The four parts of IELTS Listening
The test takes about 30 minutes, with 40 questions in four parts. The recording is played once only.
- Part 1: a conversation between two people in an everyday situation, such as booking a course or reporting a lost item. Often a form or notes to complete.
- Part 2: one speaker in an everyday setting, such as a guide describing a museum or a talk about local facilities. Map or plan questions often appear here.
- Part 3: a discussion between two or three speakers in an academic context, such as students and a tutor planning a project.
- Part 4: a lecture on an academic topic, with no break in the middle. It is usually the hardest part.
On the computer-delivered test, you get two minutes at the end to check your answers. On paper, you get ten minutes to transfer them to the answer sheet. Band 7 typically needs around 30 correct answers out of 40.
Getting used to British and other accents
Most students in coastal Karnataka grow up hearing Indian English, plus Hindi and Malayalam films and American series online. IELTS Listening uses a range of English accents, and British voices are common.
Our 88 practice sets are recorded with British voices. To get used to the rhythm:
- Listen to British radio, podcasts or news for 15 minutes a day, even while doing other things.
- Notice weak forms: "to", "for" and "and" often shrink to small sounds in natural speech.
- Notice linking: "turn it off" can sound like "tur-ni-toff".
If you are heading for Australia, New Zealand or Canada, add some listening from those countries too. The test can include a variety of accents.
Spelling and numbers: where easy marks disappear
You must spell answers correctly, and you must follow the word limit. Common errors:
- Doubled letters: "accommodation", "committee", "address", "necessary".
- Silent letters: "Wednesday", "February", "environment".
- British spellings: "centre", "colour", "programme" are safest, as the test follows British usage.
- Plurals: if the speaker says "bags", "bag" is wrong.
- Numbers and dates: listen for "fifteen" versus "fifty" (the stress is different), and for phone numbers read in pairs or with "double".
- Spelt names: in Part 1 a speaker often spells a surname or street name letter by letter. Practise the alphabet in English, especially A, E, I, G and J, which are easy to confuse.
Map and plan questions
Map questions worry many students, but they follow a pattern.
- In the preparation time, find where you are starting ("You are here" or the entrance).
- Note compass directions and key landmarks on the map.
- Listen for direction language: "opposite", "next to", "at the far end", "on your left as you enter", "beyond", "just past".
- Follow the speaker's route with your finger or cursor.
If you can describe the route from Hampankatta to Kadri Park, or from the Mangalore bus stand to your college, in English, you are already practising the language these questions use. Try it once a day: say each turn aloud, with landmarks, as if guiding a visitor who has just arrived.
Answers follow the question order
In almost all IELTS Listening tasks, the answers come in the same order as the questions. Use that.
- If you miss question 14, do not freeze. Move on to 15 and listen for it.
- Read ahead during pauses so you know what to listen for next.
- Look for distractors: speakers often give one answer and then correct it ("It's on Tuesday... no, sorry, Thursday").
Our practice sets follow the same order as the real test, so you build the habit naturally.
Practising properly with headphones
Mangaluru homes and hostels are rarely silent. Between traffic, rain, temple or church bells and family conversation, it is easy to miss a word. Use good, comfortable headphones for every practice set. The computer-delivered test usually uses headphones, so practising this way is closer to the real thing.
Practise in full parts or full tests, not only single questions. Concentration over 30 minutes is part of the skill. Once you score 30+ consistently, try the Charged Listening sets: harder recordings and trickier distractors for students aiming at band 7 and above.
Start your IELTS Listening practice
Try the free sample Listening set today and see which part costs you the most marks. Use the Band Score Calculator to see how your Listening result affects your overall band. For every set, mock and Charged set, register for Full Access at ₹999 for 2 months.