A lecture about writing for radio - IELTS Listening Sample Answer

The IELTS Listening section comprises two conversations and two monologues. Candidates need to answer 40 IELTS listening questions. This topic - A lecture about writing for radio is IELTS Listening section Four. Candidates need to answer the following question types:

• Complete the notes
• Complete the sentence

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Audio Transcript

You will hear part of a lecture about writing for radio.

Lecturer We’re going to move on today to look at some of the key principles of writing for radio.

Of course the main thing that you have to remember is that a radio script is not written to be read, but to be spoken and heard. Now putting this into practice is more difficult than it seems because writing as we speak involves abandoning many of the normal ‘rules’ of writing that have been taught to us from an early age. This is because we need to concentrate on how the piece sounds. Written words convey information, but they don’t convey the full meaning of what you want to say... they don’t tell you what to emphasise, what speed something should be read at, or where the pauses should come, so these have to be indicated in a script.

Whatever is said on radio - whether it’s a link to a magazine programme, a film review, or even a voice piece in the news - needs to sound as if it is coming from the mind of the speaker - almost like part of a conversation - rather than something that is being read.

Before you begin to write, it’s a good idea to know who you’re talking to, to visualise a typical member of the radio station’s audience. If you’re writing a film review for a local audience, for example, think about how you would tell your grandmother about the film, or if you’re reviewing a pop concert, think about how you would tell your friend about the band.

The words have much more impact if each person feels they are being spoken to directly. So your tone needs to be informal - rather than using impersonal words like ‘listeners’ or ‘the audience’, you can make it more informal... include them in what you’re saying by referring to ‘us’ and ‘we’.

Once you know who you’re talking to, the next thing is to work out what you’re going to say. Don’t forget that the person listening to you has no opportunity to ask questions, and in the same way, you can’t repeat what you’ve just said. For these reasons it’s important that your script is logical and progresses smoothly.

Too many facts too close together will cause confusion, so space them out evenly. The best scripts allow listeners to visualise what you’re describing. For example, instead of giving the physical dimensions of a field, describe it as being the size of, say, a football pitch: if you’re talking about a tall building, relate it to - perhaps - a ten-storey block of flats.

Now, all scripts need something that will grab the attention of the listener. You need something that will make them say, ‘Hey, I want to stop and listen to this.’ So the first sentence has to do this for you ... it needs to be intriguing, interesting - and then it needs to be backed up by a second sentence that explains what you’re talking about. The last sentence should also give your listeners food for thought and can be in the form of a question, or a statement that sums up the item.

After you’ve finished your script you need to polish it up and the most effective method of doing this is by reading it aloud. This also helps you to avoid tongue twisters or words that you might find awkward to pronounce.

Questions 31-34.

Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

RADIO WRITING

31 You may have to ignore some of the ordinary___________________ of writing.
32 Written words do not indicate things like emphasis, the_______________ of reading or where to pause.
33 A script needs to sound like a______________________.

Question 31.

Answer: rules

Explanation: The speaker stated ‘writing as we speak involves abandoning many of the normal ‘rules’ of writing’ hence the answer must be rules.

Also, check:

Question 32.

Answer: speed

Explanation: It is implied from the lecture that ‘Written words don’t tell what to emphasize, what speed of reading, or where to pause’. Therefore, the answer must be “speed”.

Question 33.

Answer: conversation

Explanation: The lecturer says that ‘Whatever is said on the radio needs to sound like part of a conversation’. Accordingly, the answer must be “conversation”.

Questions 34-40.

Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Know who you are talking to

Imagine a typical listener:

e.g. imagine telling your 34_________________ about a film.

Create an informal tone:

e.g. use words like 35_________________ and _____________________

Work out what you are going to say

Remember:

listeners cannot ask questions

you cannot 36_________________ ideas

Make your script logical:

37_____________________ the information.

Use concrete images e.g. compare the size of a field to a 38______________________.

Use the 39_____________________ to get attention.

Check the script by 40_____________________.

Question 34.

Answer: grandmother

Explanation: From the lecture, it is suggested that when ‘writing a review for an audience, you should think about how you would tell your grandmother about the film’. Hence, the answer should be “grandmother”.

Question 35.

Answer: us and we

Explanation: As stated by the lecturer that “you can make it more informal (...) by referring to ‘us’ and ‘we’” so the answer should be us and we.

Question 36.

Answer: repeat

Explanation: It is mentioned by the speaker that ‘Don’t forget that the listeners have no opportunity to ask questions, and you can’t repeat what you’ve just said’. According to this, the answer must be “repeat”.

Question 37.

Answer: space (out)

Explanation: As stated by the lecturer that ‘that too many facts too close together will cause confusion, so space them out” thus, the answer is “space (out)”.

Question 38.

Answer: football pitch

Explanation: It is mentioned that when ‘giving the dimensions of a field, describe it as a football pitch’ Therefore, the answer is “football pitch”.

Question 39.

Answer: first sentence

Explanation: The lecture explains that ‘the first sentence is something that will grab the attention’ Hence, the answer is “first sentence”.

Question 40.

Answer: reading (it) aloud

Explanation: The final thing suggested by the lecturer is that ‘After you’ve finished your script you need to polish it up and the most effective method of doing this is by reading it aloud’. So the answer should be reading loud.