The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a test taker’s ability to understand spoken English in various real-life contexts. It consists of four sections and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. Here is a breakdown of the IELTS Listening test process:
Test Format
- The Listening test is identical in both the Academic and General Training modules of the IELTS exam.
- There are four recorded audio sections, played on a CD or through headphones, with a range of accents and voices.
- In paper based IELTS test the test taker receives an IELTS Listening Question Booklet and an Answer Sheet and In computer assisted IELTS Test the user will sit in front of the computer and will be using a headphone to listen to the audio and choose the answer in the computer.
- The audio is played only once, so attentiveness and effective note-taking are essential.
DURATION OF IELTS LISTENING
- The duration of the IELTS Listening test is approximately 30 minutes. This includes the time for listening to the audio recordings and answering the questions.
- The test is divided into four sections, and each section has a specific duration. The recordings are played only once, so it is important to listen attentively and take notes as necessary to answer the questions correctly.
- The sections gradually increase in difficulty as you progress through the test. It is recommended to read the instructions and questions carefully before each section to understand the task requirements and maximize your performance within the given time frame.
Instructions & Sections
Before each section, there is a brief pause to allow test takers to read the questions and prepare.The test taker should read the instructions and questions carefully to understand the task requirements.
Section 1 usually involves a conversation between two people, set in an everyday social context (e.g., a conversation between a student and a librarian about borrowing books).
The test taker answers multiple-choice, matching, or completion-type questions based on the information provided in the audio.
Section 2 usually consists of a monologue set in a social or educational context (e.g., a talk about local facilities or a university orientation).
The test taker answers questions based on the information provided in the audio. These can include sentence completion, note completion, or labelling diagrams.
Section 3 typically involves a conversation between multiple speakers, usually set in an educational or training context (e.g., a discussion between university students and their tutor about a group project).
The test taker answers questions, which may include matching, multiple-choice, or short-answer questions.
Section 4 usually consists of a monologue on an academic topic (e.g., a lecture on biology or a university lecture on environmental issues).
The test taker answers questions based on the information provided in the audio. These can include diagram completion, summary completion, or multiple-choice questions.
Scoring
The IELTS Listening test is graded on a band scale from 1 to 9, where each correct answer earns one mark, and no marks are deducted for incorrect responses.
The final band score for the Listening section is calculated by averaging the scores and rounding the result.
Preparing for the IELTS Listening test involves practicing various listening exercises, improving note-taking skills, and familiarizing oneself with different accents and speech patterns. It is essential to develop strategies such as predicting, skimming, and scanning to manage time effectively and answer questions accurately.
At LINGO Education organization we offer a variety of resources for IELTS preparation. We provide listening mock tests, as part of our offerings. We have over 500+ quality mock test available with us, it’s best for you to directly reach out to our support team to inquire about our available mock tests for the IELTS Listening section.
