IELTS Listening test – Format, practice test and tips

The IELTS Listening test is the most important section of the exam, designed to assess your ability to understand spoken English in a variety of contexts. We will cover the format of the IELTS Listening test, share effective tips to boost your score and provide IELTS Listening practice tests to help you prepare with confidence.

What is the IELTS Listening test format?

You will have to listen to four recordings (conversations and monologues) and then answer the questions asked. The recordings are of native English speakers and a variety of accents are used. Remember, you can hear each recording only once.

• Recording 1: You will listen to a dialogue placed in daily life and context.

• Recording 2: You will listen to a monologue about everyday life or social context. For instance, a talk on the condition of streets in an area.

• Recording 3: You will listen to a conversation between more than two people placed in a training or educational context. For instance, a teacher discusses an assignment with students.

• Recording 4: You will listen to a monologue on any academic subject. For instance, a college lecture.

IELTS Listening practice test pdf

Access our IELTS Listening practice tests with audio and answers to score your desired band score:

• IELTS Listening practice test 1

Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 2

Note completion: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 3

Plan, Map, Diagram labelling: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 4

Multiple choice (more than one answer): Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 5

Multiple choice (one answer): Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 6

Short answers: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 7

Table completion: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 8

Sentence completion: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 9

Flow chart completion: Play Audio | Download answer key

• IELTS Listening practice test 10

Familiarisation test: Play Audio | Download answer key

Note: The Listening and Speaking tests are the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training.

IELTS Listening tips

Here are some effective IELTS Listening tips to help you succeed:

• Understand the format: Familiarise yourself with the different types of questions in the IELTS Listening test, such as multiple-choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form completion, and short-answer questions.

• Practice active listening: Focus on understanding the gist and key details of audio recordings. Actively engage with English audio through podcasts, news, and conversations to improve comprehension.

• Predict the content: Before listening, scan the questions to predict what kind of information will be mentioned, like names, dates, or specific details. This helps you stay alert for answers.

• Improve note-taking: Develop a shorthand system to quickly jot down important details during the audio. Note key names, numbers, and important facts while listening.

• Stay focused: The audio is played only once, so stay focused throughout. If you miss an answer, move on quickly to the next question to avoid falling behind.

• Use the example at the start: Pay attention to the example provided at the beginning of the test to familiarise yourself with the speaker's accent, pace, and style of speech.

• Check spelling & grammar: Always double-check your spelling and grammar when transferring your answers to the answer sheet, especially for word completion questions.

• Watch for paraphrasing: The audio may not use the exact words as the questions. Be ready to hear synonyms or rephrased sentences instead.

• Time management: Make the most of the time given between each section. Use it to read through the next questions and predict answers.

• Practice listening to different accents: IELTS uses various English accents (British, American, Australian, etc.). Get comfortable listening to different English dialects to prepare.