The IELTS Listening Test – Details
Here is an introduction to IELTS
Listening Test. We aim to share some requirements for this listening test to
help you learn what to expect. In the beginning of this part of
the test, you'll hear a conversation about everyday life and social needs or things
you need to do when you live or study in an English-speaking country. It is a talk
between two people who give and receive information and the aim is to test your
ability to listen for specific information such as phone numbers, places, and
dates. This first moment you'll have to listen and answer ten questions that are
not repeated, it means you only listen once!
The final two sections deal with situations set in educational and training contexts. In Section 3, there is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, two university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor), and in Section 4, there is a monologue on an academic subject. The recordings are heard only once. They include a range of accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian. Timing - Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer time). Number of questions – 40.
Let's take a close look at what is expected in section 3. There is a conversation between 2 to 3 speakers. It's a conversation in an academic or educational situation (tutorials or seminars) and the number of questions is the same as sections 1 and 2, but it is more difficult. You need to have the ability to follow a discussion and understand facts, reasons, and ideas, opinions and attitudes of speakers, as well as the agreement between speakers. The most important part you must understand in section 3 are speakers and their attitude or opinion. Do your very best to recognize the speakers voices and their attitude or opinion about any topic discussion. We recommend listening to discussions as much as you can because getting a lot of practice is the best way to prepare for this type of listening task.
In Section 4, test takers hear an academic talk which is given by one person whose language can be quite formal. It assesses your ability to understand the information the speaker provides. It is a good idea to learn about special language named signpost language that is used and can have many different functions. It also helps understanding by setting a context for the talk, so the audience may start predicting some of the vocabulary and content that they might hear. For example, a signpost language is, "now let’s turn to the question of... It is one of the many ways in which a speaker can signal that they are moving on to a new point or topic. If you can understand a wide variety of signpost language you will be able to follow the speaker and be able to predict what is coming next, which makes understanding a lot easier in the IELTS Listening Test.
How about the Task types? A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion, sentence completion. How do you Answer? Test takers write their answers on the question paper as they listen and at the end of the test are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an answer sheet. Care should be taken when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised. Marks Each question is worth 1 mark.
The Task type 1 – Multiple choice tasks – There is a question followed by three possible answers, or the beginning of a sentence followed by three possible ways to complete the sentence. Test takers are required to choose the one correct answer - A, B or C. Sometimes, test takers are given a longer list of possible answers and told that they have to choose more than one. In this case, they should read the question carefully to check how many answers are required. Multiple choice questions are used to test a wide range of skills. You may be required to have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the listening text.
The Task type 2 – Matching – Test takers are required to match a numbered list of items from the listening text to a set of options on the question paper. The set of options may be criteria of some kind. Matching assesses the skill of listening for detail and whether a test taker can understand information given in a conversation on an everyday topic, such as the different types of hotel or guest house accommodation. It also assesses the ability to follow a conversation between two people. It may also be used to assess test takers’ ability to recognise relationships and connections between facts in the listening text.
Task type 3 – You are required to complete labels on a plan (e.g. of a building), map (e.g. of part of a town) or diagram (e.g. of a piece of equipment). The answers are usually selected from a list on the question paper. This type of task assesses the ability to understand, for example, a description of a place, and to relate this to a visual representation. This may include being able to follow language expressing spatial relationships and directions (e.g. straight on/through the far door).
Task type 4 – Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary completion. You need to fill in the gaps in an outline of part or of all of the listening text. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the text. It may be: 1. a form: often used to record factual details such as names. 2. a set of notes: used to summarise any type of information using the layout to show how different items relate to one another. And 3. a table: used as a way of summarising information which relates to clear categories – e.g. place/time/price. 4. a flow-chart: used to summarise a process which has clear stages, with the direction of the process shown by arrows.
Test takers may have to select their answers from a list on the question paper or identify the missing words from the recording, keeping to the word limit stated in the instructions. They do not have to change the words from the recording in any way. You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers they should use to fill the gaps will vary. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You are penalised for writing more than the stated number of words, and you should check this word limit carefully for each task. Contracted words will not be tested. Hyphenated words count as single words. This focuses on the main points which a listener would naturally record in this type of situation.
Task type 5 – Sentence completion – You are required to read a set of sentences summarising key information from all the listening text or from one part of it. They then fill a gap in each sentence using information from the listening text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER’. Sentence completion focuses on the ability to identify the key information in a listening text. You have to understand functional relationships such as cause and effect.
Task type 6 – Short-answer questions – You are required to read a question and then write a short answer using information from the listening text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. Sometimes you are given a question which asks to list two or three points. Sentence completion focuses on the ability to listen for concrete facts, such as places, prices or times, within the listening text.
In short, the Listening test
is marked by certificated markers, who are regularly monitored to ensure their
reliability. All answer sheets, after being marked, are further analysed by
Cambridge Assessment English. A Band Score conversion table is produced for
each version of the Listening test which translates scores out of 40 into the
IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole bands and half bands. One mark
is awarded for each correct answer in the 40-item test. Care should be taken
when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are
penalised.
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