The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the world’s most widely-accepted English language proficiency tests. Any individual whose first language isn’t English can take this test to study, work or migrate to a country where English is the native language.
What is the IELTS Test Format?
The IELTS exam consists of IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The Reading and Writing sections for both are different, while the Listening and Speaking sections are the same.
What Can You Expect in the Listening Section?
The Listening section of the IELTS exam is around 30 minutes long, where you have to listen to four recordings of a native English speaker. The accents of the recording can cover British, New Zealand, American and Canadian. The recordings cover:
- A casual conversation between two people based on an everyday topic
- A monologue set in an everyday social context
- A conversation between a maximum of four people set in an educational or academic context
- A monologue on an academic subject
There are four parts with ten questions each where you must comprehend the information you’ve heard in the recordings and answer the questions asked.
What are the Challenges Students Face in the Listening Section?
The Listening section of the IELTS poses several challenges for students. Some of the common hurdles students encounter include:
- Lack of information on the test format
- Inability to understand the speaker’s language
- Passive listening without absorbing information
- Easily getting distracted while listening
- Lack of multitasking abilities
- Lack of vocabulary
- Inability to manage time properly
Whenever you struggle to complete a maths assignment, you can always hire assignment writer to help you out. But, unfortunately, you cannot rely on English language experts to improve your listening. So, overcoming these hurdles quickly is crucial to ace your Listening section.
4 Useful Tips to Guarantee a High IELTS Listening Score
Individuals from a non-English speaking country struggle with the listening section of the IELTS exam since they’re not accustomed to spoken English in their everyday lives. Sometimes, native English speakers find this section challenging. Unfortunately, while online mathematics assignment experts can help experts and novices with their mathematical problems, you cannot rely on professionals to improve your listening skills.
So, this blog covers the 4 crucial tips every IELTS aspirant must follow to ace their Listening section.
Become accustomed to spoken English
The IELTS Listening section tests your ability to comprehend spoken English in casual and educational contexts. So, naturally, you need to listen to English more to become accustomed to the language. Since the test covers dialogues, monologues and group conversations, you must select your listening sources accordingly.
Some of the popular sources IELTS aspirants consult to improve their listening skills are:
- Online news channels
Listening to news channels exposes you to reports on various topics. Some popular channels include Fox News, BBC News, CNN News, etc. However, ensure you listen to the news from various English-speaking countries to master the accent. While the IELTS recordings generally use the British accent, it’s best to familiarise yourself with various English accents.
- TED talks
Listening to TED talks can help you practice for the monologue recordings in the IELTS Listening section. The extensive range of topics usually lasts for a few minutes or can go on for more than an hour.
- Podcasts
Podcasts also offer a great variety of topics. The podcasts can be a dialogue, monologue or group conversation, and the duration can range from a few minutes to hours.
- YouTube videos
YouTube videos are another valuable resource for listening to native English speakers. You don’t need to subscribe or register to access the content online. Moreover, the videos range from serious topics to casual entertainment. Therefore, you can encounter all kinds of conversations binging YouTube videos.
- Radios
While many people don’t listen to the radio nowadays, it is still an excellent source for interviews. You can tune into your favourite station and let it play in the background as you go about your daily tasks.
Solve practice tests daily
Familiarising yourself with the Listening section question pattern is crucial to improving your scores in the final exam. One of the most common challenges students face in the exam is to listen to the audio clips and memorise the crucial details to answer the questions accordingly. However, you can strategise accordingly when you’re already familiar with the question types.
It’s best to avoid unofficial practice tests and stick to the official IELTS-approved test. You can also consult the Cambridge English books for IELTS preparation. Ensure that the books contain an audio CD covering the test’s Listening section.
Focus on improving your weak points
Even if you practice daily, you cannot improve your chances of scoring a high grade unless you identify your weak points and focus on improving them. For example, many students find their limited vocabulary affecting their performance, while others might struggle with English grammar. Meanwhile, many students have admitted to losing concentration while listening to audio files. Therefore, you must focus on improving these areas if you wish to boost your Listening scores.
Avoid getting distracted
The IELTS Listening audio files deliberately try to distract examinees from the main point in the discussion. For example, the speaker in the audio file might begin the conversation on a particular issue and then diverge to another topic for a few seconds. In such moments, you should focus on the minute details and comprehend the overall context of the topic to eliminate unnecessary information.
It’s natural to feel intimidated at the prospect of listening to a native English speaker speak on an unknown topic. However, as long as you follow these simple tips, you’re sure to master the Listening section of the IELTS. Furthermore, if you’re not confident in your abilities alone, you can always enrol for an IELTS training course.
Summing it up,
The IELTS Listening section accounts for one-fourth of the scores on the overall examination and tests a candidate’s ability to comprehend spoken English in educational and casual contexts. Since you require a high IELTS to study in your dream university, secure a work opportunity or migrate to an English-speaking country, this blog covers four vital tips to boost your Listening section scores.
