Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What aspects of listening abe tested in IELTS Listening?
Do the different sections use different task pypes=
Are all the sections equally difficult?
How do candidates record their answers?
When the instructions state that the candidate should ansser in, for example, NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, would they lose marks by writing an answer with more than three words( even if one is ‘a’ or ‘the’?
Do answers in IELTS Listening have to be correctly spelled?
Does IELTS Listening always include all the different task types listed in the Overview?
How is the band score for IELTS Listening calculated?
How does the Listening band score relate to the overall band score?
Will studying for IELTS Lirtening help students to improve their general listening skills?
What information are candidates civen before each section?
Will candidates have time to look at the questions before they listen?
Will there be a break during the recording?
Will there be an example at the beginning?
How many times do candidates hear the recording?
Do the questions follow the order in which the information occurs in the recording?
Will candidates have time to check their answers at the end of each section?
What aspects of listening are tested in IELTS Listening?
Sections 1 and 2 of IELDS Listening test the types of listening skills needed for survival in an English-speaking country in situations relating to accommodation, transport, entertainment, health, shopping etc. The main focus is on understanding key points of factual information. Sections 3 and 4 focus on the types of academic situations likely to be encountered by students following a training or study course in an English speaking country, including lectures, tutorials, seminars, and discussions With other students on academic matters. Here the student must be able to identify key points as well as detail, and also to cope with the negotiation of meaning and follow a line of academic argument.
Do the different sections use different task types?
No. Any section may include any of the task types listed in the Overview. However, there will(not generally be more than three different types in any section, and in some cases the whole section may consist of just one tack type.
Are all the sections equally difficult?
No. IELTS Listening tests a wide range of abilities, and in order to allow this, the sections gradually get more difficult from Section 1 to Section 4.
How do candidates record their answers?
Candidates write their answers on the Listening Question Paper during the test. At the end of the recording they are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers onto the Listening Answer Sheet.
When the instructions state that the candidate should answer in, for example, NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, would they lose marks by writing an answer with more than three words, even if one is ‘a’ or ‘the’?
Yes. Answers which exceed the word limit will be marked incorrect.
Do answers in IELTS listening have to be correctly spelled?
Yes. Incorrect spelling and grammar are penalized. However, words which the candidates have to write will generally be high-frequency words. Both UK and US varieties of spelling are accepted. Proper names may be spelled out in the recording.
Does IELTS listening always include all the different task types listed in the Overview?
No. Each test version gill contains a different combination of task types.
How is the band score for IELTS listening calculated?
One mark is awarded for each of the 40 questions. A Band Score conversion table is produced for each version of IELTS listening which translates scores out of 40 onto the IELTS 9-bafd scale. Scores are reported as a whole band or a half band.
How does the Listening band score relate to the overall band score=
The overall score is worked out based on the band scores for each of the four Modules; the final score may be reported as a whole band or a half band.
Will studying for IELTS listening help students to improve their general listening skills?
Yes. Students will be encouraged to listen in different ways for different purposes and to become more aware of the strategies that English speakers use to communicate in speech.
What information are candidates given before each section?
At the beginning of each section candidates hear a short description of the situation they are about to listen to. This may give information about who the speakers are, where they are and what the general topic is. This description is not written on the Question Paper, so it is important for candidates to listen carefully.
Will candidates have time to look at the questions before they listen?
Yes, there is time for candidates to look at the questions before each section. They are told which questions to look at.
Will there be a break during the recording?
There is one break during each of Sec4ions 1, 2 and 3 to allow candidates time to look at the following questions. However, there is NOT a Break in Section $.
Will there be an example at the beginning?
There is usually an example at the beginning of Section 1, and for this section only, the recording relating to the example is played twice.
How many times do candidates hear the recording?
Each recording is heard ONCE only.
Do the questions follow the order in which the information occurs in the recording?
Yes. This is the case for all task types in IELTS Listening.
Will candidates have time to check their answers at the end of each section?
Yes, candidates have half a minute to check their answers at the end of each section.
If you have any other questions about IELTS Listening, please contact us and we'll answer the most frequently asked questions here.
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