IELTS Listening

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Duration and Format or Structure of Test

The listening test takes around 30 minutes. There are 40 questions and four sections. The Listening test is recorded on a CD and is played ONCE only.

During the test, time is given for candidates to read the questions and write down and then check their answer. Answers are written on the question paper as candidates listen. When the recording ends, ten minutes are allowed for candidates to transfer their answers to an answer sheet.

Task Types or Structure of Test:

The first sections are concerned with social needs. There is a conversation between two speakers and then a monologue. For example-a conversation about travel arrangements or decisions on a night out, and a speech about student services on a university campus or arrangements for meals during a conference.

The final two sections are concerned with situations related more closely to educational or training contexts. There is a conversation between up to four people and then a further monologue. For example-a conversation between a tutor and a student about an assignment or between three students planning a research project, and a lecture or talk of general academic interest. A range of native-speaker English accents are used in the recordings which reflect the international usage of IELTS.

Test Marking:

IELTS Listening Marking Schemes

For the listening test, which contain 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using the table.

Band Score98.587.576.565.554.543.532.5
Score / 4039-4037-3835-3632-3430-3126-2923-2518-2216-1713-1510-128-106-74-5

Edge overseas helps its students with the listening test by making them thorough to follow important listening strategies essential to score high bands and complete the test on time:

  • To follow instructions carefully
  • To check how many words and/or numbers you need to write.
  • To check whether you need to choose your answer from a list and write the corresponding letter.
  • To anticipate what the listening passage is about. How many speakers will there be? Where are they?
  • To note the order in which questions are given.
  • Identifying the key-words in the questions. Do you know any words with a similar meaning (synonyms) an opposite meaning or can you paraphrase the meaning? You will need to listen out for these cues.
  • To concentrate throughout the listening test.
  • Spellings should be correct and hand-writing must be clear.
  • If you miss a question leave it and move on to the next so that you can maximize the number of correct answers.