THE LISTENING TEST

IELTS
 IELTS

TIPS FOR LISTENING

• Read the instructions as you listen to the recording to

become accustomed to the speed and accent of the
speech.
• You can ask the administrator to adjust the volume, if
necessary.
• Do not open your booklet until you are told to do so.
• During the test you are given time to read the questions
and to check back over your answers. It is very important
that you read these questions during this time.
• You must answer the questions while you are listening.
• There are 40 questions.
• The questions mostly follow the same sequence as the
information contained in the recording.
• Write your answers to the questions directly into the question
booklet.
• At the end of each section you will be given some time to go
back and make sure your answers are clear.
• At the end of the test you have 10 minutes to transfer all your
answers to the answer sheet.
• The recording will tell you when to stop writing.
• You will need a soft pencil to fill in your candidate number,
the answers and other information.
• Even if you can't answer most of the questions in Section 1,
don't panic. Often people who make mistakes early in the
test end up getting very good marks.
• lf you don't know the answer to a question, guess. There
are no points taken off for wrong answers.
• Try and predict the answers before you hear the CD. The
test is much easier if you have some idea of what you are
listening for before you listen.
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TYPES OF TASKS

• Completing notes/ completing sentences

• Multiple choice questions
• Completing a table
• Labelling a map/ plan/ diagram
• Matching tasks
• Classification
• Short answer questions
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1. COMPLETING NOTES / COMPLETING SENTENCES
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE
Example
COURSE DETAILS
Example Answer
The course is for beginners
Classes are on 1………………………… evenings from 8pm to 10pm.
First day of course is on 2 …………………………… September
Cost of the course – 3 £ …………………………..
Studios are on 4 ……………………………… Road.

TOPICS COVERED ON THE COURSE

• introduction to 5 ……………………………. photography.
• photographing people, 6 …………………………….. and nature.
• Developing your own 7 ……………………………

TRIPS:
• Photographing life on the 8 ………………………… in the city centre
• Photographing birds and animals in the country park

END OF COURSE
Public visit the exhibition in the school 9…………………………… to
look at student’s work. Visitors vote for their favourite picture.
Winner gets 10 …………………………. on a different course or
designer photo frames.

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 1 page 4

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1. COMPLETING NOTES / COMPLETING SENTENCES
• In the exam, you will hear a short introduction to each section and
you will be given some time to read the notes.

• Try to identify the situation from the notes and from the
introduction on the recording.

• Use the time given to read the notes to think about the situation
and to predict the type of language you might hear.

• You might need to identify numbers or letters. Be careful with easily

confused numbers (e.g. 15 and 50) and letters (e.g. “g” and “j”).

• If you need to complete sentences, make sure that your answers

are given in grammatically correct English.

• The word/ number you need is not necessarily the first one you
hear. Listen carefully to make sure you write down the correct one.
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2. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Example 1

11. What is the first thing the new employees will do on the training
day?
A) learn about their different jobs
B) go on a tour of the hotel
C) have some refreshments

Example 2
According to Vanessa, which TWO things make the hotel’s employees
good at customer service?
A) predicting what customers want
B) learning quickly from their mistakes
C) being totally reliable
D) listening carefully to requests
E) accepting new ideas

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 1 pages 5 -

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2. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Before you listen

• Try to understand what the topic of the talk or conversation is

about, so you can predict what ideas and words you might hear.

• Read the instructions and the first question with its alternatives. In
this way, you prepare for the first question when the passage
begins.

• Underline keywords/ phrases in the questions and alternatives.

Such keywords/ phrases should refer to the specific topic of the
question.

• Be ready to give the answer to the first question as soon as the

passage begins. Sometimes the answer to the first question is given
in the speaker’s first sentence.
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2. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
While listening

• Examine the alternatives for each question as you listen

• Make sure the alternatives you do not choose are incorrect. Be

careful with “distractors” (options designed to distract you and lead
you to an incorrect answer)

After listening

• Check the choices you have made

• Guess the answers to the ones you do not know. Do not leave
blanks.
Some question types has multiple choice questions with
multiple answers. You must choose 2 or 3 correct answers. The
instructions will tell you about this.
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3. COMPLETING A TABLE
Example

Complete the table.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/ OR NUMBER

PROJECT PLAN Justin Myra

Market Research Go to brother’s 25…………….. Design questionnaire for
and talk to parents sister’s 26…………………
Design Collect a range of 27………….. Produce a model made of
from local sources. 28……………………….
Advertising Start writing a 29……………… Design a poster which is
for a commercial. 30……………………

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 1 page 7

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3. COMPLETING A TABLE

• Get familiar with charts and tables. Find them on newspapers,

magazines and online. Learn to read and understand them.

• Pay special attention to the instructions, the headings and the

numbering in table completion tasks. Use this information to predict
the type of information which is missing.

• As in the “Completing notes” exercise, be careful with easily

confused numbers and letters.

• Familiarise yourself with the sounds in the English alphabet. You

might need this to complete some of the missing information in the
table.
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4. LABELLING A MAP / PLAN / DIAGRAM
Example

Label the plan below

Write the correct letter, A-I, next to questions 16-20.

16. Sports Centre ……… 19. Science Block ……….

17. Library …….. 20. Canteen ………..
18. Innovation Centre ………

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 2 page 23

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4. LABELLING A MAP / PLAN / DIAGRAM

• When you see a map question, try to remember all the words to
describe position that you know,. For example: in front of, next to,
behind, beside, opposite, etc. You will probably hear some of them
in the listening.

• Look carefully at the map and ask yourself where things are in
relation to the question numbers. Then listen for descriptions
which match your ideas.

• Check that you can find all the places on the map that the
questions relate to. The information comes in the same order as
the questions.

• Some of the labels may already be complete, so use these as a

reference. The words in the partially completed labels may include
paraphrases of what you will hear. Before you listen, use the
diagram to predict the answers.
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5. MATCHING TASKS
Example

What do the speakers say about each of these bridges?

Match the types of bridge 26-29 with the comments A-F

Comment
A. They were designed long before the first one was built.
B. Extra support is needed during construction.
C. They cannot extend as far as some other bridges.
D. They have been made using natural material.
E. The design is unsuitable for certain locations.
F. They may be called by a different name.

Types of Bridge
26 supension bridges …………
27 arch bridges …………
28 beam bridges …………
29 cable-stayed bridges ………..

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 2 page 25

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5. MATCHING TASKS

• In matching tasks, you will be given a number of options to match

to the questions. You will hear the questions in the same order as
they are written on the question paper.

• Underline the key words in the question and/ or options and think of
possible synonyms or paraphrases because you might not hear
the same words in the recording. So, it is important to identify words
that are similar in meaning.
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6. CLASSIFICATION
Example

Write the correct letter A, B or C, next to questions 25-30

Which problems do the students agree each online resource has?

Online Resources Problems

25 internet chat room A operates too slowly
26 translation software B isn’t accurate enough
27 vocabulary builder C has too few features
28 online dictionary
29 language lab
30 writing checker

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 3 page 42

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6. CLASSIFICATION

• In classification questions, you will be given a list of options

(labelled A, B and C) from which to choose and numbered questions.
You can choose the options more than once.

• If the categories are related, decide what kind of words and

phrases you would expect to hear. Listen for similar information in
the recording.

• You will hear the questions in the same order as they are written on
the question paper.

• Underline the key words in the question and/ or options and think of
possible synonyms or paraphrases.
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7. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Example

Answer the questions below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each

question.

37. What object made the wheels of a mechanical clock go round?

38. What invention created a problem with communities having
different times?
39 In which year was a time system for England nationally agreed?
40 Which building in Greenwich was chosen as the point from which to

measure time?

Taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS – Test 4 page 63

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7. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

• Before listening, read the instructions carefully and the example, if

there is any.

• Specify the topic before choosing the keywords/ phrases to listen

for. If necessary, wait for the speaker to sum up what they say.

• Do not write more words than the ones they ask you for. You will
lose marks if you do so.

• Check that you are answers are grammatically correct.