Top 10 tips for the IELTS Listening test to get 9 bands
Bhargavee Sisodia06 May 2024
If you are planning to excel in your IELTS listening test, then all you need to do is practice. Most students find it difficult to remember because of a lack of focus. However, in the IELTS listening test, the examiner will test your general listening skills and ability to remember. To help you prepare for your IELTS listening test, here we have created a list of 10 tips that you must follow while preparing for the listening section of your exam. These tips will not only help you in practice but also help you increase your overall IELTS band score. Listening is the first test of the IELTS exam. In this test, students will listen to four recordings of English native speakers. Each recording is different and after listening to the given recordings, students have to give responses to the questions mentioned in the exam. Candidates will have to answer a total of 40 questions and to complete this task they will be given a time limit of 30 minutes. Check out these four types of sections in the listening test that you need to solve in order to score well in this section.
Section 1 of the IELTS listening test
In the first section of the Listening test, the candidate will be given a recording of the conversation. The candidate will have to listen to a conversation between two English native speakers.
Section 2 of the IELTS listening test
In the second section of the Listening test, the candidate will listen to a monologue that will be set in a social context. This context will include common social topics such as local facilities, environment, pollution, poverty, etc. Initially, candidates have to hear this recording, and after that, they have to respond to the questions mentioned in the exam based on the monologue.
Section 3 of the IELTS listening test
In the third section, candidates will be given a recording of the conversations between four to five people or more. The recording will include a conversation based on topics related to education. The recording may include a conversation between 4 or 5 students discussing their assignments or something else like this.
Section 4 of the IELTS listening test
In the fourth and last section of this IELTS listening test, candidates will be given a monologue.
10 tips to follow to do well in the listening section of the IELTS exam
1. Improve your general listening skills
The aim of the IELTS Listening section is to check your listening skills. Make sure to avoid practice tests to enhance your listening score because they will just help to get familiar with the test but all you need to do is improve your general listening skills to score well in this section. You can improve your listening abilities by doing various listening exercises, including listening to general listening materials like TV shows, radio, documentaries, reports, and other English programs.
2. Don't leave any space blank
In this section, you won’t lose marks for your incorrect answers. So even if you are unknown to the answers, write anything that is related to the topic. Read the question and guess because something is always better than nothing. You might get marks for a right guess.
3. Work on your topic vocabulary
Section third of the listening test is almost always about education. Most students write unique and unfamiliar words in the exam that are not even related to the topic. However, knowing that the third section is almost about education, you can prepare in advance. There is a higher chance of making mistakes while writing heavy words, affecting your performance. So to be safe, it is highly recommended for candidates to use simple and familiar words, having fewer chances of mistakes. Make sure to work on your topic vocabulary that is relevant and related to the topic given by the examiner. Prepare in advance for some of the common topics that might come in your exam. Create a list of words and phrases that might help you connect dots at the time of your exam.
4. Take care of the silly mistakes
After each section, candidates have 30 seconds to check their answers. It is crucial to check plurals, spellings, and other word forms to answer correctly. Remember that you gain points only when you give authentic answers.
5. Don't lose attention in between
Make sure to stay attentive when you listen to the recording because you will hear the audio only once. So if you didn’t hear any word or phrase, just leave it and focus on the actual part that is required to give correct answers in the exam. To make sure that you have written the correct answers, review all the questions at the end of the section. Stay alert especially when you appear for this section of the IELTS exam because you will have to read, write and listen to all at the same time.
6. Word types
Take care of the word types that are present in the audio. Listen to the words carefully and remember word forms such as nouns, verbs, adverbs, or adjectives. This will help you to focus on the particular word forms while listening.
7. Practice common IELTS topics
To score well in this section, practice listening to some of the common IELTS topics. These topics include tourism and travel, education, weather, vehicles, transportation, nature, health, environment, etc.
8. Make a note of every situation
The best strategy that you can follow to do well in your listening test is to get an idea of every situation that is there in the recording. Before each part of you will hear a short description like 'Now, you will hear a dialogue between…' or 'you will hear a lecture on….’ make sure to remember such information as it is not written on your question paper. So try to make notes of every situation and stay alert when you listen to the recording. Always note who the speakers are, where they are, what they are speaking, and why they are speaking. This will help you understand the rest of the recording in a much easier way.
9. Take care of words-indicators
Make sure to take care of word indicators such as however, but, then, and finally. This will help you analyze the situation in a correct and quick manner. Be clear, authentic, and straightforward while you give your responses. Listen to the recording carefully to know which speaker said what. Know your own mistakes and errors while you practice your listening skills at home. In such a way you will be able to understand your mistakes, helping you avoid making the same mistakes in the future. With regular practice sessions, you will get knowledge about different content structures and forms, helping you analyze better in the exams.
10. Don't write answers too quickly
Be patient when you write answers, especially when it comes to the listening section of your IELTS exam. Most students fall into this trap: as soon as they listen to the recording, they make assumptions based on that to give spontaneous answers. But sometimes the information is repeated and included in the recording to confuse the candidate. Make sure to listen carefully when you give your answer. With the above-mentioned tips, you can easily improve your IELTS listening scores. All you need to do is work on your vocabulary, listen to TV shows as practice sessions, and avoid making spelling mistakes. Moreover, listen to the English news and reports to improve your overall listening skills. Make sure to practice regularly and maintain consistency to achieve the ladder of success. For more help, directly contact us at D – Vivid Consultant. Also, if you would like to know how to prepare for IELTS exam in one month please read article IELTS 30 Days Study Plan.
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