Ready to learn tips and strategies for scoring high in your IELTS Listening test? Well, if you wish to go abroad and study, attempting the IELTS exam is what you should go for. This test mainly assesses your English language proficiency in terms of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Well To score high marks in the IELTS listening section, working on your overall exam strategy is vital. The listening test in IELTS is designed to test your ability to understand different accents, speaking speeds, and pronunciation methods.
To improve your listening ability, you should use some listening tips in the IELTS exam. With the right approach and planning, you can gain a high score on the test.
IELTS Exam - A Brief Overview
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is organized globally to test the English language proficiency of students from different countries. All applicants who wish to work or study overseas must pass this test.
This test will assess your command of the English language. If you wish to go for higher studies overseas, getting a good IELTS score is essential. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are four important elements of this test. If you want to know about the IELTS exam in detail, we recommend you check out our blog.
If you wish to ace this competitive exam, it’s essential to practice every day and enroll in an IELTS course. Since English is the most widely used language globally, the IELTS test evaluates your ability to function in an environment where the language is widely spoken. You can pass this test if you use the appropriate IELTS listening strategies.
Top IELTS Listening Strategies to Improve Your Exam Score
The IELTS listening section is the most crucial part of this exam. Most of the students get stuck in the listening part due to poor techniques. If you want to score high marks in the IELTS exam, you have to master the listening section.
Let’s explore some IELTS tips for listening that you can use to improve your IELTS score:
1. Understand the IELTS listening section structure
Understanding the IELTS listening section structure is crucial to score high marks in the examination. You need to understand the kind of questions that get asked. Familiarising yourself with listening section requirements can increase your confidence when it comes to solving the questions.
The IELTS listening test includes four sections along with audio. One thing you need to remember is that the audio will be played only once with a short break, so being focused throughout the exam is required so that you can listen to it carefully. By understanding the structure of the IELTS listening test, you can develop and modify your strategy accordingly.
2. Build an effective listening habit
Building a good listening habit is among the top IELTS tips for listening. While most of the students assume it is a simple test to pass, it can be hard if you are not prepared for this exam.
To improve your listening skill, listening to different kinds of English audio with different accents can be beneficial. Over the internet, you can get lots of resources like interviews, Youtube videos, podcasts, radio shows, TED talks, etc., to improve your listening capabilities.
Another way to improve your listening skill is to practice daily. You can start listening to English songs while focusing on the lyrics without any interruption. Additionally, you can join English-speaking groups or institutes. It will not only improve your listening skill but also help you to speak English more confidently.
3. Try to solve different question types
In the IELTS test, different types of questions can be asked in the listening section. Here you will need IELTS tips for listening. Different types of questions will require different strategies to finish the exam on time.
Multiple-choice questions are the most common type of questions asked in IELTS tests. To answer these types of questions, pay attention to small details while listening to audio questions.
Focusing on specific keywords can also help answer the questions. Eliminate mismatch options to save yourself crucial exam time. For the ‘Fill in the blanks section, you need to focus on the first word and last word of the missing word. Here, focusing on names, numbers, or dates can turn out to be useful.
4. Time management skill
Time management is an essential skill to score high marks on the IELTS listening test. IELTS tests include different sections, and it is important to manage the time of each section effectively so that you can attempt the entire paper.
By using some strategies, you can solve all the questions in minimal time. To manage your time effectively, try to contribute a decent amount of time to every question – don’t dwell too long while answering a specific question. To improve your time management skills, we have prepared a list of the Best books for IELTS Preparation.
Consider solving the easier questions first and then move on to the tough ones. Focusing on the details in the audio and identifying keywords can be crucially helpful throughout the exam.
Wrapping Up
Passing the IELTS exam is not a mere cakewalk. It requires you to focus on each section equally. In the listening section, everything depends upon what you hear. Without a strong strategy, you can’t score high marks in this particular section. As this part is designed to test your hearing capabilities, it is essential to improve it.
With our listening tips for the IELTS exam mentioned in this blog, you can easily enhance your listening quality for your exam. Moreover, you can also go through our blog on IELTS reading tips to improve your score for better preparation. It will extensively help you to score higher marks in the IELTS exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have to score either 35 or 36 out of 40 to achieve a band 8. It is a difficult task but achievable.
Try listening to a variety of content like podcasts, news reports, TED talks, etc. This will give you exposure to new terms and accents. The more you listen the better score you can aim at. Practice is the best exercise here.
The IELTS listening section is designed to test your ability to understand different speaking speeds, English accents, and pronunciation methods. Its aim is to assess your overall English listening and understanding ability.
