IELTS Listening Practice: Tips and Tricks to Get the Best Band Score in the IELTS Exam

The IELTS Listening Examination is divided into four sections. The applicant must listen to various audio and answer questions depending on it appropriately. Which include blanks, one term, and questions based on the corresponding thing. The IELTS listening band score can be increased to a significant degree based on daily listening and sample-based activities.

The trick to enhancing IELTS listening scores is to locate and consistently try listening practice tests on various websites. Many websites offer practice assessments to boost the IELTS listening performance. It is also necessary to incorporate grammar and vocabulary with practice so that no stone is left unturned in the planning process.

You will get the opportunity to secure a high rank in the exam through this article. This blog will play a crucial role in enhancing your listening skills for IELTS with its tips and strategies. So, let’s begin without delay to perform better in the exam.

Also Read: IELTS Listening Practice Test 2021 with Answers: Here’s the Exam Pattern, Question Types & More

6 Common IELTS Listening Practice Questions

Well, if you are thinking about the listening practice questions, you will get all the information here. The listening section is extremely important in the exam. You must be aware of all the types and patterns of questions. This will help you to gain maximum scores.

Generally, there are 6 types of questions in this segment. All the question types are written below for your benefit.

#. Multiple choices

#. Sentence completion

#. Plan, map, diagram labelling

#. Matching

#  Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary completion

#. Short answer question

There are different requirements and notes for each type of question, so you need to brush up on all 6 types, avoiding focusing only on 1 type. If you’re doing that, you have made a very foolish decision.

As a result, all kinds of questions share the same possibility of being tested. The IELTS listening test is divided into four parts, and the difficulty level increases after each segment.

From the ones available, you should choose the best-fit response or identify the answer right away. Ensure that the word you’ve heard to fill in is used, not the words that come out of your head. One other thing to keep in mind is that because the number of words or figures you are permitted to use will differ, you should always realize to follow the manual very carefully.

IELTS Listening Score

You will respond to 40 questions in the listening task that apply to audio clips that will be played to you. Your responses are either right or wrong, but the grading is a bit different from the assessments for speaking and writing. For each right answer, you will obtain one mark, with the total number of marks deciding your band rating.

The scores are what we are working for. Therefore, the scores need to be perfect to secure a position on the page of your destination.

The table below displays the average number of marks needed to obtain a specific band score in the Listening Task. Let’s gain the information about the same.

Band score	Score out of 40
5	16
6	23
7	30
8	35

 

Also Read: IELTS Book 2021: Top Book Picks for IELTS Listening, Speaking, Writing & Reading Sections

IELTS Listening Structure

The IELTS listening test is conducted in 4 different sections. To let you know, each section comes with 10 questions so 40 questions in total. Therefore, you are required to have good scores in each section to be ranked higher.

Moreover, you will have about 30 minutes to complete before sections. In addition to the above-mentioned aspects, all the candidates have about 10 extra minutes to transfer their answers from your question sheet to your answer sheet.

If you are giving a computer-based test, this time is not required because you need not transfer your answers. Therefore, you must be aware of the correct procedure followed in this section to perform greatly. If talking about each section, the listening test has 4 recordings that the aspirants must listen to.

You must answer 10 questions for each recording. The first two recordings deal with everyday situations and the last two recordings deal with training-related and education-based material.

Let’s Know IELTS Listening Test Format

If you are reading this article, believe me, you are on the right platform to reach your destination. You will know every detail about the listening test in this article. It is needed to know all the spheres before giving the exam because if you are not aware of any point, you can get into trouble during the exam. So, let’s gain information about the different recording formats of this test.

#1. In the first recording, the candidates will listen to a whole conversation between two speakers. You will be required to hear it properly to note down the factors. The conversation can be between travel arrangements, opening a bank account, or inquiring about a training course. This is done to check your English proficiency.

#2. In the second recording, the candidates will listen to a monologue or just one person speaking. It’s not a complete conversation, rather a single person’s words. For example, it can include a speech about community activities, something such as a guided museum tour, someone giving information on, or information about a conference.

#3. The final recordings deal with education or training-related situations. In the 3rd recording, you will hear a conversation between two main speakers.  For example, 2 university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a mentor.

#4. The fourth and final recording is a monologue on an academic subject and is usually a university-style lecture. This could be related to any academic topic where you need to be perfect.

IELTS Listening Test

Are you in search of any information related to the IELTS listening? Let’s get it here. The listening section can be difficult for you because of its nature. The reason is that you can listen to the recordings only once.

It means that if you want to do well in the listening task, you need to be well prepared beforehand with ease with the language. If you are not prepared well or if you are not comfortable with the language, there’s no chance of excelling in the section or the exam.

To be well-prepared you need to be very familiar with the listening tasks. To be honest, no specialist subject knowledge is necessary to ace the section. All the answers you need will be provided in the recordings.

So, you have to listen to the recordings carefully to fetch correct answers and, hence, high scores.

Also Read: How to Master IELTS Listening? A Guide to Improve Your Listening Skills

IELTS Listening Test Tips for Band 9

Everyone agrees that scores are the most significant for the examination. Every candidate works for higher scores to achieve a higher position. If you dream of a band score of 9, you must prepare positively for it. A band score of 9 in the IELTS listening task is tough but is not impossible. With the right amount of dedication and persistence, you can easily crack the IELTS listening test. Follow these IELTS listening tips and tricks to achieve a good band score.

Well, you can get this score only by a high level of preparation which can be done through the following points. Let’s read all of the essential points to reach the destination. The IELTS exam will let you reach a country and university of your choice to study and to make your future bright. Keep going through this article.

Practise Daily

Perhaps the easiest way to practice IELTS listening tasks is to learn to know the normal and fluent use of the English language. Listening carefully to podcasts, Talk Shows, Youtube clips, and sample activities online helps a lot to develop a deeper understanding of listening tasks.

They also help you to quickly distinguish words with different accents. Practice will enable you to be perfect. If you have practised the questions beforehand, you will get experienced at solving them. Therefore, practice as much as you can. It will make your English fluent and perfect.

Make it a Habit

The more enjoyment you had playing it, the higher the odds of it being excelling. If you make listening to a habit, you will undoubtedly gain a high score. This makes you proficient at communication too.

A habit of listening to music while doing everyday activities while travelling or during idle time helps a person embrace the experience and develop a stronger interest in it. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking of getting admission to the best colleges and universities in the world, you need to focus on this exam and each of its sections.

Let’s make speaking and listening to English a habit to ace not only the examination but our future. You must be comfortable with the English language to sustain yourself in an English-speaking country. If English becomes a habit of yours, it will not be peculiar anymore to listen to something and answer it precisely.

Form a Strategy

The strategy makes you composed. If you have had a proper strategy from the beginning, you can answer well in the exam. The exam consists of a varying variety of questions, but they are essentially together with a common structure.

Preparing a technique is necessary because repetitive practice does not increase your IELTS listening score. The ranking is increased by resulting in listening vocabulary, accenting awareness, pronunciation, and constructive engagement.

Also Read: IELTS Listening Practice Test: Improve Your IELTS Listening Band Score

Working on Errors

After transferring your answers on the sheet, you must look at your errors to resolve them positively before submitting them. You must constantly analyze and check your mistakes.

It provides the upper hand when planning for examinations. It is important to concentrate more on them than on the strengths so that the learning experience is improved. There are a variety of ways to do this, such as noting terms that are often incorrectly labelled, misinterpreted, or misspelt. They’re sure to help raise the band score.

Don’t Lose Focus

Focus is significant in the exam. Only once you will get to hear the audio. The correct hearing will help you to give proper answers. So if you haven’t heard a few words and have gone through a few questions, don’t worry! Consider leaving them blank and concentrate on the current section.

Only at the end of the section, review those questions, or else you will only start missing more questions. Understand, at the same time, you’ll need to read, write and listen, so priority is the main factor.

Transfer Answers Carefully

This is a crucial step because you can regret it later if you have not transferred the answers precisely and perfectly. You will have 10 minutes to transfer your responses into the reply sheet at the later part of the listening test.

You must use your time properly to shift your answers on the sheet. You must know that you will be given scores for the answer written on the answer sheet. The students get bewildered about the numeration very often.

Make sure they fit into the correct numbered space as you write down your answers. In other words, ensure that question 7 is answered in space number 7.

Don’t Leave Your Answer Sheet Blank

It is highly advised to you that you must not leave your answer sheet blank. You’re not going to lose marks for wrong answers, so it’s better to write something else in the answer box even if you don’t know the answer.

You must listen to the recording and the more you can fetch from it must be written in the sheet. Once more, read the issue and take a chance! If the answer sheet is blank, there’s no chance to get any marks for it. So, it’s better to write something about it.

Also Read: How to do MCQ in IELTS Listening? 3 Powerful Strategies to Crack Multiple Choice Questions

Read the Instructions Carefully

You must be extremely careful while reading the instructions. You can go tremendously wrong if you don’t go through the instructions. Also, have a look at the grammar and other things at the end. This will improve your mistakes in the copy that you have prepared.

You must be gentle during transferring the answers to not leave a single way of misunderstanding. For every aspect of the exam, the most valuable tip is to always read the directions carefully. How many words to use, you will be told. It would be false if it asks for only more than two terms and you use three, and you just have to add in the words you asked for.

The recordings must be heard diligently to answer the questions. If your answer is correct, then only you will get high scores. Therefore, let’s emphasize every aspect of the questions by reading the instructions carefully.

Look at Your Handwriting!

We all know that the answers are significant to fetch high marks in the examination but handwriting also plays a vital role to make an impression. You should focus on your handwriting too along with your proficiency and knowledge.

Don’t write something that is not understood by the examiners because it will degrade your chances of securing high scores. If your handwriting is not good to read, you should use capitalization.

You can capitalize your words that are important to be read by the test-takers. It will make your major answers readable to them and you will flourish.

Exam Day Quick Tips

#. Good practice does not necessarily ensure a perfect result. On the day of the test, you must also obey certain rules, so that you are properly comfortable, settled, and ready to pass the exam. On the day of the test, here are some items you can remember:

#. Come prepared at the exam hall and schedule the outing in advance. You have to be settled, prepared, ready for what is to come.

#. Learn and listen very attentively to the directions. By misinterpreting or not following basic directions, often students throw away easy points.

#. On the test paper, write your answers.

Move your answers carefully to the test paper at the top.

#. If you want, you can write in all capital letters.

#. Complain at the end if you have trouble hearing the video.

#. You would be fined for writing more than the number of words specified, and this word cap should also be closely reviewed for each assignment.

Also Read: Previous Year IELTS Speaking Part 2 Questions: Cue Card Topic Advertisement with Answer

Conclusion

There, we hope that all the information is gathered by you from this article to increase your performance in the exam. This blog includes detailed tips about how to develop IELTS listening skills, how the test is performed, and the value of IELTS listening practice. All of these variables need to be well understood when training for the exam.

To acquire a high IELTS listening score, you have to go beyond basic preparation when you’re planning for IELTS. Deep analysis, strategy growth, and a thorough review are not only limited to back rooms.

We hope that these tips and tricks will help to get a good band score in the IELTS listening task. For more informative posts, keep your eyes here and also let us know your feedback by commenting in the below box.

For further inquiries, you can comment below or visit the IELTS Ninja website. It will increase your knowledge and skills for the exam. The experts will give you the best direction and push you towards excellence.