【IELTS-Listening-07】The Ultimate Guide to IELTS Listening (雅思聽力終極指南)

【聽力(Listening)】 結構: 4部分，40題，約30分鐘（加10分鐘抄寫答案）。 Part 1：日常對話（2人）。 Part 2：獨白（生活情境）。 Part 3：學術討論（2-4人）。 Part 4：學術講座（獨白）。 題型：選擇、填空、配對、表格、地圖等。 高分技巧: 預讀題目，標記關鍵詞。 專注同義詞替換。 熟悉各種口音（英、澳、美）。 練習速記關鍵資訊。 檢查拼寫與格式（數字、日期）。 Structure : 4 sections  (questions get harder as you progress) 40 questions 30 minutes (+10 minutes for answer transfer) Part 1: Casual conversation (2 people) Part 2: Monologue (daily life) Part 3: Academic discussion (2-4 people) Part 4: Academic lecture (monologue) Question types : Multiple choice Fill-in-the-blank Matching Tables Maps High-Score Tips : Pre-read questions, highlight keywords. Watch for synonyms. Familiarize with accents ( British, Australian, American ). Practice quick note-taking. Check spelling and format (numbers, dates). Skills Assessed: Understand main ideas Understand detailed factual information Recognise the opinions and attitudes of speakers Recognise the purpose of the communication Follow the development of ideas or arguments Marking Tips: Incorrect spelling Incorrect grammar Incorrect number of words/ numbers
Word Limit: Write TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER Write ONE WORD ONLY Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS The listening test in IELTS can be divided into four parts one of which is a conversation between two people. The conversations are mostly based on social settings. Take a test to know the type of conversation and how well you fair in it. Topic: Job interview
Find exercise: Listening > 2 People > Job interview    IELTS Listening Practice Lessons: Pre-Listening Prep - Predicting Answers Predicting what you are going to hear is a really important skill that can help improve your listening and increase your score.  Dealing with Listening Distractors Avoid being tricked into writing the wrong answer. Multiple Choice Tip s Tips on how to improve your listening skills for multiple-choice type questions. Map Labelling How to label a map, a task that sometimes comes up in Section Two of the test. Learn about the language of location and other top tips to score well.  Exercise Practice Review: Section 1 Exercise Practice Review: Section 2 IELTS Listening Section 3 Question Types and Exercises Section 3 Common Questions IELTS Listening Section 3  is a conversation between up to four speakers  (usually 2–4 people) in an educational or training context . Examples include a tutor and student(s) discussing an assignment, a research project, a course, or a group discussion on an academic topic. The language is more complex than in Sections 1 and 2, with faster speech, academic vocabulary, opinions, attitudes, and multiple speakers (which can make it trickier to follow who says what). Common Question Types in IELTS Listening Section 3 Section 3 can feature any  of the standard IELTS Listening question types, but some appear more frequently than others. The official question types used across the Listening test (including Section 3) are: Multiple Choice  — Single answer (choose A, B, or C) or multiple answers (choose two or more letters). These often test opinions, reasons, or specific details. Matching  — Match items (e.g., people, opinions, features, or stages) to a list of options (letters A–F, etc.). This is very common in Section 3 for linking ideas or speakers' views. Completion tasks  (gap-fills, very frequent in Section 3): Note Completion Table Completion Summary Completion Sentence Completion Flow-chart Completion Form Completion  (less common in Section 3) Plan, Map, or Diagram Labelling  — Label parts of a plan, map, diagram, or process (e.g., stages of a project or experiment). Short-answer Questions  — Write short answers (usually no more than three words/numbers). Note : Form completion is rarer in Section 3 compared to Section 1, while note/table/summary completion, matching, and multiple choice are very common. Flow-chart or diagram labelling often appears when the discussion involves a process or visual aid.
Exercise Practice Review: Section 3
Signposting Language for Section 4 Section 4 is the most difficult part of the listening test. Learn useful signposting language to improve your score for this section.
Practice: Talk on alternative medicine Exercise Practice Review: Section 4 Listening Exercises Listening Exercises Review Listening Exercises Full Practice Listening Test One
you can input your answers onto the question sheet in the same way as the test  Section 1-4
 Full Practice Listening Test Two Section One  - Booking a Hotel Section Two  - Volunteering Abroad Section Three  - A Media Studies Course Section Four  - History of Indian Railways
Full Practice Listening Test Three Section One  - Bus Tour of London Section Two  - A Talk on Pandas Section Three  - A Business Studies Course Section Four  - Behaviour of Dolphins
Full Practice Listening Test Four Section One  - Host Family Application Section Two  - Soccer Club Meeting Section Three  - A Business Case Study Section Four  - Library Talk
Full Practice Listening Test Five Section One  - Booking a Course Section Two - Section Three  - Photography Exhibition Section Four  - A lternative medicine FULL IELTS Listening Test IELTS Listening Practice IELTS Listening Practice Test Samples IELTS Essential Vocabulary The most common words are found in academic texts. Sublist 1 contains the most common words that are in the Academic Word List, sublist 2 contains the next most common, and so on. Seven Mistakes to Avoid Tests IELTS Listening General Mock Test Introductory Simulation Test with Answers   (start 2:10min) Types of Questions in Section 3 Listening Section 3 Common Questions IELTS Listening Section 3  is a conversation between up to four speakers  (usually 2–4 people) in an educational or training context . Examples include a tutor and student(s) discussing an assignment, a research project, a course, or a group discussion on an academic topic. The language is more complex than in Sections 1 and 2, with faster speech, academic vocabulary, opinions, attitudes, and multiple speakers (which can make it trickier to follow who says what). Common Question Types in IELTS Listening Section 3 Section 3 can feature any  of the standard IELTS Listening question types, but some appear more frequently than others. The official question types used across the Listening test (including Section 3) are: Multiple Choice  — Single answer (choose A, B, or C) or multiple answers (choose two or more letters). These often test opinions, reasons, or specific details. Matching  — Match items (e.g., people, opinions, features, or stages) to a list of options (letters A–F, etc.). This is very common in Section 3 for linking ideas or speakers' views. Completion tasks  (gap-fills, very frequent in Section 3): Note Completion Table Completion Summary Completion Sentence Completion Flow-chart Completion Form Completion  (less common in Section 3) Plan, Map, or Diagram Labelling  — Label parts of a plan, map, diagram, or process (e.g., stages of a project or experiment). Short-answer Questions  — Write short answers (usually no more than three words/numbers). Note : Form completion is rarer in Section 3 compared to Section 1, while note/table/summary completion, matching, and multiple choice are very common. Flow-chart or diagram labelling often appears when the discussion involves a process or visual aid. IELTS Listening All Question Types multiple choice   short-answer questions   sentence completion   notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion   labelling a diagram which has numbered parts   classification   matching  
Overview IELTS Listening Section 3 Focuses on academic discussions involving two to four speakers, commonly featuring complex multiple-choice, matching, and completion questions (notes, tables, or flowcharts). It tests your ability to follow nuances in opinions and attitudes, requiring advanced vocabulary and attention to paraphrasing. Content : Conversation between 2–4 people  in an educational or training context  (e.g., students discussing an assignment with a tutor).
Most common question types: Multiple choice (single or multiple answers): Examples Matching (very common): Example Note completion: Example Table completion: Example Short-answer questions: Example Sentence completion: Example Also see below Key question types in Section 3 include:
Multiple Choice :  Choosing the best answer from 3-4 options (often testing main ideas vs. supporting details). Examples Question Explanation Types of Multiple Choice Questions Matching :  Matching items, such as linking speakers to specific opinions, reasons, or topics. Examples
Flowchart, Note, or Table Completion :  Filling in gaps in a summary of an academic conversation (e.g., project stages). Examples
Diagram/Plan/Map Labeling :  Identifying parts of a process or physical layout discussed. Examples
Short Answer Questions :  Answering specific questions regarding the discussion. Examples
Key Strategy:  Be prepared for higher-speed audio with significant use of synonyms and distractors compared to earlier sections. Sentence Completion Sentence Completion Strategies Strategies to deal with sentence completion questions.
Strategies and Tips In this type of question, you are given a sentence taken from the listening recording, and you have to decide which word fits in the gap. Note: sentence will not be exactly the same as what you hear on the audio - it will be paraphrased ( using different words to what you hear ).
Strategies and Tips Look through the sentences before you start to get an idea of what you will be hearing. Pay particular attention to the words that come before and after the gap to help you notice when the word is spoken. Try to guess what may go in the gap - is it a place, name, number, or something else? Remember that the words you see in the sentence may be synonyms of the words from the audio, so you may be listening out for words with similar meanings. Write the exact words, phrases or numbers that you hear in the gap on your question paper. Always check the word limit - your answer will be marked wrong if you exceed the number of words allowed. Practice Sentence Completion Strategies Practice The listening excerpt from this page is from a real test. It is from Part 4 of the test - the most difficult - so expect to find this exercise hard.
Don't be disheartened if you do not do well - students often score poorly on part 4, but that does not mean you can't get a good score from doing well in the other sections. 
Part 4 is based on a lecture, and for this recording, you are going to hear the second part of a lecture on the luxury end of the hospitality and tourism market.  Transcript Ho wever, nothing stands still in this world. One company has come up with the slogan ‘ Take Your Home With You ’, and aims to provide clients with luxury serviced apartments. Those in the business travel industry maintain that these serviced apartments dispense with all the unwanted and expensive hotel services (1) that business travellers don’t want, while maximizing the facilities they do want. For example, not only sleeping and living accommodation, but also (2) a sleek modern kitchen that allows guests to cook and entertain if they wish at no additional cost. The attractions of such facilities are obvious and it’ll be interesting to see whether the company manages (3) to establish a trend all over the world and make a lasting impact on the luxury accommodation market. Now, finally I want to consider the psychology underpinning the traditional holiday hotel industry. As a hotelier, how do you go about attracting people to give up the security of their own home and entrust themselves to staying in a completely strange place and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed? Firstly, hotels exploit people's (4) need to escape the predictability of their everyday lives. For a few days people can pretend they are free responsibilities and can indulge themselves. Secondly, there is something very powerful in our need to be pampered and looked after, (5) it's almost as if we return to being a baby, when everything was done for us, and we felt safe and secure. And not far removed from this is the pleasure in being spoiled and given little treats like the miniscule bottles of shampoo tiny bars of soap, (6) the chocolate on your pillow at night - and we actually forget that we are paying for it all! Next week I'm going to look at eco-hotels, a fairly new phenomenon but increasingly popular…  Exercise Exercise   - second part of a lecture on the luxury end of the hospitality and tourism market. Instructions: Take a look through the questions first, then listen to the audio and try, and answer the questions. Grammar Grammar in IELTS Listening Key tips to avoid grammar errors and use grammar to get the right answer.Useful tips for making sure you use the correct grammar in this section of the test. Grammar is, of course, mainly relevant to fill-in-the-blank  type questions rather than multiple choice, where you are writing a letter (a, b, c or d) rather than words. Tip 1: Hearing the 's' It's common for candidates to be unsure if they heard an 's' in the audio. This can, in particular, occur in relation to subject-verb agreement and plurals.   Subject Verb Agreement Subject-verb agreement is crucial when it comes to questions like summary completions or anything that requires filling in missing words. Always identify the subjects and verbs in a sentence so that you can ensure they match. The rule is that if your subject is in singular form, the verb needs to be as well. Example:  What you hear: “Every day in the morning, I let the dog out in the yard, and it runs around.”
Fill in the Blank: The dog _________ in the yard every morning.
Explanation: From just listening, you might not be sure if it was 'run' or 'runs', but you can rely on the grammar for the answer - since 'the dog' is a singular subject, the correct verb form should be 'runs,' not 'run.' Plurals In the listening test, you must get singular and plurals  correct. If the noun was plural, then you must have an ' s ' at the end of your answer; otherwise, it will be marked incorrect.
A good tip is that if there is not an indefinite article  ( a/an ) before the answer you need, it's most probably a plural noun, as ' a/an ' comes before singular nouns . 
Listening Example: "It's ok to eat mushrooms that are pale or dull." Fill in the Blank: Eating __________ that are not colourful is safe. There is no article in the audio or answer, so it's most likely plural. In the situation of singular and plural nouns in IELTS listening, subject-verb agreement also becomes useful again. In the example above, as ' are ' is used, the noun will be plural .
Listening Example: "The pupils had to follow the instructions from the teacher."
Fill in the Blank: The ___________ were to take a number of pictures. You might not be sure if you heard 'instruction' or 'instructions', but ' were ' tells you that it must be a plural noun . Word Classes Identifying the word class when completing a fill-in-the-missing-word exercise  can be really useful for grammar in IELTS listening. It will help you know what to listen out for when the recording starts.
Example: Fill in the gap: They decided to go to the _______ for a hiking trip next Saturday.
Explanation: So again, articles become useful. Because the definite article “the”  is being used, you can assume that it would be followed by a noun  in the sentence, as of course articles come before nouns (though adverbs and/or adjectives may come between the article and noun ). Misinterpreting Information Not understanding grammar in IELTS listening can also lead to misinterpreting the information in the recording, which can lead to wrong answers. Familiarise yourself with modal verbs and conditionals to avoid making mistakes when certainty is being expressed.
Example of how this can lead to an incorrect answer. Here, a manager is discussing potential changes in the workplace:
What you hear: "We might implement flexible working hours next month. Also, if the new policy is approved, employees will also have the option to work from home twice a week."
Question: 1. What change is happening next month? A. Flexible working hours B. Working from home C. Flexible working and working from home D. It's still unclear
Explanation: The modal verb “ might ” and the conditional " if " both tell you that nothing is definite yet. So the answer is (D).  Tenses Lastly, a common mistake that candidates often make is writing down the answers in the wrong tense. When you have a complete-the-summary type of question, answering “is walking” instead of “was walking” would be considered incorrect. Practice See if you can figure out the word class of the missing word for the following. In the box at the end of each sentence, decide whether it is an Adjective, Noun, Pronoun or Adverb. Exercise - Practice Questions IELTS Listening Section 3 Practice Signposting Signposting Language for Section 4 Section 4 is the most difficult part of the listening test. Learn useful signposting language to improve your score for this section. Signposting Language These   are the words and phrases that people use in order to guide the listener  coherently through what is being said.  It is used to make clear what has just happened and what is going to happen next. In other words, it acts as a  guide  so the listener can follow what you are saying. Why is Signposting Language Important for IELTS? In section 4 Listening, you have to listen to a talk in an  academic setting , such as a university lecture, a presentation or a talk. It is usually a lecture by a professor , a presentation by a student, or a talk by a university staff member. So it is possible that signposting will be used within this. If you know the type of language that is used to guide you, it will help you to follow the lecture . This is particularly important if your listening skills are weaker than they should be, because you will easily get lost if you don't know where you are. Also, the lecture may be split into two parts Example: section 4, Social History of the East End of London lecture . It may be the case that these two sections follow the sections that the speaker divides their talk into, i.e. two parts. Knowing then the lecture structure and the language the speaker uses to tell you they are moving onto the second section will help you to follow where you are. The signposting language we'll look at in this lesson is the words and phrases that introduce the topics  and subsections  of the lecture. Examples of Lecture Signposting Language This list sets out some of the key language that guides you on the overall topic and content of the lecture, and when different sections of the lecture are being discussed. The table includes the signposting language to signal the end of the talk. However, you are extremely unlikely to hear this used in IELTS because, as section 4 of the listening is only around 4-5 minutes, you usually only hear the first part of the lecture or presentation. Remember, there are lots of different ways to say these things, so what you hear could be phrased slightly differently. Introducing the topic of the lecture: Today we are going to talk about… The topic of today’s lecture is… This morning, we are going to take a look at… And this morning we're continuing with a look at... Today, I’ll be talking about / discussing... What I’m going to be talking about today is… The purpose of today’s lecture is… The subject/topic of my talk is ... I have been asked today to talk to you about Tonight I'm going to talk to you about Explaining the lecture structure (sections/subtopics): In today’s lecture, I’m going to cover three points. I'll start with... and then move on to I'll begin with... and then focus on... I’m going to divide this talk into three parts. There are two major areas that I will focus on in my talk. First, we’ll (look at… / focus on...) Then we’ll go on to … And finally I’ll… Introducing the first section/ subtopic/ list of points : Let’s start by talking about... To begin,… Firstly,… I’ll start with… The first advantage/reason/cause, etc. is... Finishing a section: We've looked at... I’ve talked about… Starting a new section : Let’s move on to… Now, let’s turn to… And I’d now like to talk about… The next/second… I'd like now to discuss... The next issue/topic/area I’d like to focus on… To signal the ending of a talk / Summing up: To sum up, … So it is clear from what we have discussed today that… I'd like now to recap... Let's summarise briefly what we've looked at... In conclusion, … To summarise, … In summary, … Overall, … The three main points are… Practice Have a listen to the start of this lecture. What is the signposting language used? Listen and identify the phrases or words you hear, such as: "What I’m going to be talking about today is…",... "I’m going to divide this talk into three parts",..."To begin,..." etc. Exercises 1, 2 & 3 References   10 Top Tips for a High Score
Structure Part 1: Casual conversation (2 people). Part 2: Monologue (daily life). Part 3: Academic discussion (2-4 people). Part 4: Academic lecture (monologue). Question Types The following types of question may appear on the test: multiple choice   short-answer questions   sentence completion   notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion   labelling a diagram which has numbered parts   classification   matching  
Overview
Problem Vocabulary Accademic Listening https://ieltstutorials.online/sample-questions/cue-card https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-speaking-samples.html
50 Recent IELTS Speaking Topics for Parts 2 and 3 for IELTS 2025
https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-part-1-topics/ IELTS Speaking Sample Questions with Answers for IELTS Speaking Part 3 https://www.ieltsjacky.com/ielts-speaking.html https://ieltsmaterial.com/50-ielts-speaking-part-2-3-topics-2020-with-model-answers/ https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/ https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-english-practice-tests/speaking https://ielts-up.com/speaking/ielts-speaking-test.html https://leapscholar.com/exams/ielts/practice-test/speaking/part-1 https://ielts.org/take-a-test/preparation-resources
IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors  - Speaking Assessment Criteria What is the IELTS Speaking test?   Four Skills   33 interview questions for students (with sample answers)   Interviewers usually ask these questions for students to learn about their basic knowledge and abilities. They also ask these questions to get a better understanding of your interests, attitude, and personality. Some common general questions include: Can you tell us about yourself? How did you learn about our organization/ university? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses, and how do you overcome them? Why did you choose your school? What motivates you? How do you believe you can contribute to our growth? Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Can you tell us why you think you're the best fit for this role? Do you have any questions for us?
Experience and Background The interviewer may ask questions about your background and experience to understand your responsibilities in previous roles and how you handled them. They also ask these questions to envision you in the role and determine whether you fit their company culture. Below are examples of these questions: Tell us something about your field of study. Which academic accomplishment are you most proud of? Do you have prior experience in this role? Do you have any academic goals you hope to achieve before you graduate? What are they? What skills and experience do you hope to gain in this job? Do you have plans to further your education? Do you participate in any extracurricular activities? What are they? What do you wish you knew before choosing this career path? What steps have you taken for your professional growth and development? Do you think your education helped to prepare you for this role? In what way?
In-depth Questions Interviewers ask in-depth questions to get detailed information about your behaviour or abilities. These questions usually relate directly to the role and give the interviewer an idea of how well you'd perform. Examples of in-depth questions include: Can you give an example of a time you applied your leadership skills at work? How do you work under pressure? How do you handle stress? Do you prefer working alone or with a team? Why? Tell us about a time you exceeded your expectations. Have you ever missed a deadline? Why and what was the result? Describe how you organise your schedule and prioritise your tasks. Have you ever managed multiple tasks simultaneously? How did you handle them? How do you manage two projects that are due at the same time? How do you intend to make an impact in this role?
Discussion Questions (Tests) (1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘test’? (2) Do you get nervous when you take tests? (3) Are there any kinds of tests that you love? (4) Do you follow any special routines before you take a test? (5) What test has made you most nervous? (6) What do you think about while you wait for the result of a test? (7) Have you ever cheated on a test? (8) Have you ever taken an IQ test? (9) Do you think testing is useful or a waste of time? (10) Do you think your test scores reflect your true ability and intelligence? (11) Do you like taking tests? (12) Are you good at taking tests? (13) What was the last English test that you took like? (14) Have you ever had a blood test? (15) Would you be more nervous before your driving test, a blood test or an English test? (16) What’s the best way to prepare for a test? (17) What medical tests have you had? (18) What was the worst test you ever took? (19) Are there too many tests in school? (20) How do you feel when you fail a test?