Dear Test Takers, 

IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Tips:

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• Apply the following IELTS listening multiple choice tips during your IELTS listening preparation. This will help you to answer well for IELTS listening multiple choice questions. 

• Highlight the keywords in the question. Relate those keywords to the understanding you got from listening to the recording. It can help you to choose the correct option. 

• Read through the options, highlight the options which are similar to each other and understand the differences between other options. 

• Don’t choose an option by picking up the words from the audio without reflection. They could trick you, so think and choose an answer.

• Don’t spend your time on one question. Move onto the next question and return back to the question you left. This will help you to save ample amounts of time.

• Get the IELTS listening question papers. And, practice the multiple choice questions in order to perfect your answering process.

• When you hear words such as ‘but’ or ‘however’, be cautious. It means the speaker will qualify the preceding statement. 

• Read the instructions properly. Remember, you are going to choose a letter (A, B, C) not a word. So, be careful while you transfer the answers to the answer sheet at the end. 

• Understand what type of question you are asked to answer. There are three types which you learned in this article. You can easily answer the questions by grasping the question type. 

• If you feel that a certain answer is correct, mark it but keep on listening to the audio till you are sure about the answer.

• Think of synonyms and paraphrases of the main words you have heard in recording. This will help you to pick the right answer.

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Common Problems:

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• When given three choices, like above, you are likely to hear the speaker talking about all three options. Just because you hear it mentioned, doesn’t make it correct. You must select the correct answer, not the first one you hear.

• The answers will normally come in the form of synonyms or paraphrases. Don’t just listen for exact matches; think about how the answer could be expressed using synonyms or paraphrasing.

• The three choices often look similar in meaning and it may be difficult for you to tell the difference. Look for keywords in the different options that allow you to tell the difference between the different options.

• This is not just a test of your listening skills but also your reading skills. There is much more to read in multiple choice questions, so practice underlining the keywords in the questions and quickly understanding the difference between the different options.

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What are notes?
Listing down necessary points of particular information is called notes. Note-taking is an important practice that helps individuals to actively engage and learn quickly. While taking notes, some key facts are crucial to recall the specific information. They are as follows,

 

1. Keyword

2. Abbreviations

3. Phrases

4. Heading

5. Names

6. Numbers

7. Places 

8. Price

9. Year

10. Time 

11. Addresses

12. Levels

13. Numbered/ bulleted points

14. Phone numbers and more

When considering the IELTS Listening module, note completion is one of the question types that contain a set of notes with blanks taken from specific audio recordings like individual speech or telephonic conversations of native speakers.

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Read the instructions carefully before observing the questions:

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD and/or a NUMBER for each answer
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORD and/or a NUMBER for each answer
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or a NUMBER for each answer. 

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Predict the possible answers: While reading the question sentences, try to predict the missing word logically. Yes, it is hard to predict the exact missing word, But, still, you will be able to understand what will be the correct one to fill in the blanks like, 

• Name /surname 

• Address

• Mobile/ telephone number

• Year

• Date 

• Place name

• Cost 

• Percentage

• Noun

• Verb

• Adjectives and so on.

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​Step 1: Read the title, instructions, and the given listed incomplete notes. Going through the title and instructions is vital in the initial stage. Because by reading the title, you can learn the situation, context, etc. and the instructions will tell you how many words to write in the blanks.

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Step 2: Read the given incomplete notes and underline the main keywords which will be helpful for you to identify the answers. Try to predict the words that fit the gaps logically. Now prepare yourself to listen to the audio.

 

Step 3: Before the audio starts, you will be given some time to read the questions listed. Use the time given and go through the questions quickly. After the audio starts, listen carefully to the conversation or speech. Try to relate the audio to the questions, identify the keywords, and finally write the correct word that fits the gaps. 

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Step 4: Before writing the answer, remember that the words must be correct in grammar and logic. Moreover, don't write answers in a hurry. Wait a moment to confirm the answer, as the speaker in the audio has a chance to change their answers.

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Step 5: Finally, double-check your answers for spelling and grammar errors. Check that you have filled in all the gaps. If any, guess and write the answer in a logical way. Do not leave empty spaces for any reason.

 

 

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Tips & strategies to solve the IELTS listening Sentence Completion task:

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Keep an eye out on instructions: The instruction part is crucial in the IELTS exams. Instructions are given to tell the candidates how many words should be written in the gaps. On the top of the questions, you can see various instructions like, 

 

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD and/or a NUMBER for each answer
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORD and/or a NUMBER for each answer
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or a NUMBER for each answer
 

Read the instructions before everything and remember until you answer the last question. If you exceed the specified word limit, your answers will be marked as incorrect.

 

Utilize time wisely:

Once the test begins, it takes 20 seconds to play the recordings of the conversation or speech. Use that time smartly by going through the instructions, title, and questions once quickly. This will familiarize you with the context of the audio.

 

Highlight the keywords:

Read the questions thoroughly and underline the keyword that you feel is significant. Because keywords are fruitful to relate the recordings with the questions and also aid to identify the correct answer. 

Focus on recordings:

To get the right answer, complete attention is very important. If you get diverted, it is very difficult to follow the flow. Remember that the recordings are played only once in the actual listening exam. 

 

Multitasking:

A vital tip is to multitask while taking the listening test. Because you have to listen to the audio, read the question, relate, identify and write down the answers simultaneously. Practice, practice, practice more to develop your multitasking skill.

 

Don’t worry about the order:

One of the biggest myths is that the answer from the recordings will not be given in order. The IELTS aspirants need not worry about the order of answers. Because the test takers will get the answers in the correct order. So after writing the answer to the previous question they can move on to the following question.

 

Try to predict the answers :

By reading the question, try to predict the missing word in the sentence. This helps you to look for the correct answer while you hear the audio. Definitely, it is hard to find the exact word, but you can guess what can be the answer like number, name, verb, noun, etc.

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Look for synonyms and paraphrasing:

Synonyms and paraphrasing play a major role in the listening test. Speakers on the recordings will rarely speak the exact word used in the sentences, often they speak synonyms, phrases, and paraphrasing. So be prepared and look for different words with similar meanings. 

 

Example:

Since the late sixteenth century the French settlers had made …..
The above statement can be paraphrased in a different way by the speaker. Check below,

…. created by French settlers from the late sixteenth century
Synonyms used in the above statement are,

-made -> created
-Since -> from 

 

Focus on grammar accuracy:

Once you have found the answer, check that the word fits the sentence grammatically. If not, then your answer is wrong. If the correct word form does not fit the sentence, change the word grammatically to fit the gap.

For example,

Recording: Michael - I ate five pieces of chicken at dinner
Question sentence: At dinner, five pieces of chicken were eaten by Michael. 
 

Guess to avoid blank spaces:

If you couldn’t find the answer from the audio, don’t panic, guess and write something logically. But, never leave blanks without an answer. There are some chances of getting the guessed answer right. Use your abilities to fill in the blanks with the possible answers. 

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Wait for the correct answer:

Not everything you hear will be right. So, be patient and listen carefully to get the right answer. The speaker on the audio may change the answer abruptly, so wait until you get a firm answer.

 

Do final check:

In the paper-based test, you will be given 10 minutes to transform your answers in the answer sheet. Make use of the given time and transform your answers quickly. So that you will get some extra minutes to review your answers. Don't fail to do a final check, this will help you correct if anything is wrong.

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IELTS Listening Summary Completion Tips:

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• We have given the IELTS listening summary completion tips, below. Use these tips while  answering the questions to develop your summary completion skills for the IELTS listening test.

• Read the summary before listening to the audio recording. Note what sort of words are required to complete the summary. It could be noun, adjective, verb, number, etc., It prepares you for choosing the right words while listening.

• Pay attention to the instructions carefully. The word limit will be mentioned in the instructions section. For example: Complete the summary using no more than one word and/or a number.

• Prime your mind by predicting the possible words that could fill the gaps in the summary. This exercise can help you to identify the appropriate words while listening to the recording. 

• Identify the keywords in the summary which would help you to spot the answer when the speaker uses those words. 

• It is found that lots of students struggle with six vocabulary types - numbers, time, dates, letters, addresses, and prices. So, when listening to a recording focus on the mentioned vocabulary types. 

• Use the skimming technique to grasp the overall idea of the summary. It can prime your what sort of information you will expect in audio recording and can pick an appropriate portion. 

• Concentration is the key. Listen to the recording actively to comprehend the content well. Also, you can pick up words from the audio itself.

• Don’t divert your attention by focusing on the accent. Rather, focus on what they are saying.

• Take notes while listening to the recording. It can make the answering process easier in the IELTS listening test.

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Short Answers - Model Questions:

Waste and Waste Management

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

1. Where was a Stone Age rubbish dump found?
2. In Medieval times, what type of waste was most common?
3. What did science link with waste?
4. Which invention is the biggest problem for the environment?

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IELTS Listening short answer questions Tips:

1. Follow the instructions:
Pay attention to the instructions given in the question paper. You should only write the answers following the given word limit. In case you write more than the allowed word limit, you will lose your marks. These instructions will vary from question to question.

 

2. Answer in the order:
The questions in the listening test will be asked in the order of the audio. This means you will get the answers in the order of the questions. So you can fill up the answers right from question 1.

 

3.Guess the answer:
From the questions, you can predict what type of answers you can expect. So when you listen to the audio you can listen to the words that are suitable to answer the questions. You can use the questions as clues to find the answer. 

 

4. Look for paraphrasing and synonyms:
The question may not have exactly the same words or sentences as given in the audio. The question might contain paraphrased sentences or synonyms. To make finding such words easier, you can underline such words that you think could be synonyms. You should do this before you start listening to the audio. 

 

5. Have a good vocabulary:
When you listen to the audio it is very important that you can understand the words you listen to. For this, you should have a good vocabulary. To have a good understanding of the vocabulary in IELTS Listening, you can check out the IELTS Listening Words.

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6.Look out for distractors:
Distractors are used in the audio to distract you from the actual answer. Words like “but, however, until” are distractors that will confuse the listener. When you hear such sentences think twice about the meaning of the sentence before you answer.

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How to answer IELTS Listening short answer questions:

First Read the Questions:
Before you listen to the audio you can read through the questions. When you do this you will understand what the audio is about and what keywords to listen to. You have 20 seconds to quickly go through the questions.

 

Underline important words:
As you read the questions, you can underline the main words that you feel are important. So when you listen to the audio you can easily identify the answers. 

 

Look out for question words:
Words like who, which, where, and why are called question words. Depending on the type of question words you get in the question, you will know what type of answer you should expect.

 

Listen to the audio carefully:
You will only get one chance to listen to the audio. The audio will not be played more than once. So if it is difficult for you to remember the words, you can note them down. You should also pay attention to the exact words you hear in the audio.

 

Be accurate while noting down the answers:
While you answer the questions, you should be very careful. You will lose marks if you make mistakes while noting down the answers. Your writing should be legible to the examiner. Also, keep in mind to write the correct number of words. If you write more you will lose marks. Use the IELTS listening mock test to learn to solve questions of this type.

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IELTS listening map labelling tips:

Understanding the IELTS listening map labelling question type clearly itself will help you to achieve the high band score. To ace the listening section, you need to check out our IELTS listening tips. The following tips are suggested by the IELTS experts which will help you to label the map and plan in a correct way. 

 

1. Instructions are key:
You need to first identify the way you’re going to respond to the listening map question by reading the instructions carefully. From the instructions, you’ll clearly understand how many words and what kind of words you need to answer. 

 

For eg: Write the correct letter, A-K, next to Questions 1-6.

 

In this case, you need to label the questions with the letters A-K not with the answers that you’ve heard in the audio.

 

2. Predict the answer:
In the IELTS listening test, you’ll be given some time to go through the question before playing the recording. This time is crucial, so you need to use it wisely. First understand the question, whether you’re going to label the map or plan. Look at the map or plan and try to predict the labels based on the position they are in.

 

3. Focus on the labelled parts:
Title and the labelled parts in the map and plan question is the key aspect to respond to the answer wisely. Looking at the title will help you to know what basis of audio you're going to hear. And, knowing the labelled parts will help you to focus on the other information while listening.

 

4.  Put yourself in that map or plan:
Imagine that you’re in the place and try to figure out what are all the places that can be located nearby. You can start by predicting where the person will start from, and what can be the places that are in the right, left, front and behind. Relate your prediction with the question that is given for you. 

 

5. Focus on the answer:
In the IELTS listening test, the recordings will carry information where you can identify the answers in the order of the questions given to you. In simpler terms, you’ll listen to the answer for question 1 and then for question 2. 

 

6. Neglect distractors:
There is no such thing that you’ll get the answer so directly in the recordings. Sometimes, you might get the answer you’re looking for, but the speaker might use the distractor word and continue the sentence with some other information. Words like ‘but’, ‘however’, ‘no’, ‘sorry’ are the distracting words which you need to carefully listen to in the audio.

 

7. Note taking:
For the listening test, you’re allowed to take notes on the question paper. Jot down the key points that are relevant to the question. Make your notes understandable by avoiding scribbling. Avoid using lengthier sentences to describe. Practise the note-taking skills while preparing for the IELTS listening test.

 

8. Transferring answers:
The time given for you to transfer the answers is the vital part of the IELTS listening map test. Make sure you write the correct spelling of the words, directions, and locations. If you need to give the answer as a letter, make sure you’re aware of that.

 

9. Learn synonyms:
After predicting the possible answers for the questions, you need to not only focus on the exact answers in the audio instead you need to focus on the synonyms also. If the answer you’re looking for is books, the speaker might use the words study resource/material. Try to learn the synonyms that have more possibilities to use while speaking.

 

10. IELTS listening map vocabulary:
Vocabulary is one of the marking criteria that are assessed in the listening test. To score high in the IELTS test, you need to understand the IELTS listening band score first. There are some map related vocabulary that you really need to learn to attempt listening to the recordings. To locate the places or to describe the directions, the speakers will not always use the direct words like right, left, nearby, behind.

 

Check the below IELTS listening map vocabulary to perform the map questions better.

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• at the top/at the bottom

• on the left/on the right/on the far side

• North/South/East/West

• between

• Facing

• to the north/to the west

• slightly west of

• heading east

• just southeast of

• in the southwest/in the northeast

• in the middle of/in the centre of

• above/below

• inside/outside

• opposite/in front of

• junction

• dead end

• leads off

• left-hand side/ right-hand side

• clockwise/anticlockwise

• a little beyond

• just past

• before you get to

• adjoining

• enter via

• runs alongside

• Next to/next by

• turn right

• to your right

• pass through

• on the other side

• beyond

• along

• corner

• go straight

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Frequently Asked Questions:

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1. How can I improve my IELTS listening map?

                  1. Notice the title and the labelled parts
                  2. Predict the words for the unlabelled parts
                  3. Think about the words describing the place in map
                  4. Take notes while listening the audio
                  5. Focus on the vocabulary related to directions, locations

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2. How do I answer the IELTS listening map?

                  1. First read the instruction carefully                 
                  2. Concentrate the words given in the map
                  3. Notice the directions that unlabelled parts are located
                  4. Avoid the distractors in the audio
                  5. Note down all the relevant words you hear in the audio
                  6. Write the correct spelling while transferring the answers

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3. Do maps always come in IELTS listening?

In the IELTS listening test, maps are the most commonly asked question. Section 2 of the IELTS listening involves map question type as this section involves the monologue speech in the social context.

 

4. What is map Labelling in IELTS listening?

Map labelling in IELTS listening is labelling the parts with the information given by the speaker in the recording. The map labelling question type is to test your understanding of the directions, locations, concentration, note-taking skill, language ability and time management.

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5. What are the 4 sections of the listening test in IELTS?

The 4 sections of the IELTS listening test are:

Section 1: A recording of conversation between 2 people based on the social context.
Section 2: A monologue speech on the everyday context.
Section 3: Conversation of a group of people or between 4 people in an educational context
Section 4: A monologue on an academic basis.

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6. Is spelling important in IELTS listening?

Yes, spelling is an important marking factor. IELTS listening is a test that not only tests your listening, understanding, concentration, but also your language skills including spelling.

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IELTS Listening Diagram Labelling Tips:

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• You can answer the diagram labelling questions in a minimal effort with the help of our IELTS listening diagram labelling tips.

• You can only listen to the audio once, there will be no pause button. So, Be attentive when you are listening to the recording.

• Pay attention to word count in the instructions before answering diagram labelling IELTS listening questions.

• Read the questions properly. It will help you to be more thoughtful when answering the questions. Use skimming and scanning techniques while reading. 

• Read the title if it is given along with the diagram. It will make you understand what sort of content you will find in the recording.  

• Understand the structure, nature and topic of the diagram. It gives you an outline to grasp the points and words from the recording.

• Note the keywords mentioned in the diagram. It will help you to answer the questions.

• The information will be presented in the logical order. Understand the order to answer the questions.

• The words presented in the diagram could be in paraphrased form in the audio recording. So, having vocabulary knowledge can be helpful. 

• Understand what kind of answer you need to fill. It could be a noun, adjective, verb, number, etc.

• When you are practicing diagram labelling questions, make sure to get the feedback. It can help you to figure out the skills you are lacking and improve. 

• You will not get negative marks if your answer is incorrect. So, making an educated guess could be advantageous to your overall band score. 

• Try to predict the answers. Thus, hearing a recording will be just to ensure whether your answer is correct or not. 

• Use the visualization technique. It means creating visuals based on the information given in the recording, could help you to detect the picture in the test. 

• Though you are confused about spelling, write down the answers and think about it later. What you wrote in the answer sheet counts. 

• At the end of the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer the answers. It is advisable to write down the letter rather than words. Double check the answers.

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How to Answer Diagram Type of Questions in IELTS Listening:

 

We are given below a step by step strategy to solve the diagram labelling IELTS listening questions without any difficulties.

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1. Read the Instructions:
In Instructions, how many words you need to pick for an answer will be mentioned. So, it is important to read the instructions. It is given in the following manner, Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. Your answer will be marked incorrect if you choose more than the given word count. 

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2. Read the Information given in the diagram:
Read the titles and other information given in the diagram. Underline the keywords and create outline notes. It makes you understand what sort of content you would like to expect in the recording. It primes your mind and develops a framework to effectively absorb appropriate information in the audio recording. This exercise is far more helpful than listening to the recording blindly. 

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3. Pay attention to the Direction words:
Along with an understanding of the diagram, grasping the direction words can help you to find the answers. Direction words, such as above, below, on the left, on the right, are used to mostly describe the visuals and pictures. So, learning direction related words in IELTS listening preparation, can help you to develop your answering process.

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4. Synonyms and Paraphrased sentences:
You will not hear the exact words given in the questions. Synonyms and paraphrasing will be used in order to challenge your vocabulary knowledge and IELTS listening skills. So, being acquainted with the synonyms of the words will be helpful to identify the answers. You can also think of synonyms and other related words, during the 20 seconds prior to hearing the recording.

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5. Make an educated guess:
Even if you aren't able to identify the answer, make an educated guess. You will not get negative marks for incorrect answers. So, it's better to guess an answer out of your understanding rather than leaving it a blank space. 

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6. Check once after you answered the questions:
It would be better to double check the answers. You could make mistakes without your awareness in the process of listening and answering the questions. So, checking an answer twice can help you to rethink your answers. And, you can correct it if you made an error.

 

 

Strategies can be used for the Flow Chart Questions before the audio plays:

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• Candidates will be given 20 - 30 seconds before the audio starts. Utilizing prior audio section time is highly crucial to solve the IELTS listening flow chart completion question type and a score of band 9 on the listening tests. Find some strategies listed below:

• Instructions are essential in the IELTS tests. Because it tells how many words should be written in the answer section.

• Read the instructions carefully to avoid silly mistakes like exceeding the word limit.

• If you exceed the word limit, your answers will be marked as incorrect, even if you have written the correct answer logically.

• Once you read the instructions, move on to the given questions and read them thoroughly.

• While reading questions, you will get to know some keywords and critical details. 

• Underline the keywords and main information to aid you to identify the correct answer.

• You should not expect the exact word or sentence. So, be ready to look for synonyms, phrases, idioms, and paraphrasing.

• Go through the flow chart and try to predict the possible answer that fits the gaps.

• Focus on going with the flow when the audio starts. Because missing the flow creates difficulty in relating questions and finding answers.

• Predict what should come in the blanks like verbs, nouns, adjectives, and numbers.

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Tips to solve the flow chart question type while you listen to the audio:

 

• Once the audio begins, it’s time to listen to the audio carefully and look for the answers. Get some significant IELTS listening flow chart completion tips below to solve this task effectively. 

• Focus, focus, focus! Because without proper attention you can’t get the right answers from the audio.

• Try to locate the keyword that you marked already when the audio is ON. 

• Be alert for the synonyms, phrases, and paraphrasing after you locate the keyword. 

• Wait for the right answer as there are chances that the speaker on the audio can change the answer.

• Presentation is one of the best strategies. Hence, it is highly recommended to write answers in capital letters to avoid spelling errors and improve readability. 

• The answers will come in the correct order, so once you have completed the previous question you can directly move on to the next question.

• If you fail to fill in any gap, leave the blanks blank and guess some of the possible answers.

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IELTS Listening Matching Questions Tips and Strategy:

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To tackle the difficulty level, time management and accuracy in matching questions, follow our IELTS Listening matching tips and strategies given here. These IELTS Listening matching tips are purely based on feedback given by toppers and trainers. 

 

1. Analyse the question:
Before attempting to answer, first, analyse the question. Since matching questions are confused with other question types like multiple choice, plan/map/diagram labelling, etc., you need to analyse the question and understand its context. One simple trick is looking for the word ‘match’ in the question.

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2. Answer order:
In the IELTS matching listening, the list of questions and the information in the listening text have the same order. So when you answer, follow that order. For example: while answering, you must first answer question 1 and then question 2. And not like answering question 1 and immediately question 4.

 

3. Synonyms and paraphrasing:
Synonyms and paraphrasing are widely used in the recording text. So, instead of memorising them while listening, use your own words and phrases while writing the answer. It grabs the examiner’s attention towards new words and phrases describing the same meaning.  

 

4. Mind the distractors:
To distract your mind, the audio would contain information that is irrelevant to the topic. So mind those distractors and give attention to the main key words and phrases. While practising, you must listen to the same audio more than once to identify the relevant keywords. 

 

5.Writing the answer:
In the IELTS Listening test, you will get 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer book. Here you must write only a letter for the answer (not words or phrases from the recording). So while taking sample matching questions, write only the letters and not the (exact) words.

 

6. Predicting the correct answer:
Before writing, you must be sure of eliminating the wrong answers. To do that, you can use synonyms that match the exact words from the recording. However, you can’t predict the correct answer to some questions. 

 

7. Guess if necessary:
The last tip is to never leave any questions unanswered. Whether you are sure or not, take a wild guess with the set of options and answer. Since there are no negative marks, you can guess the answer without much confusion.

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