IELTS

LISTENING
A. Topic

Part 3, read a lot

Keep an eye for two questions, current and next

B. Band Score
C. Question Types

1. Form Completion

Form completion should be the easiest questions

- Application form (usually telephone conversation)

- Quotation form

Steps
a. Read the instruction, like how much words needed
b. Look for a title
It will give the context of the questions
c. Predict the answers
o The type of information required
 ▪ Surname, place name. date, phone number, postcode, percentage
o The type of word required
▪ Noun, adjective, verb
Problems
d. Problematic vocabulary
o Time
o Numbers
o Prices ……value -> cost
o Dates
o Letters
o Addresses

e. Synonyms and paraphrasing

Identify key words and phrases in the question that might be paraphrased
f. Watch out for distractors

g. The answer comes in an order

h. Guess if necessary
o Don’t leave a blank space
i. Spelling problems

Mostly Indonesian have trouble because the spelling is different, A = E . E = I, I = AI

Number or dates or year

1. 219-442-9785
2. C-A-W-L-E-Y
3. A-L-E-X-A-N-D-R-I-A
4. W-O-R-T-H-I-N-G-T-O-N
5. P-A-L-L-I-S-A-D-E-S
6. G-R-A-N-T-I-N-G-H-A-M
7. H-A-R-R-I-E-S
8. K-Y-N-C-H-L-E-Y
9. C-A-M-P-B-E-L-L
10. 3303-4286-7734-5768
11. L-A-T-H-R-O-P
12. R-E-I-M-E-R
13. 01674-455-329
14. S-M-Y-T-H-E
15. B-A-R-T-H-O-L-O-M-E-W
16. 202-720-1061
17. W-O-R-M-L-E-Y
18. Q-U-I-G-L-E-Y

If you weren’t hear am or pm, just write the time e.g. 8,30
 j. Address

k. Article

Article isn’t needed

l. Grammatically correct

2. Short Answer
 a. Read the instructions
b. Predict answers
c. Synonym and paraphrasing
d. Watch out for distractors
e. Guess if necessary

3. Fill the blank/Gap Filling (traditional question type)

Strategy:
a. Underline keywords
b. Note before and after blank
c. Write answers immediately
d. Listen for synonyms and re-order

Sentence completion

e. Read the instructions

f. Answer order
g. Predict the answers
h. Underline key words
i. Grammatical accuracy

4. Matching Questions
Usually comes on part 2 or part 4
 Can be confusing
Steps
a. Question Analysis
Understanding relation between question sentence and question options

What does jack tell his tutor about “media studies”?

b. Answer order
Always in order, media studies than woman and power. Follow the questions.

Tips
c. Synonyms and Paraphrasing
 Questions usually not paraphrasing. But the answer (options) are paraphrased.

d. Try to memorize all the options

Concentrate on meaning not keywords

e. Watch out for distractor

 f. Writing the answer

g. Guess if necessary

5. Summary Completion
 f. Read the instructions
g. Look for the title
h. Predict answers
i. Synonym and paraphrasing
j. Watch out for distractors
k. Guess if necessary

6. Notes Completion
It can be in many forms, but always about gap filling

Notes
 a. Read the instruction
b. Look for title
c. Predict the answer

d. Synonym and paraphrasing

e. Answer order
f. Beware of distractions
g. Guess If necessary

7. Flowchart dan diagram completion

a. Underline keywords
b. Goes in ORDER
c. Write answer immediately
d. Listen for synonyms and re-order
Flowchart
a. Read the instructions
b. Read labels and title
c. Predict the answers
d. Synonyms and paraphrasing
e. The introduction
 f. Answer order
g. Watch out for distractors

h. Guess if necessary

8. table Completion

Table

a. Read the instructions

b. Answer order
c. Look at column heading
 d. Predict the answer
e. Synonym and paraphrasing
f. Watch out for disctratir
g. Guess if necessary

2. Maps Labelling. Fill blank (map) -🡪 directional language

a. Note all map areas quickly
b. Note the starting point
c. Note non-answer areas
d. Often return to starting point

Tips

Directional Language:
- Direction
- Location
- Place

Example of map
3. Multiple Choice
a. Traditional
i. Quickly read through questions
1. You should underlining or circling the keywords in the questions. These will
identify when the answer is being said.
ii. Go back to answer choices
Key to doing well is identifying question keywords before looking at answer
choices
iii. Correct answers uses synonyms
The wrong answers will use exact language traps to attract students with limited
English.
iv. When answers stated
The correct answers will be stated either right before or after the keyword
language in the question.

Multiple Choice

b. Pick two
i. Quickly read through questions
 1. You should underlining or circling the keywords in the questions. These will
identify when the answer is being said.
ii. Note potential synonym words
iii. Wrong answers use exact
iv. Answer placement order (you can place the correct answer as AD or DA)

PICK TWO

c. Choose From the Box (Matching)

The answer can be used more than once
i. Quickly read through questions
You should underlining or circling the keywords in the questions. These will identify
when the answer is being said.
ii. Go back to answer choices
iii. Correct answers uses synonyms
iv. Questions go in order
The answer

Listening Tips and Advice

1. Keywords
Keep in mind it can be synonym
2. Spelling
3. Writing answers
If you believe an answer is stated, write it immediately. Don’t wait and then try to go back. If you
get behind it is difficult to catch up
4. Prediction
It s possible to predict the answer is noun or verb
Before Audio
a. Read instructions
This seems obvious, but numerous students get 5-6 wrong simply from not following directions.
b. Note Subject Matter
Having an idea of the subject matter can clue you into what type of answers you need to listen for.
c. Read for keywords
Identifying the keywords helps you know when the answer is said or listening for the connected
synonym.
d. Think about synonyms
 For fill blank questions, when you are identifying keywords before/after blank line, think about
synonym.
e. Know from the answers
You should know in advance if you are listening for a name, address, number, noun or verb.
f. Get through questions
For the time given, you must be analyze the questions

Listening: During Audio

1. Signposting
Listen for signposting, shifting one conversation to another. One question to another question.
2. Paraphrasing
3. Continuosly listen
While you are writtng an answer you cannot turn off your ears
4. Getting Stuck
Do not get stuck trying to figure an answer because you will miss the information for the next
question
5. Understanding
Listen not trying to understanding subject matter
After Audio
1. Transfer answers
2. Check spelling (Perfection)
3. Guess answer if you do not know the answer

Standard Traps
1. Sentence re-ordering
They re-order the answer (word order)
2. Synonym language
3. Exact language trap
4. Delayed response
They keep talking about something to delay. Talking about the previous question
5. Multiple options
For number, they likely to say different number
6. Self correcting

Section One
Conversation.
Example of types:
Asked or phoned someone about something.
- Filling the form (Spelling, number, fill the blank)
- Asking information (fill the blank)
- Multiple choice traditional

Strategy:
1. Time management
Read questions earlier
 After you answer the last question, stop listening and move to the next question. There are times
when the instructor recommend you to check the answer and to read next questions.
2. Learn format the test format and instructions in advance
Practice a lot before taking test
3. Highlight keywords
Select the word, click right mouse and select highlight. But it’s a lot a time. Find and Memorize
highlight.
4. After recording
- Check spelling
- Review if there is blank answer