IELTS Listening Tips For Test Preparation And Practice
IELTS listening module is moderately easier than other three module of IELTS. So its important to score well in Listening part. Here is few IELTS Listening Tips which is very useful for boosting your IELTS Score.
IELTS Listening Tips
There are nine types of questions
- Notes: generally comes in section 1. Be careful of traps like misinformation and additional information. Carefully read the question to find out what is already there and what is missing info. Also don’t forget to read the instruction; it may not be same always.
- Sentence: mark the word before and after the blank, it should help you to get the answer. In section or four, the transition between questions should be maintained by linkers, watch out for them. Carefully read the question to find out what is already there and what is missing info.
- Diagram: read the instruction. Look at the picture to find out about the things already in the diagram and what’s missing. Marking the words before and after the blank should be helpful.
- Table: find out what is given in row and column first. Read the instruction. Remember after one row they will move to the next. Look carefully the column info to find out about the pattern of info.
- Flow chart: read the instruction. Follow the flow information because without understanding the flow, it would be hard to understand the overall contents.
- Map labeling: first find out if there is local direction, eg: north south east west. Then mark the local landmarks. Find out if there is a beginning point.
- M.C.Qs: no doubt these are the hardest questions to face, particularly those in the third and fourth section. One good idea is to take notes while listening and match them after the section ending. Don’t write everything that comes along, pay attention to verbs and nouns only. However, this approach may not be favourable to everyone, so they should follow the basic approach listen, read and then decide the answers.
- Factor identification: there are two types. There are smaller questions in section one and two while the ones in section three/ four are with larger sentences. For those in section one/ two you don’t need to take notes, just be careful of traps set by the speaker. For those in section three/ four, notes are really needed as the speakers provide too much information and successfully confuse the listener.
- Summary completion: follow the direction for notes and sentence completion.
- Matching: for matching with long answer options, try to write down the questions in short hand by the options. It will reduce your effort as you don’t have to run top and bottom while listening. Try this trick several times to be in firm control.
- Short answer questions: this type is generally given in section one/ two. Read the direction carefully. Find out what is there and what is missing. Expect some confusing statement from the speakers.
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IELTS Listening Tips: General Guidelines
- The answers are often stressed and repeated.
- Know when to move to the next question. Linkers can help as little pauses in the speaking do. Also, sometimes speakers finish one part and ask questions to begin the next part. This means they are ready to go into next questions.
- Often the speaker will give you one answer and then correct himself- watch out for this trick.
- Try and anticipate what the speaker will say. This requires attention – easy in your language but difficult in English.
- Use short hand for speedy writing. Write in your language if you have forgotten the spelling while listening. Remember you need to get answers first then you will be able to write them in answer sheet.
- Making mistakes in section one and two is a luxury that you can’t afford.
- Be careful of writing wrong spelling, incomplete answers and plural answers. If you are confused whether the answer is singular or plural, write the plural answer but make sure the answer can be plural because some words are always singular, you can’t make them plural.
- Don’t leave blanks, there is no minus marking.
Apply these IELTS Listening Tips and General Guidelines. I am sure this tips and tricks will help you to score well in IELTS Test. Thee are Few IELTS Materials and IELTS Practice Test which may help you to prepare for your Test. Enjoy IELTS Preparation and Free Practice Tests.