The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the English language test approved by governments, employers and educational institutions across the globe. It assesses the writing, speaking, listening and reading of the applicants. IELTS Listening is an integral part of the test. In this article, we have mentioned some of the most frequently used IELTS Listening topics.
People who plan to migrate or go for higher studies to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or other English speaking countries are required to attend the test.
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What is IELTS Listening?
The IELTS Listening test is conducted to assess a wide range of listen skills. It assesses the person’s core listening ability to follow conversations, to understand the ideas and information, recognize the opinions of the speaker and draw accurate conclusions.
The duration of IELTS Listening test is 30 minutes and you are allowed an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers from your question booklet to your answer sheet. There will be 40 questions and each correct answer receives one mark. There are no negative markings.
The questions will be of any the following type:
- Multiple choice questions
- Matching numbered lists
- Map and diagram labelling
- Sentence completion
- Short answer questions
- Classification
The format of the test is as follows:
You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.
- Recording 1: a conversation between two people about everyday situation.
- Recording 2: a monologue set in an everyday social context.
- Recording 3: a conversation between up to four people on educational or training context.
- Recording 4: a monologue on an academic subject.
Top Topics for IELTS Listening
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. Some of the common topics are:
- Social issues
- Sports
- Education
- Giving directions
- Environment
- Youth issues
- International events
- Media
- Food
- Advertising
- Leisure activities
- Money
- Recycling
- Commodities
Tips for IELTS Listening
During the IELTS listening test, you will be exposed to four different recordings. These can range from conversations to monologues. The recordings will be in different accents including American, British and even Australian. Moreover, the recording will be played only once. So you should be able to grasp the accent and understand the information quickly.
- To prepare for the listening test, you need to prepare by listening to English conversations. You can find conversation from a variety of sources including news channels, podcasts, radio stations, movies etc.
- Listening to different news channels helps you get exposed to various accents. Some of the popular ones are CNN (American), BBC (British), ABC News (Australian) and TVNZ1 (New Zealand).
- English speakers use a lot of phrases, idioms and words that you may not be aware of. You have to increase your vocabulary by exposing yourself to a variety of programs and documentaries.
- You will be able to listen to the recording only once. While listening, you should be able to comprehend the information, opinion and facts shared in the audio. In order to do that, you should be able to understand the conversation and focus on key facts. An effective way to achieve this is to practice extensively with sample tests.
- Listen to the audio carefully and pay attention to key details, such as dates, times, and names.
- During the test, you will have to listen to the recording, read the question and write the answer simultaneously. This requires a lot of practice and hence you should do a lot of listening practice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can you listen in IELTS?
You can listen to the recordings only once.
How much time is given for IELTS listening?
The duration of IELTS Listening test is 30 minutes and you are allowed an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers from your question booklet to your answer sheet.
What are the objectives of IELTS Listening?
IELTS Listening assesses the person’s core listening ability to follow conversations, to understand the ideas and information, recognize the opinions of the speaker and draw accurate conclusions.
