Listening Overview

The IELTS listening test is the same for both those taking the Academic and General
Training papers.
It consists of 40 questions (10 per section) and lasts around 30 minutes. You will have 10
minutes at the end to transfer your answers from the question paper to the answer sheet.
The listening test consists of four separate sections, each more difficult than the last. In other
words part one is the easiest and part four is the most difficult. Each part has a different
theme or focus.

In section 1 you will hear a conversation between two people and it is almost always
someone making an appointment or making a booking of some kind (e.g. making a
hotel reservation or hiring a car). The questions are normally gap-fill questions in
which you have to listen to the information and complete a form or sentence.
In section 2 you will hear someone talking by themselves about a non-academic
subject (e.g. TV or radio presenter).
Section 3 switches to an academic context and it will always be more than one person
discussing something (e.g. an academic paper or assignment).
Section 4 is normally an academic lecture and you will hear one person (normally the
lecturer or professor) talking for an extended period of time.

You will be given a short amount of time (approximately 30 seconds) between each section
and you should use this time to look at the questions coming up.

You will hear the recordings only once.

There are several different types of question and each requires a different strategy so you
should familarise yourself with all of them. They include:

Form/note/table completion
Labeling a diagram or map
Sentence Completion
Short Answers
Selection
Multiple Choice
Matching

IELTS Reading Question Types

There are several different types of questions on the IELTS reading test and each one has its
own problems and strategy. Click on any of the links below for a full step-by-step guide.

Short Answer Questions

Multiple Choice

Summary Completion

Matching Sentence Endings

Sentence Completion

True, False, Not Given

Matching Headings Tips and Strategy

Labeling a Diagram

Matching Names

Matching Information to Paragraphs

IELTS Writing Task 2: 5 Step Approach

IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write an academic style essay on a common topic. You
have 40 minutes to write at least 250 words.

Task 2 can be broken down and thought about more easily in 5 steps:
1. Question Analysis

You must first understand the question to know exactly what the examiner is looking for. One
of the biggest mistakes students make is not answering the question properly. If you do not
answer the question fully, you cant score higher than a Band 5.
In order to do this you must first identify the question type, then identify the keywords in the
question and finally identify the instructions words in order to find out what the examiner
wants you to do with the question. We will look at these skills in more detail below.

2. Planning

The students who get the highest marks plan before they write and they often plan for up to
10 minutes. Planning helps you organise your ideas and structure before you write, saving
you time and helping you write a clear essay.
3. Introduction

The introduction should tell the examiner what the rest of the essay is about and also answer
the question directly. This tells the examiner that you know what you are doing straight away
and helps you write your main body paragraphs.

4. Main Body Paragraphs

This is where you give the examiner more detail. You do this by stating your main points and
supporting these with explanations and relevant examples.
5. Conclusion

Here you provide a summary of what you have already said in the rest of the essay.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Structures
Knowing how to structure your IELTS Writing Task 2 essay is an essential skill that can
make the difference between the getting and not getting the band score you deserve.
Nearly all of my Task 2 essay follow this basic structure:

The sentences you put in each paragraph will depend on what type of question you get.

The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions are:

1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree)
Agree or Disagree Sample Essay

It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the number of health
risks associated with consuming this kind of food is on the rise. This essay agrees that a
higher rate of tax should be paid by fast food companies. Firstly, this essay will discuss the
fact that alcohol and tobacco companies already pay higher taxes and secondly, discuss how
higher taxes would raise prices and lower consumption.

Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be successful at curbing the harm
caused by these substances. This revenue has been used to treat health problems associated
with these products and has proven useful in advertising campaigns warning people about the
dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could be used in the same way. The
United Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung cancer
and heart disease.

Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies would pass
on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices and this would lead to people not
being able to afford junk food because it is too expensive. Junk food would soon become a
luxury item and it would only be consumed occasionally, which would be less harmful to the
general publics health. For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively
expensive for most people and that is why only a small percentage of the population buy it
regularly.

In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good precedent set by
alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should reduce the amount of fast food
people buy.

290 words (band score 9)

2. Advantages and Disadvantages

Sample Answer
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign
language at primary schools rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

3. Problem and Solution

Problem and Solution Sample Essay

Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century and sea
levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates.

What problems are associated with this and what are some possible solutions.

4. Two-part Question
Example Question

As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is
an important element of individual wellbeing.

What factors contribute to job satisfaction?

How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

Can I get a band 8 or 9 following these structures?

Nobody can give you a structure that guarantees you a high score. You score is dependent on
how good your grammar and vocabulary is and how well you answer the question. A good
structure will help you answer the question to some extent and boost your score for coherence

and cohesion, but you must use relevant ideas and use these ideas well to answer the
question.

IELTS Speaking Tips

These are the speaking tips I share with all of my IELTS classes. You can use these tips for
speaking in both the academic and general IELTS tests.
Examiner-Approved IELTS Speaking Tips:
Speak a Little English Every Day
It is better to practice a little every day than speak your native language all week and then go
to English class once or twice a week. But I have nobody to practice with! I understand that
you might have very few native speakers to practice with in your local area, but the internet is
full of people willing to talk to you.
Dont Be Afraid to Ask the Examiner Questions If You Dont Understand

You cant ask them to explain a whole sentence, but you can ask them to explain what one
particular word means. Just say Im sorry, could explain what X means?
You can also ask them to repeat the question if you didnt quite understand what was said.
Just say Im sorry I didnt quite get that, could you repeat the question please?
Give Full Answers
Yes and No are not satisfactory answers. Remember this is a test and you have to show
the examiner how good your English is. If you give very short answers, there is no way the
examiner can know how good you are.

You should try to extend your answers with explanations and examples.
Lets look at good and bad examples for this question: What are the causes of traffic jams in
your city?
Bad answer: The causes of traffic jams are narrow roads and overpopulation.
This answer is too short and has given the examiner the minimum amount of information
possible.
Good answer: The causes of congestion are narrow roads and overpopulation. This is
because our roads were designed a long time ago when the population of the city was much
lower. For example, the road near my house was built in the 1960s when the population was
about a third what it is today.
Learn What Types of Questions to Expect
Here is a list of the comment question types:

giving examples;
giving opinions;
contrasting view points;
commenting on someone elses opinion;
talking about cause and effect;
talking about hypothetical situations;
talking about the past and future.

Learn How Native English Speakers Talk

English teachers tend to speak to their students in a very unnatural way. They speak very
slowly and emphatically. I discovered this when my students came out for coffee with a few
of the teachers and they couldnt believe how differently we sounded when we talked to each
other outside class. Why dont you teach us that? they all said.
If your teacher speaks to you in a very slow and unnatural way they are not teaching you how
real English speakers actually sound. Go on YouTube and listen to how two native speakers
actually sound. They use pronunciation features such as linking words, sentence stress and
weak sounds. This makes it more difficult to understand, but it is something you will have to
get used to if you want to score high in both the speaking and listening test.

Are You Better at Grammar or Fluency?

Grammar is a set of rules that explains how words are used in a sentence. Fluency refers to
your ability to speak easily and smoothly. These two are linked because students who focus
on getting the grammar correct tend to be not so fluent, because they spend more time
thinking about the rules than actually speaking at a natural speed. At the other end of the
scale are those students who speak very fluently, but make lots of grammar mistakes.
In my experience, most students are either good at one or the other; however, there are
always exceptions.
What you should do is record yourself speaking and then listen back. Did you make lots of
grammar mistakes or did you speak very slowly and unnaturally?
If you made lots of grammar mistakes, focus on fixing these first.
If you are speaking at a slow pace and stopping a lot to think about grammar, try to forget
about the rules of the language and just focus on speaking fluently. You will see a big
improvement, if you practice regularly.
Dont Worry About Past Exam Questions
One of the first questions I get asked by students when I start a new IELTS course is What
are the common questions? or Where can I find past exam questions? The questions on the
IELTS exam paper are very rarely repeated and it is extremely unlikely that you will be asked
the same questions that appeared in past tests. You are therefore wasting your time.
Another point I should make is that the past exam questions are very boring. If this is the only
thing you do to practice, you are likely to get bored very quickly. Instead you should talk
about what you are passionate about. If you love football, talk about that; if you love fashion,
talk about that. Talking about your passion will help you improve because you will actually
enjoy talking about it and we tend to learn more when we having a good time.

Thinking Time is Allowed

Lots of students complain that they cant think of any good ideas in the speaking test. Part 1
of the speaking test is about you, so you shouldnt really need any time to answer questions
about yourself. In part 2 you will be given time to prepare your answer, so again dont worry
too much about this. Part 3 however, is the part students tend to fear the most because the
questions are more challenging and it can take a few moments to think of a good answer.
This is totally natural and it is something you probably do all the time in your own native
language.
The crucial thing is to let the examiner know you need a few moments to think by saying
something like:

Thats a tricky question; let me think for a moment.

Thats an interesting question, let me think about that.
Its very hard to say for sure, but I would guess.,
Its difficult to say, I believe.
I dont really know for sure, but I believe.

The important thing is to only use this technique when you absolutely have to. If you begin
every sentence like this, the examiner will think you have memorized answers and fail you.
Correct Your Mistakes
People make mistakes when they speak all the time, especially when they are nervous in an
exam. The examiner understands this and it is fine to correct any mistakes you make. Some
students dont like to do this because they think it is making it clear to the examiner that you

made a mistake. Dont worry, the examiner always knows when you have made a mistake
and correcting them shows the examiner that you really do know your grammar.
When you make a small mistake, simply say sorry and repeat the sentence correctly.
Never Learn Scripted Answers
If a teacher tells you to memorise answers, that teacher does not know what he or she is
talking about and you should find a new teacher. Also, if you read a text book or website that
advises you to learn some scripted answers, throw that book in the bin and never go back to
that website.

Keep it Simple

The biggest mistake students make is trying to show off how great their grammar and
vocabulary is. By this I mean trying to use advanced words and grammatical structures that
they dont know how to use correctly.
For vocabulary this means including words that might sound very complicated, but using
them inappropriately. If you use a word incorrectly, you will lose marks. Therefore it would
have been better if you used a simple word you understood than the long complicated word.
I tell my students to follow the 100% rule- If you are not 100% sure about a word, dont use
it in the IELTS test. By 100% I mean that you understand the:

meaning
how it can be used correctly in sentence
collocations
synonyms and antonyms.

If you dont know these things, use a simpler word.

The same goes for grammar. It is much better to use simple structures and get the sentence
correct, than trying to use very complicated structures and making mistakes. Even if you
make a small mistake that sentence is counted as not being error-free and this costs you
valuable marks.

Any Answer is Better Than No Answer at All

A student of mine recently got 8 in reading, writing and listening, but only scored 5 in the
speaking test. Why? She didnt answer a number of the questions, because she wasnt sure
about the answers.
I teach mostly students from Asia and many of them tend to not attempt an answer in class,
unless they are sure about the answer. This is natural in a classroom environment, but not
acceptable in the IELTS speaking test. You have to attempt to give an answer. Dont worry if
you have no idea how to answer the question, please just try to give some kind of answer. If
you say nothing, the examiner will be forced to give you a low score for that particular
question.
A bad attempted answer is much better than no answer at all.
Theres Nothing Wrong with Your Accent

Lots of students think that the best way to get high marks in the IELTS speaking test is to
simply adopt a British or American accent. This is a really bad way to think about
pronunciation because good pronunciation is not about what accent you have, but how easy
you are to understand.

English is a truly global language and is spoken in thousands of different accents. In fact, the
accent in the UK changes about every 20 km.
Be proud of where you are from and the accent you have.

Finish Strongly
Speaking in a foreign language can be exhausting. Most students have never had to speak for
longer than a few minutes at a time and by the time they get to part 3 of the test, they are
really tired and this affects their answers.
You should therefore practice talking for extended periods of time. You should be able to
have a normal conversation with another person for at least 30 minutes. Remember that you
will be doing most of the talking in the IELTS speaking test, so 30 minutes of normal
conversation is about the same amount of words spoken as 15 minutes in the test.
You should also make an effort to really extend your answers in part 3. Part 3 is the most
important part and tired students often give very short answers and hope the test will finish
soon. Dont be one of these students.
Control Your Nerves

Nervous students tend to make more mistakes, have poor pronunciation and speak very
quietly.
Get to bed early the night before your test and make sure you have a good meal and drink
plenty of water on the day of the test.
Make sure you get to the exam centre early. If you are late you will be even more nervous.
Understand that the examiner wants you to do well. Believe me it is far easier and a more
pleasurable experience for the examiner to listen to a good student than one that we cant

understand.
Remember to speak clearly. Dont shout at the examiner, but also make sure they can clearly
understand what you are saying.