3 Key Points for IELTS Listening Test

Many test takers struggle with getting the correct answers in the IELTS Listening test. IELTS Listening Exam not only assesses your Listening ability but also tests your attentiveness when the recording is played. 

Unlike the reading test, where you have information displayed in the form of passages, the Listening test only has questions, an audio recording and several options to choose from. If you fail to pick the right words, you’ll not get desired band score. Here are a few things that you must get right in your IELTS Listening Exam.

1. Be prepared for the distractors in IELTS Listening Test:

Distractors are the potential answers to questions but not the actual answers. Distractors are placed in the audio to test your understanding of the English language. 

Distractors are often confusing and can lead to incorrect answers. They are more common during a conversation or when a narrator tries to fix their statement with a different word. If you’re not well-prepared, you may choose the wrong answer and ruin your IELTS Listening test score.

Thus, a helpful tip is to concentrate while a recording is being played and avoid the distractors if there are any!

2. Use Your Multi-Tasking Skills Efficiently:

IELTS Listening test is not limited to listening to audio. You are supposed to read the questions, listen to the recording, find the potential answers, and note it down on your answer sheet simultaneously. If you’re good at multi-tasking, you can easily find the correct answers to the questions in the IELTS Listening Exam.

While you write down the answers, it is also essential to check the spelling and verb form of the answers. Precise and accurate answers can boost your IELTS Listening Score to a significant level. 

3. Attempt all the questions, even if you don’t know the answers:

Yes, the IELTS Listening test allows you to make guesses. However, you can’t make it right every time. But it is worth taking the risk for questions like multiple choice. 

Remember that you won’t lose a point for an incorrect answer, but every correct answer will fetch you one extra point contributing to your IELTS Listening score. Sometimes, your prediction and common sense can help you gain a good band score in the listening test.

Simple yet valuable IELTS Listening Tips :

Many students fear that the IELTS Listening test is a tricky exam and they will never get the desired band score. But, here is the key to success. We’ve listed some simple tips and strategies to help you prepare for the test.

1. Read instructions carefully in IELTS Listening Test:

Every section in the Listening test has instructions on how to write the answers. For example, to complete the sentence questions, you may be asked to write answers in either one or two to three words. Make sure to follow the instructions while writing the answers.

2. Do not waste time on a single question:

The listening recording is played only once. If you get stuck on one question, you’ll miss out on the following questions. In such situations, it is clever to leave that question and move on to the next one. 

3. Use your time wisely in IELTS Listening Test:

Before the start of the test, you will be given a few seconds to read the questions, and after you complete each section, you’ll have time to check your answers. A trick is to use this time in reading the questions in the next section.

4. Choose the proper verb form:

Incorrect tenses and spellings have a negative impact on your IELTS Exam score. Read the sentences to know the suitable verb form of the expected answer. 

5. Always take notes:

You may need to take notes of important clues that can be potential answers to your question. As the Listening recording is played only once, there are high chances that you may forget the answers. Thus, taking notes while the audio is being played is more practical.

6. Pay attention to all the answers in multiple-choice questions:

Multiple Choice questions can be confusing and misleading. If you do not read all the choices, you can pick the wrong answer and lose marks. Thus, it would be helpful if you read all the options and pick the suitable option.

7. Check your answers:

It may sound obvious, but many test takers make mistakes while transferring answers to the Listening answer sheet. Also, make sure that you write the answer in the correct sequence.

8. Practice:

We understand that IELTS Preparation can be boring sometimes. But, your listening skills can only be improved with thorough practice. If you haven’t practised enough, you’ll fail to understand the speaker’s pronunciation. Listening to different types of audio can help you understand the accents of native English speakers. Numerous IELTS preparation material is available online to practice at home. IELTS Coaching centres also offer expert training to IELTS Exam aspirants.

Improve your proficiency in the IELTS Listening test:

Whether you’re a first-time test-taker or you’ve already appeared for the IELTS Exam, IELTS Listening will always make you nervous. The only reason behind your nervousness is your inability to listen, understand and comprehend the questions. One can improve their IELTS Listening Score by emphasizing their weaknesses. 

While some candidates fail at understanding the synonyms, others lack concentration, and others lack both. As an IELTS aspirant, you need to analyze your weaknesses and start working on them from the beginning of your test preparation. Practising well before the test will improve your confidence in the final test, and you’ll give an outstanding performance in your IELTS Exam.

We hope that the above tips on improving your Listening skills can help you attain a targeted band score in IELTS Exam. Keep reading our blogs for more content on IELTS Test related topics. Best of luck!