IELTS Listening Tips: Tips and Tricks, Strategies, and Practice Papers
IELTS listening tips start with knowing about the exam pattern, the different question types, and scoring. IELTS listening section becomes difficult as it progresses. First things first, the IELTS Listening test isn't just about hearing words; it's about understanding them in various accents, speeds, and contexts. So you must train your ears, listen to podcasts, watch English movies or TV shows, immerse yourself in the language every chance you get. The more you expose yourself to English, the more comfortable you'll become with different accents and speech patterns. Solving numerous IELTS listening practice papers is another helpful strategy. Before beginning with the IELTS listening tips and tricks, knowing about the listening syllabus is important. It comprises 4 parts:
You will get a total test time of 40 minutes. 30 minutes among which are of listening and 10 minutes to write down your answers from the test sheet onto the answer sheet. The IELTS listening format for both academic and general training is the same. The IELTS Listening audio recordings are played only once in IELTS Exam pattern and are not repeated. Hence, you must listen to the clip with utmost concentration.
You won't have time to jot down every word you hear, so focus on key points, keywords, and main ideas. You might wonder how will taking notes help. Trust me, those notes will be your lifeline when you're answering questions later on. This will help you to remember the important points even after the recording is over. The IELTS listening syllabus, you must engage in regular listening exercises with diverse English accents and use authentic IELTS practice materials to focus on note-taking skills and enhance your listening ability.
IELTS Listening Tips
Let's start learning about the IELTS listening tips for band 9 with the mandatory points. There are 4 fundamental IELTS listening test tips that every candidate needs to focus on. These will help you to improve your IELTS listening scores significantly.
- Grammar
Incorrect grammar will have a negative marking. So, be very careful with things like plural nouns, singular nouns, tenses, verbs. For example, the names of countries, cities must be in Capital letters.
- Spelling
Incorrect spelling will be marked as a wrong answer. So, you have to be very careful while writing the answers.
- Handwriting
Only visibly acceptable handwriting is accepted, therefore ensure that your handwriting is proper.
- Use all capitals
If you think you will mess it up while rushing to catch up time then it is better to write your answers in CAPITALS. In that case, you will not lose marks.
IELTS Listening Practice Test
The IELTS Listening practice tests mimics the real exam environment, giving you a taste of what to expect on the big day. Every time ypou listen to the audio clips, you're improving your listening skills and boosting your confidence along the way. These practice tests are like your tools that will help you improve the IELTS band scores on the IELTS journey.
Focus on 3 Components of IELTS Listening
The IELTS listening tips and tricks academic includes 3 main rules of active listening which should be focused on. This will help to improve the IELTS band scores:
- Comprehend: Test-takers should concentrate on both the verbal and non-verbal expressions of the speaker to interpret what they are intending to say;
- Retain: Test-takers tend to note down the vital key points to ensure accurate answers later on;
- Respond: Answer the questions in the answer sheet.
Improve General Listening Skills
One of the famous IELTS computer-based listening tips advises keeping listening to general listening materials through radio reports, TV-shows, documentary programs, and more as our hearing skills would always be improvised. Apart from practice tests, to improve IELTS listening learning from listening exercises like sentence completion, and short answer questions from online platforms are helpful.
Polish your Vocabulary for IELTS Listening
According to most IELTS listening test tips, knowing the meaning of the words of the speaker already helps in excelling. For instance, the IELTS listening part 3 section is mostly about education that generally includes conversations in university. Vocabulary words like a tutorial, workshop, modules are a few of the common words.
Mark the IELTS Listening Word Types
IELTS listening tricks ask the test-takers to mark each blank with the correct form of parts of speech like ‘n’ for noun, ‘v’ for verb, ‘a’ for adjective, and so on. Later on, during the recording, they can focus on that specific word to fill in the gap to improve their IELTS score.
Concentrate during IELTS Listening Recording
You will only hear the recording once. Additionally, you need to listen, read, and write simultaneously. IELTS listening tips and tricks, therefore, recommend gluing your mind to the recording. You might miss out on a handful of questions. Move on, answer the remaining, and return at the end when you have answered the other questions.
Focus on Word Indicators during IELTS Listening Recording
IELTS listening tips PDF asks candidates to listen to the words very carefully. For words-indicators, such as however, therefore, but. They help you to get a clear note about what the speaker will speak next.
IELTS Listening Require Grammatical Accuracy
IELTS listening MCQ tips require you to be careful with your grammar, spelling, and the right use of words. It should also be legible enough for the examiner to be able to understand your answers.
Also Check IELTS Listening Sample Answer
IELTS Listening Test Tips for Online Exam
During this pandemic, IELTS has offered an online exam and the IELTS online exam can be taken by candidates from the comfort and safety of their home in their computers/laptops. Therefore, these IELTS computer-based test listening tips will be beneficial for them:
- Make sure you practice IELTS sample tests before taking them up.
- If you are not good at typing then it is better to go for the paper-based exam and this is one of the best listening tips and tricks for IELTS.
General IELTS Listening Tips
The following are a few of the IELTS listening MCQ tips and tricks that will help you during the test. The IELTS preparation tips for listening are::
- You will only listen to the recording once, therefore, listening very carefully
- Practice interesting topics
- Listen to audio scripts for better practice
- Learn new synonyms every day
- You should read the questions very carefully because you will get to hear the recording only once.
- The time allotted to write the answers is just ten minutes, therefore write your answers simultaneously on the test booklet as you hear the recordings and then transfer them at the end of the listening test.
- Do not panic if you don’t understand everything you hear. Listen to the keywords from the questions and focus on what you heard.
- Don’t hover over a specific question because you may miss the answer to the next one.
- Make sure you follow the instructions, word count in the instructions of each question. If the question wants a one-word answer then follow that.
- There is no negative marking for any wrong answers.
IELTS Listening Practice Papers
The IELTS listening tips and tricks guide the candidates in securing high IELTS scores. You might find difficult to understand the audio clips at the begining. But hey, don't sweat it if you stumble a bit at first. That's the whole point of practicing IELTS listening clips. The more your listen to, the sharper your listening skills will be.
FAQs
Ques: How can I improve my IELTS listening skills?
A: To improve your IELTS listening skills, you must practice regularly with various listening materials such as podcasts, news broadcasts, and academic lectures. You can watch English movies to improve your vocabulary.
Ques: Is it important to familiarize myself with different accents for the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, it is very important to familiarize yourself with different accents. Expose yourself to different English accents to better understand speakers from various backgrounds. It will help you improve your listening skills.
Ques: Should I read the questions before listening to the audio in the IELTS test?
A: Yes, it's advisable to read the questions and then listen to the audio. Skim through the questions to get an idea of what information you need to listen for. Then you can focus on those points and take notes.
Ques: How can I manage my time effectively during the IELTS listening test?
A: To manage your time, you must utilize the 10 minutes provided before the recording starts to read the questions and prepare your answers. During the test, focus on listening and answering quickly.
Ques: Is it okay to guess answers if I'm unsure during the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, absolutely. It is okay to guess if you are not sure of the answer during the test. You must make educated guesses if necessary, but ensure you don't leave any answers blank. There are no negetive marking and hence, it wont affect your scores.
Ques: What should I do if I miss an answer during the IELTS listening test?
A: If you miss an answer during the test, don't dwell on it. You should move on to the next question right away and concentrate on getting the remaining answers right. This will help you focus on the question and not what has already happened.
Ques: How can I improve my concentration during the IELTS listening test?
A: To improve your concentration during the test, you must practice active listening techniques such as summarizing main points and predicting what speakers will say next. You can also watch and listen to movies.
Ques: Is it beneficial to take notes during the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, it is beneficial to take notes while listening to the audio clip in IELTS listening. However, you must only jot down keywords and essential information to help you remember details.
Ques: Should I rely solely on headphones for the IELTS listening test practice?
A: No, do not rely on headphone only during the test. It's recommended to use both headphones and speakers during practice to simulate test conditions.
Ques: How can I enhance my vocabulary for the IELTS listening test?
A: To enhance the vocabulary, you should read extensively and listen to a variety of English materials to expose yourself to new words in context. You can download audipo files from internet or listen to music and podcasts.
Ques: What should I do if I don't understand a word during the IELTS listening test?
A: If you do not understan a word during the IELTS listening, you should try to infer its meaning based on context clues. Understand the meaning of the previous and the next sentence to identify the meaning. If that fails, focus on understanding the overall message.
Ques: Is it okay to listen to recordings at normal speed during practice for the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, you should listen to the audio at normal speed during the practice of the IELTS listening test. However, you must also challenge yourself by occasionally listening to recordings at faster speeds to improve your listening skills.
Ques: How can I avoid getting distracted during the IELTS listening test?
A: You can avoid distractions during the IELTS listening test by creating a quiet, distraction-free environment for your practice sessions to simulate test conditions. You can also shit to a room which is quiet and silent.
Ques: Should I review my answers after completing the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, if time allows you must review all your answers. Reviewing your answers can help you catch any mistakes or overlooked details. You will also be able to identify small mistakes that are usually overlooked.
Ques: How can I develop my listening skills if English is not my first language?
A: To develop your listening skills if English is not your first language, you must immerse yourself in English media, practice listening to various accents, and consider taking language courses or working with a tutor.
Ques: Is it helpful to listen to recordings multiple times during practice for the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, it is helpful to listen to recordings muliple times during practice. Please remember that the audio will be played only once on the day of the exam. You shpould practice multiple times especially if you're struggling with certain sections. Listening repeatedly can help improve comprehension.
Ques: How can I stay calm and focused during the IELTS listening test?
A: To remain calm and focussed during the test, you can practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization to manage test anxiety. Also, do not think about the clip you are gong to get because that will not help. it will be a random English audio clip.
Ques: Should I try to answer all questions in order during the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, you should try to answer all questions during the IELTS listening test. If you're having difficulty with a particular question, skip it and come back to it later if time permits.
Ques: What should I do if I encounter technical issues during the IELTS listening test?
A: If you encounter technical issue during the test, you must remain calm and notify the test administrator immediately. They will assist you in resolving the issue.
Ques: Can I use abbreviations in my answers during the IELTS listening test?
A: Yes, you can use abbreviations as long as the abbreviation is clear and easily understandable. However, it's best to use full words whenever possible to avoid confusion. Try to avoid abbreviations as much as possible.
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