More FREE IELTS Listening Tests Produced.

As you may have read in previous articles, ieltshelpnow.com are set on adding to their IELTS practice tests canon 15 more full tests. This will continue the original plan of increasing the IELTS practice tests on the site from 10 to 30 in 4 years. The first of this plan saw 5 full tests being uploaded, both in academic and general training format. As our sister sites, ieltsinteractive.com and ieltstestsonline.com, are most suited to first listening tests and secondly, reading tests, we have decided to now focus our attention on listening tests first and get them uploaded onto the sister site. This will be followed by 15 reading tests.

This will also suit our plan of launching a tablet application, as again listening and reading are the formats that can most successfully be transferred interactively to the digital format.

Right now, listening tests 16 to 25 are in the proof reading stage and tests 26 to 30 are in the writing stage. We hope that listening tests 16 to 30 will be written and proofread by the coming Christmas, so that the recordings can be done in time for a release at Easter 2014. This timetable should be attainable if things continue as they have been doing. As they won't be full IELTS practice tests, they will at first be only released on the sister sites in an interactive format, or be made available to our partners around the world.

We will keep you informed of our progress regularly.

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FREE IELTS LESSON - GENERAL TRAINING LISTENING TEST

The IELTS General Training listening test is one area where teachers cannot help students as much as they can in other areas. The skill of listening is one that is developed by practice and there is not much a teacher can say to improve a student's ability at it. What we can do is to give you some hints for doing the test and also show you the type of question that you will come up against when you do the test. After that, as much practice as possible is the way to improve. This practice can be doing actual IELTS practice tests or by doing any form of listening in English.

The IELTS General Training listening test is approximately 40 minutes in length and there are four sections each with a separate listening passage. In each section there are 10 questions making 40 in all. Sections 1 and 2 are based on social survival in an English speaking country and sections 3 and 4 are based on a more educational and training orientation. The actual tape lasts for about 30 minutes and then you have 10 minutes at the end of the listening in order to transfer your answers to the answer paper.

Section 1 Here you will listen to a conversation between 2 people. The conversation is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear. At the start of section 1 you will have an example read out to you and then explained. This is then repeated when the listening starts properly.

Section 2 Here you will hear a monologue though it may include a second speaker asking questions in order to stimulate the monologue. The monologue is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

Section 3 Here you will listen to a conversation between 2, 3 or 4 people. The conversation is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

Section 4 Here you will hear a monologue though it may include a second speaker asking questions in order to stimulate the monologue. The monologue is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

The main problem that candidates have with the IELTS General Training listening test is that the listening tape is only played once. Therefore you have to be quite quick and very alert in order to pick up the answers, write them down and be ready for the next answer. Another area where students have problems is that they are used to listening to a live speaker in front of them when they can look at the lips and the body movements. IELTS candidates listen to a tape and this is not a natural skill. As I said above, you have to get as much practice with IELTS practice tests at this skill as possible in order to maximise your chances of getting a good band.
Marking

There are 40 questions in the IELTS General Training Listening Test and 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer. There are no half marks. Your final mark out of 40 is then converted to a band from 1 - 9 using a converting table and this band is then averaged with the other 3 parts of the test to give your final IELTS band. Band scores for the listening test and the final band are given as a whole band or a half band. The converting table used to change your mark out of 40 to the band out of 9 changes with every test. However, below you can see a rough guide that you can use to assess your practice. There is no guarantee that you will perform the same in the real test itself as the test converters vary with each test, but it can be a guide to your progress with the IELTS practice tests that you use.
IELTS General Training Listening Test Marks, Bands and Results - Rough Guide Converter Score Band
1
2-3
4-9
10-16
17-24
25-31
32-36
37-38
39-40
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

IELTS General Training Listening Test Question Types

In the IELTS General Training listening test the same types of question come up every time so it will help you to know what these types are. They are as follows:
multiple choice
short answer
sentence completion
notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion
labeling a diagram with numbered parts
classification
matching lists/phrases

These question types can all be found in IELTS practice tests including the ones in IELTS Help Now IELTS practice tests question papers. As usual, practice is the key. Listening to tapes and doing the practice questions is the best possible preparation you can have.
Practice for The IELTS General Training Listening Test

There are different types of practice that you can do to improve your listening skills for the IELTS exam. The best, as I've said before, is to practice on specific IELTS practice tests. After that though there are other things. Listening to the radio is excellent as it is the same skill as the IELTS listening test - listening to a voice without the speaker(s) being present. Listening to the TV is good too but you can see the speaker. You could try turning your back to the TV as this will make it more realistic. Listening to the news on TV and radio is probably the best practice you could do with these two media. You can also see English speaking films at the cinema or at home on TV or video. All these things will develop your listening skills. In the end though, using good quality IELTS practice tests is the best strategy.
IELTS General Training Listening Test Strategies

There isn't much you can do but there some things. First of all, you get time to read the questions at the start of each section and mid-way in each section. Use this time (usually 20 seconds) wisely. You should know in advance all the questions before you hear the tape. At the end of the sections you also get some time to check your answers. Use this time to check through and then turn ahead to read the next questions in advance.

When you read the questions you can usually predict some of the types of answer that will come. For example, in section 1, if you can see that the test is asking for a telephone number, then you know you'll be listening out for numbers and the word telephone. In the later sections this becomes more complicated but the same technique can be used. Think about this when you are practising so you can develop this skill.
Tips and Ideas about the IELTS General Training Listening Test

As in all IELTS tests, the questions get harder as it goes on. You will see from your practice that the types of listening and questions that you encounter in Section 1 are more difficult in Section 2 and so on. This does not mean that by Section 4 they are impossible but they are more demanding linguistically.

Beware of some questions which require a number (i.e.: a telephone number) or some letters (i.e.: a postcode) as sometimes what you think is the answer will be read out only for the speaker to correct him or her self and then say the correct answer.

An important tip is to answer all the questions as you hear them; don't wait until later. Sometimes people in these tests hear the correct answer but decide to remember the answer and write it down later so they can wait for the next answer. This I feel is a mistake. Firstly, people will very often forget this answer and secondly, if you follow this method, you will have to remember up to 5 or 6 answers in a row before you can write them down. Then you'll forget even more.

As I said above, at the end of the test you have 10 minutes extra to transfer your answers from the question paper to the answer paper. Some people put their answers directly onto the answer paper. I feel it's better to write the answers on the question paper and use the 10 minutes given at the end for the transfer. Writing the answers on the question paper allows you to keep your concentration on the questions and, if you make a mistake, it's not so difficult to correct.

One area that students don't like is that, in the listening test, good grammar and spelling are important. The grammar part is not so important as you can't make many grammar errors in 3 words (the maximum you use in the listening test) but, if you spell something wrong, it will be marked as wrong. People think, quite rightly in my opinion, that the listening should test whether you understand what you heard and not how you spell something but these are the rules. So, be careful about your spelling!

If the question asks for no more than 3 words, use no more than 3 words. Writing 4 words is wrong. You won't be asked to do it in 3 words or less unless it is possible so don't worry; it can always be done.

Don't panic if you miss an answer. If it has really gone, then it is history. Worrying and panicking is only going to make you miss another one. One miss is probably not going to destroy your mark so calm down and listen for the next one. Sometimes you think you have missed it but you are mistaken. If you are calm and keep listening, maybe the answer will come or even be repeated.

Never leave a question unanswered; especially if it is only an A,B,C,D question or something similar. Guess if you really don't know. There are no marks taken away for wrong answers or even stupid answers. So, have a go! Logic, general knowledge or just luck might give you the right answer!

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FREE IELTS LESSON - ACADEMIC LISTENING TEST

The IELTS Academic listening test is one area where teachers cannot help students as much as they can in other areas. The skill of listening is one that is developed by practice and there is not much a teacher can say to improve a student's ability at it. What we can do is to give you some hints for doing the test and also show you the type of question that you will come up against when you do the test. After that, as much practice as possible is the way to improve. This practice can be doing actual IELTS practice tests or by doing any form of listening in English.

The IELTS Academic listening test is approximately 40 minutes in length and there are four sections each with a separate listening passage. In each section there are 10 questions making 40 in all. Sections 1 and 2 are based on social survival in an English speaking country and sections 3 and 4 are based on a more educational and training orientation. The actual tape lasts for about 30 minutes and then you have 10 minutes at the end of the listening in order to transfer your answers to the answer paper.

Section 1 Here you will listen to a conversation between 2 people. The conversation is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear. At the start of section 1 you will have an example read out to you and then explained. This is then repeated when the listening starts properly.

Section 2 Here you will hear a monologue though it may include a second speaker asking questions in order to stimulate the monologue. The monologue is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

Section 3 Here you will listen to a conversation between 2, 3 or 4 people. The conversation is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

Section 4 Here you will hear a monologue though it may include a second speaker asking questions in order to stimulate the monologue. The monologue is divided into 2 parts. You have to answer 10 questions based on what you hear.

The main problem that candidates have with the IELTS Academic listening test is that the listening tape is only played once. Therefore you have to be quite quick and very alert in order to pick up the answers, write them down and be ready for the next answer. Another area where students have problems is that they are used to listening to a live speaker in front of them when they can look at the lips and the body movements. IELTS candidates listen to a tape and this is not a natural skill. As I said above, you have to get as much practice with IELTS practice tests at this skill as possible in order to maximise your chances of getting a good band.
Marking

There are 40 questions in the IELTS Academic Listening Test and 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer. There are no half marks. Your final mark out of 40 is then converted to a band from 1 - 9 using a converting table and this band is then averaged with the other 3 parts of the test to give your final IELTS band. Band scores for the listening test and the final band are given as a whole band or a half band. The converting table used to change your mark out of 40 to the band out of 9 changes with every test. However, below you can see a rough guide that you can use to assess your practice. There is no guarantee that you will perform the same in the real test itself as the test converters vary with each test, but it can be a guide to your progress with the IELTS practice tests that you use.
IELTS Academic Listening Test Marks, Bands and Results - Rough Guide Converter Score Band
1
2-3
4-9
10-16
17-24
25-31
32-36
37-38
39-40
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

IELTS Academic Listening Test Question Types

In the IELTS Academic listening test the same types of question come up every time so it will help you to know what these types are. They are as follows:
multiple choice
short answer
sentence completion
notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion
labeling a diagram with numbered parts
classification
matching lists/phrases

These question types can all be found in IELTS practice tests including the ones in IELTS Help Now IELTS practice tests question papers. As usual, practice is the key. Listening to tapes and doing the practice questions is the best possible preparation you can have.
Practice for The IELTS Academic Listening Test

There are different types of practice that you can do to improve your listening skills for the IELTS exam. The best, as I've said before, is to practice on specific IELTS practice tests. After that though there are other things. Listening to the radio is excellent as it is the same skill as the IELTS listening test - listening to a voice without the speaker(s) being present. Listening to the TV is good too but you can see the speaker. You could try turning your back to the TV as this will make it more realistic. Listening to the news on TV and radio is probably the best practice you could do with these two media. You can also see English speaking films at the cinema or at home on TV or video. All these things will develop your listening skills. In the end though, using good quality IELTS practice tests is the best strategy.
IELTS Academic Listening Test Strategies

There isn't much you can do but there some things. First of all, you get time to read the questions at the start of each section and mid-way in each section. Use this time (usually 20 seconds) wisely. You should know in advance all the questions before you hear the tape. At the end of the sections you also get some time to check your answers. Use this time to check through and then turn ahead to read the next questions in advance.

When you read the questions you can usually predict some of the types of answer that will come. For example, in section 1, if you can see that the test is asking for a telephone number, then you know you'll be listening out for numbers and the word telephone. In the later sections this becomes more complicated but the same technique can be used. Think about this when you are practising so you can develop this skill.
Tips and Ideas about the IELTS Academic Listening Test

As in all IELTS tests, the questions get harder as it goes on. You will see from your practice that the types of listening and questions that you encounter in Section 1 are more difficult in Section 2 and so on. This does not mean that by Section 4 they are impossible but they are more demanding linguistically.

Beware of some questions which require a number (i.e.: a telephone number) or some letters (i.e.: a postcode) as sometimes what you think is the answer will be read out only for the speaker to correct him or her self and then say the correct answer.

An important tip is to answer all the questions as you hear them; don't wait until later. Sometimes people in these tests hear the correct answer but decide to remember the answer and write it down later so they can wait for the next answer. This I feel is a mistake. Firstly, people will very often forget this answer and secondly, if you follow this method, you will have to remember up to 5 or 6 answers in a row before you can write them down. Then you'll forget even more.

As I said above, at the end of the test you have 10 minutes extra to transfer your answers from the question paper to the answer paper. Some people put their answers directly onto the answer paper. I feel it's better to write the answers on the question paper and use the 10 minutes given at the end for the transfer. Writing the answers on the question paper allows you to keep your concentration on the questions and, if you make a mistake, it's not so difficult to correct.

One area that students don't like is that, in the listening test, good grammar and spelling are important. The grammar part is not so important as you can't make many grammar errors in 3 words (the maximum you use in the listening test) but, if you spell something wrong, it will be marked as wrong. People think, quite rightly in my opinion, that the listening should test whether you understand what you heard and not how you spell something but these are the rules. So, be careful about your spelling!

If the question asks for no more than 3 words, use no more than 3 words. Writing 4 words is wrong. You won't be asked to do it in 3 words or less unless it is possible so don't worry; it can always be done.

Don't panic if you miss an answer. If it has really gone, then it is history. Worrying and panicking is only going to make you miss another one. One miss is probably not going to destroy your mark so calm down and listen for the next one. Sometimes you think you have missed it but you are mistaken. If you are calm and keep listening, maybe the answer will come or even be repeated.

Never leave a question unanswered; especially if it is only an A,B,C,D question or something similar. Guess if you really don't know. There are no marks taken away for wrong answers or even stupid answers. So, have a go! Logic, general knowledge or just luck might give you the right answer!

Anyway, work hard and good luck with the IELTS Academic Listening Test! I hope that this tutorial has helped you. Below are links to the other free IELTS Academic Tutorials. We strongly recommend that you practice for the tests with good IELTS practice tests. Of course, we would like you to use ours as we believe ours are excellent and the cheapest on the market, but any good IELTS practice tests will do.

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ALL ABOUT IELTS TEST LISTENING PREPARATION

Can I complete the Listening and Reading answer sheet in pen?
No. The answer sheet is scanned by a computer which cannot read pen.

Can I make some notes on the Listening and Reading Question paper?
Yes. The examiner will not see your question paper.

What kind of accents will I hear in the Listening and Speaking tests? 
As IELTS is an international test, a variety of English accents are used in both of these examinations.

What is the Speaking test?
The Speaking test is conducted with a one-to-one interview with a certified examiner, which is recorded on an audiocassette.

What should the candidate bring for the Speaking test?
The candidate needs to bring the same identification documents they supplied on registration, as these must be checked again against the information on the application form. These documents will be checked by the administrator and the Speaking examiner prior to the candidate entering the interview room.

What kind of accents will I hear in the Listening and Speaking tests? 
As IELTS is an international test, a variety of English accents are used in both of these examinations.

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IELTS Listening

The listening part of the test is the first you will encounter. It is divided into four sections with increasing difficulty. The main problem is that you will be allowed to listen to the cassette just once. Usually you have to write something you hear (a telephone number, an address, a name, etc.). Some questions are multiple choice. The total number of questions you have to answer is 40. More than 30 anwers right means a good mark, but sometimes you may get an acceptable mark even with 27 or 28 correct answers. The first suggestion is the following: write the answers as you hear them. Waiting could be a mistake because later you will not to remember the answer, particularly if you have to write something, and you won't get the chance to listen to the same piece again. You will have the chance to read the following questions before listening each section. Use this chance: in this way you will be able to concentrate your attention just to the part  you are interested in. In fact you do not have to understand everything if you want a good mark. You need to understand just what answers you have to give. Do not lose time trying to understand everything. You always have to know what question you are waiting for: when you hear the answer write it at once or, if you do not understand it, start reading the next question and waiting for the answer.

At the end of the listening test you will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet: use those minutes to complete the answer sheet and try to write something in all the 40 spaces even if you are not sure of the correct answer. A wrong answer is as wrong as no answer: so try! You could be lucky!

IELTS material is in some countries difficult to find. To practice your listening I suggest you to buy or borrow  a library Proficiency test. I found the listening part of Proficiency tests more difficult than IELTS, even though there you can listen to the pieces twice. If you are used to doing difficult tests, you will find the real exam easier! Of course try to listen as much as possible to people speaking in English: films with subtitles are very useful. If you live in England use page 888 of Teletext on television: most of the programs are subtitled. If you live in Australia you should watch "Behind the news" on Channel 2. It is very good for Listening practice.

• Tip from Ros (April 2001):

Between questions you, as the test candidate, are given 30 seconds (1) to check the answers to the section just completed and (2) 30 seconds to read the section which you are about to do. Since time is given at the end of the test to check all your answers, I suggest that you use all 60 seconds to read the next section. Do not waste time checking your answers at this point. One of the biggest difficulties of the IELTS listening test is that you have to read and listen at the same time. Try to read as much as you can during the 60 second break as this will help you to listen for the specific information you need to answer the questions.

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Skills for the Listening Module

In the IELTS Listening Module, the recording is played once only. You must, therefore, use a number of strategies to help you listen closely. There are a few main skills you will need to do well in the IELTS Listening Module:

Understanding the instructions

Instructions are both written on the question paper and spoken on the tape. Read and listen to every word in the instructions very carefully. Ensure that you follow them exactly and answer in the correct way.

Previewing and predicting

An announcer will briefly outline:

• the topic
• who is talking
• the situation.

Try to listen carefully as this will help you to preview the questions.

Before the recording begins for each section, you will be given up to 30 seconds to read and become familiar with the questions. Use this time efficiently so that you can prepare yourself to listen for the information you need.

    Here are some hints for previewing and prdicting:

• Study the question carefully and try to predict what type of answer is required. For example, will it be a date, a name or maybe a number?
• Check the differences between similar-looking pictures or diagrams.
• Look for minor details such as different numbers or omissions.

In addition to the 30 seconds before each section, you will also be given 30 seconds after each section to look over your answers. If you are satisfied with your answers in the section you have just finished, move on to the next section and use the full 60 seconds for previewing.

Listening for specific information

Use of previewing and predicting skills will help you listen for the specific information you need to answer the questions in the Listening Module. Listening for key words and common connective words often helps to signal the specific information that you need in order to answer the question. Make sure that, while you are actually writing your answers, you continue to listen to the information given in the recordings as there will not be a second opportunity to hear it.

Checking and rewriting

You are given about 30 seconds after each section to check your answers. Check that all your answers correspond with the given instructions.

Make sure that you have answered every question. Marks are not deducted for incorrect answers so, if you are unsure of a particular answer, you should guess by writing down what you think is the most likely answer.

Check that you have included only what is necessary in the answer.

At the end of the Listening Module, you are given about 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the question paper onto the answer sheet. Scan your answers to ensure that you have transferred them correctly so that the number on the question paper corresponds with the number on the answer sheet. Be especially careful when transferring answers from tables as sometimes the items are not linearly ordered.

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FREE IELTS Listening Preparation

The Listening lessons teach you how to listen attentively and answer each of the different question types with step-by-step instructions and plenty of practice tests. You'll learn what the Listening test is all about - what sort of questions and format to expect - and you'll get expert tips.

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More specifically, Listening lessons will look at:

• Completion questions;
• Sentence completion questions;
• Multiple choice questions;
• Short answer questions;
• How to label a diagram, plan, or map;
• Matching and classifying style questions;

...with steps on how to complete them, common errors to avoid, and some tips to help you build skill and accuracy.

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