IELTS Listening Tips and Advice

The Listening test consists of 4 parts with each part containing one or more sets of question types. Instructions for each part of the Listening test are given to you before and after each audio recording. And you will have some time to prepare for each set of questions.
It is difficult to concentrate on what you hear while trying to read the questions at the same time, so make sure you:

• Read the questions first before you listen to the recording
• Check the type of answer you have to write (e.g., a letter, an option from the box, etc.)
• Use a pencil to underline or circle keywords in the instructions and questions to help you focus on what to listen out for in the recordings
• Check your answers after the audio clip is played and use this time to prepare for the next part of the test.

Sometimes it is difficult to determine exactly which information you should use to answer the question. For certain question types like form-filling, you must listen carefully to fill in particular information such as a name, date, time, or other details.
To help understand the question, make sure you:

• Read the question carefully, so you know what information you are listening for
• Spend some time studying the information given to you and then listen to the instructions.

Think of synonyms for your keywords (words with similar meaning) as the recording will use different words or phrases to the wording in your question booklet.

Part 2 of the Listening test involves tasks like labeling a map, plan, or diagram. You will need to figure out where things are, what something is made up of, or how it works. You might have a task where you will need to identify places, buildings, parts, or stages of a process.
There will be some keywords in the recording to help guide you. These keywords may be:

• Verbs, adjectives (size, shape, quality)
• Directions (north, south, east, west)
• Prepositions of position or place (in front of, next to, behind)

If you are unsure of which side is left or right or where north or south is, a simple hint is to write L and R and draw the compass points on your question booklet. This will make it easier to follow directions.

In Part 3 of IELTS Listening, you will have to follow a discussion with up to four speakers talking about a study-related topic. You will be asked to listen for important facts, ideas, reasons, views, or opinions.
It can be hard to identify who is talking and what they are saying, so always:

• Read the text before you start listening to the recordings
• Note down information about the speakers, their relationships, and how it relates to the situation.

This can help you anticipate which speaker is about to talk and what the speakers are going to talk about.

Because the level of difficulty increases as the Listening test progresses, Part 4 is often regarded as the most challenging in the Listening test. In Part 4, you will listen to a talk or a lecture on an academic subject (e.g. a university lecture).
Make sure you listen for signpost words that the speaker uses to indicate the different stages of the talk. These signpost words, for example, can include:

• Firstly
• On the other hand
• Although
• Because
• To name a few

These words signal what information is coming next and can help you to follow what the speaker is talking about.
And make sure you also pay attention to stress and intonation as the speaker will use it to highlight important information.
Word counts
The Listening test instructions will tell you how many words are in the answer. For example, no more than ONE word, no more than TWO words and/or a number.
Read the word-count instructions very carefully to avoid adding in extra words and remember:

• If the instruction says ONE word and you write ‘the bus’, the answer will be marked as incorrect, even though ‘bus’ is the correct word.
• If you write a number in words and not numerals, that is acceptable. For example, ‘three hundred and twenty’ is ‘320’ and counts as ‘a number’.

Correct spelling is essential in the Listening test. If the spelling is incorrect, then it will be marked as wrong. Make sure you can spell commonly used words correctly, like a library, environment, street, avenue, professor, and so on.

If you are planning to take the paper-based test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the question booklet to the answer sheet. Remember to check the spelling, listen carefully to the instructions, and make sure you put the right answers in the right place.
As with all tests, the key to success is to be prepared and to practice. With practice and preparation, you can put yourself in the best possible position to succeed.

In this question type, you are required to complete labels on a plan (eg of a building), map (eg of part of a town) or diagram (e.g. of a piece of equipment). You might be given a list of possible answers or you will have to select the answer from the recording itself. This type of question could appear in any of the four listening sections but it is most likely to appear in section 2. In section 2 you will listen to just one person talking about a non-academic topic. It is often someone giving information to an audience about an event or showing them around a building, such as a university or a hotel.

1. Read the Information – This will always be the first step in any listening activity. Why? You do not want to listen blindly and hear key words for the first time. Instead, you should be preparing yourself and reading the information before the listening prompt is played. Generally, you will have about 20 seconds to do this, along with Steps 2 and 3. Reading the information will also allow you to become familiar with the topic, which is particularly helpful for the more abstract and educational topics (Sections 3 and 4). Keep in mind that this section will usually not feature questions, but rather, information and keywords.

1. Underline Key Words – With time and practice, you can combine steps 1 and 2. Thus, this step can be done while you are reading the questions or afterward. We suggest trying to combine the first two steps, as you will only have around 20 seconds to read the information prior to listening to the prompts. For the Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling question type, this step will be minimal, because there will not be many words. For this reason, it will be best to focus your attention on the next step as soon as you are finished with this step. However, you should be sure to familiarize yourself with the location of the various places and labels.
2. Pay Attention to Directions- In addition to keywords in the questions, you will need to pay attention to the directions of your map, plan, or diagram. The first thing you should do for this step is to write out a mini-compass around your map, plan, or diagram. Why? You will be listening to directions in a language that is not your own, and you will be helping yourself out by just familiarizing yourself with the directions and getting into the habit of understanding them. Try writing out the direction words in the following way, which we will detail in our example:
   Additionally, you should pay attention to direction words that are used when discussing images and maps. This will help you answer the questions quicker and keep up with the pace of the speaker. You should pay attention to these words, which will help you write the correct type of answer. We have included some of the most common words below that you should look out for and study beforehand.
   NORTH

• At / On the top of
• To the north of
• Above
• Slightly north of

SOUTH

• At the bottom of
• South of
• Below
• Slightly south of

WEST

• To the west of
• To the left of
• On the left
• Left-hand side
• Slightly west of

EAST

• To the east of
• To the right of
• On the right
• Right-hand side
• Slightly east of

There are also some other options that you may hear, such as:

On the far side – This means that it is on the opposite side of something. This will usually be spoken right after a clue is given regarding the opposite side, meaning that you will have to switch sides immediately in order to keep up with the speaker’s pace.

In the Southwest/Northwest/Southeast/Northeast – This is simply a mix between two directions, and can be present in examples with maps.

In the middle of/In the center of – This is simply in the center (or middle) of the diagram or map. This can also be the center of something explicitly stated in the example (ex: in the middle of the library).

Inside/Outside- This is usually used in a map, and will designate the area in which something is located. It will be either outside or inside of something.

Opposite/In front of – Similar to the ‘on the far side’ option, this can either be on the opposite of something or in front of something.

Clockwise/Anticlockwise – This is helpful to understand, and is quite common on the exam! Think of how a clock moves (to the right)–that is clockwise. The opposite direction (to the left) would be anticlockwise. This is usually included at the beginning of a listening prompt, and candidates must follow it correctly in order to get the remaining questions correct. So make sure to remember the difference between these two words!

A bit beyond – This is a common phrase for maps. Usually, it will come right after a landmark and then right before another. For example, “The grocery store is a bit beyond the library.” In this case, this means that the library would be just a bit farther than the grocery store.

After – This will be spoken when something follows something else. For example, ‘The children’s center is after the history museum”. In order to understand the direction, you will need to pay attention to the prior directions and follow the path of the speaker. For this reason, this will not usually be one of the first directions spoken.

Adjoining – This is a common word used in diagrams and plans, and signifies that something is connected to something else.

Enter through/via – This is usually included in maps, and shows how one can go into another area of the map. For example, “After entering through the kitchen, you will go through the lobby.”

Runs through – This phrase is common for maps and plans, and signifies that something goes through something else. For example, “The river runs through the park.”, which means that it goes through and is inside the park.

Runs alongside – This phrase is common for maps and plans, and signifies that something is located along with something else, but not inside. For example, “The river runs alongside the park.”, which means that it is not inside, but on the outside, following the length of the park.

It would be best to review these phrases in order to master the different types of phrases used during this question type

Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:
Do:

1. Utilize the 20 seconds you will have prior to hearing the listening prompt and read the information first, underline your key words, and actively listen for those keywords and direction words during the prompt.
2. Remember that the answers will come in order. This means that you should use your visual aid and write minimal notes to help you follow along the correct path while listening as actively as you can! Doing so will help you pick up where you left off if you miss something, and it will help you understand the speaker’s directions.
3. Find a note-taking technique that works for you. Feel free to experiment during your practice sessions and try writing in the visual aid or close to the gaps. Make it easy to reference afterward if necessary.
4. Study up on your direction words along with their meanings. You do not want to lose points for writing down the incorrect answer based on an incorrect understanding of these words.

Don’t:

1. Waste your time before and after the listening prompt is played. Think of these 30 minutes of the listening exam as ‘game time’, and actively listen or read the questions as much as you can!
2. Focus on only one aspect of the process. In other words, don’t just listen, don’t just read, and don’t just You will need to combine these three tasks in order to have enough time in this section. In other words: make sure to multitask.
3. Get confused over the direction words! Misunderstanding something as simple as “just beyond” could confuse you and impact your later answers.

Leave anything blank! Even if the exam is difficult, choose your best guess in order to maximize your chances of scoring high.