IELTS Listening test - Understanding question types

The IELTS Listening test is a crucial component of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) that assesses your listening skills in an academic or general context. To excel in this test, it is essential to familiarise yourself with the various question types that you may encounter. Understanding the question types not only enables you to effectively comprehend the audio recordings but also helps you use appropriate strategies to provide accurate answers. In this blog, we will explore the different question types in the IELTS Listening test, offering insights and tips to enhance your understanding and performance. Whether you are a test-taker aiming for a high score or an aspiring IELTS candidate seeking valuable information, this guide will assist you understand the question types.

An overview of the IELTS Listening test

Duration: 30 minutes

The IELTS Listening test is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. It requires you to respond to four recordings by answering a total of 40 questions.

During the test, you will listen to a variety of recordings featuring native speakers. These recordings include a combination of monologues and conversations. Each recording is played only once, and there are 10 questions corresponding to each part of the Listening test.These questions assess your ability to comprehend:

• Main ideas and specific factual information

• Speakers' opinions and attitudes

• The intended purpose behind spoken statements

• The capacity to follow the progression of ideas

Details of the Listening test sections:

Multiple choice questions:

Multiple-choice questions offer the option of selecting one correct answer or multiple correct answers. It is crucial to carefully read the question to determine the number of required answers.

When faced with a multiple-choice question that demands a single correct answer (A, B, or C), you will encounter:

• A question followed by three possible answers

• The beginning of a sentence followed by three potential sentence completions

Alternatively, if you encounter a multiple-choice question that requires choosing more than one correct answer, you will be presented with a lengthier list of possible answers and instructed to select multiple choices.

Multiple choice questions serve to assess a broad range of skills. They may evaluate your ability to grasp specific details or gain an overall understanding of the main points presented in the listening text.

Matching type questions

During matching questions, your task is to link a numbered list of items mentioned in the listening audio with corresponding options provided on the question paper. These options could be criteria or descriptors of some sort.

Matching activities evaluate your proficiency in listening for specific details and gauging your comprehension of information conveyed in conversations related to everyday subjects. For instance, you might be asked to identify various categories of hotel or guest house accommodations. This assessment also tests your capacity to follow dialogues between two individuals. Additionally, it can be used to evaluate your ability to understand relationships and connections between facts presented in the listening text.

Completing plan, map, and diagram labels

In this question, your objective is to fill in missing labels on a plan (e.g., a building layout), map (e.g., a specific area within a town), or diagram (e.g., equipment illustration). Typically, you will be provided with a list of options on the question paper from which you can select your answers.

This labelling question type evaluates your aptitude to comprehend descriptions of locations and connect them with visual representations. It entails understanding the language that conveys directions (e.g., straight on, turn left, opposite) in order to accurately interpret the visual context. This task enables assessment of your ability to integrate information from both verbal and visual sources effectively.

Completing forms, notes, tables, flow charts, and summaries

In this completion task, your objective is to fill in the gaps within an outline that represents part or all of the listening text. The outline emphasises the main ideas or facts presented in the text. It can take various formats, such as:

• A form: Utilised to document factual details like names, addresses, and telephone numbers

• A set of notes: Used to condense information, showcasing relationships among different elements through the layout

• A table: Utilised to summarise information categorised under distinct headings, such as place, time, and price

• A flowchart: Used to summarise a process consisting of clear stages, with the direction of the process indicated by arrows

To complete the outline, you will select the missing words in one of two ways:

• From a provided list on the question paper

• By identifying the missing words directly from the recording

It is crucial to follow the specified word limit outlined in the instructions and faithfully write the exact words you hear in the recording.

Take great care to thoroughly read the instructions as the required number of words or numbers may vary. The instructions will provide a specific word limit, such as 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER'. Exceeding the word limit will result in your answer being marked as incorrect, so ensure you carefully note the word limit for each question. Please note that contracted words, such as 'don't,' will not be assessed. Additionally, hyphenated words will be counted as single words, for instance, 'policeman.'

This gap completion task concentrates on capturing the essential points that a listener would naturally record in this particular scenario.

Short-answer questions

Within the short-answer question type, you will be presented with a question and tasked with providing a concise answer using information derived from the listening text. In some cases, the question may require you to list two or three points.

A word limit will be specified, for example, 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.' It is crucial to adhere to the word limit, as exceeding it will result in your answer being marked as incorrect. Take care to carefully check the word limit for each question. Contracted words, such as 'don't,' will not be assessed, and hyphenated words will count as single words (e.g., 'policeman').

Short-answer questions aim to assess your ability to listen for concrete facts within the listening text, such as places, prices, or times. It requires accurately identifying and providing short answers based on the specific information presented in the audio.

Sentence Completion

Within this sentence completion task, you will encounter a series of sentences that summarise essential information derived from either:

• The entirety of the listening text

• A specific part of the listening text

Your task is to fill in the gaps in each sentence using information obtained from the listening text. A word limit will be provided, such as 'NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER.'

Carefully read the instructions as the required number of words or numbers may vary. Each question will have a designated word limit, such as 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.' Remember that exceeding the word limit will result in your answer being marked as incorrect, so it is crucial to check the word limit for each question. Contracted words, like 'don't,' will not be assessed, and hyphenated words will count as single words (e.g., 'policeman').

Sentence completion tasks focus on evaluating your ability to identify key information within a listening text. It requires understanding functional relationships, such as cause and effect, and identifying the main points accurately.

Hope this blog helps understand all about IELTS Listening test questions to score your desired score. To know more about the IELTS test, you visit your nearest IDP IELTS test centres. They will guide you in every way possible.

Book my test