marked as incorrect. Candidates must pay attention to whether the answer is one word or a phrase. For example, "Where are the students meeting?" The answer may be "school". But if the question is, "The students are meeting ---". The answer may be "at the school."
• A helpful tip for the listening section is not to try to understand everything in the recording. Candidates must try to listen for the correct answer to each question asked.
• The answers in an IELTS recording may not always be the exact words, but instead paraphrased answers. This requires candidates to remain alert when listening to understand the words instead of searching for the correct word in the question.
• Since the listening test aims to check a candidate's understanding of accents and intonation patterns, candidates must concentrate on every word. For instance, know when a plural word is used instead of a singular word.
• Since there is no negative marking for incorrect answers, candidates are encouraged to answer all questions to ensure the highest possible score.
• One way to ace the IELTS listening section is to improve English vocabulary.
• Consistent practice and multiple attempts of sample tests are the ideal way to prepare for the IELTS listening section. Listening to podcasts and audio books are good recording sources for candidates to practice.