Most English-speaking countries accept IELTS or the International English Language Testing System. A high-stakes test, the future of millions of people around the globe depends on it and therefore, it is crucial that you acquire the desired skills to ace it. The IELTS listening test is one vital part of the test. Although it sounds easy, candidates often make the silliest of mistakes and lose precious points! We have compiled a list of 6 top tips so that you do not make the same mistake.
1. Know and Understand the Format
You will be surprised at how unaware the test takers usually are of the general design of the test. This insight will help you considerably. There are 4 sections with a total of 40 questions which will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. In the first two sections, you will listen to individuals engage in discussions about a broad range of different topics. The sections become increasingly challenging as they proceed. Once the audio stops, you’ll have ten minutes to answer. You are advised to be careful of small things such as spelling, word counts, prepositions or articles, etc.
2. Follow the Instructions
Read all of the directions listed in the section carefully. Remember, the listening test is not just assessing your listening skills but also your capacity to comprehend. A fundamentally correct answer that does not match the word count or other specific instructions will be marked incorrect so triple-check your answers to ensure that they meet the guidelines.
3. Carefully Read the Questions
This sounds very basic but believes us when we say that most people make mistakes in the basics. So, for the IELTS listening assessment, make sure to properly read the questions so that you know what to look for in the audio. You're likely to encounter questions of varying difficulty and ranging from short-response to short matching heading, etc. Once you decide on the questions that you need extra prep for, you can refine your approach accordingly.
4. Listen for Gist and Particular Details
The listening test consists of numerous sub-tests, such as recognizing gist, getting specific information, and inferring meaning. It could be the name of a business, an address, or the price of an item. It is not always simple to figure out the gist or general intention of a speaker's words. Hence, it's essential to pay attention to the voice tone, and intonation, as well as listen between the lines. Here, both mock tests as well as participating in real-life conversations with friends and family can be of great help.
5. Pay Heed to Distraction Cues
The test mandates you to decipher what the speaker is actually saying. They may start with something and change their answer later but you’ll have to pay attention and not get distracted by the detour.
6. Accents
The IELTS listening test will have speakers from different English-speaking nations like the USA, UK, New Zealand, etc. All these have different accents; the UK has several accents varying from region to region. While preparing for the test, listen to these accents and put stress on those accents which you find difficult.
We hope that this helps you practice your listening skills for IELTS. But remember that the IELTS listening test is not just a one-time affair; it will help you with your life in a foreign country as well. So, you must prepare with full focus and concentration. For professional help, you can visit VCANXL, the best IELTS coaching center in Jalandhar. For more information, you can mail us or call us at +91-9872323762.
