IELTS LISTENING
IELTS Listening:
hear the answer, not the trap.
In short: IELTS Listening has four parts and 40 questions in about 30 minutes, and each recording is played once. Use the time before each part to read the questions and predict the kind of answer (a number, a name, a noun), listen for paraphrases rather than the exact words, watch for speakers who correct themselves, and check spelling and word limits. On paper you get 10 minutes to transfer answers; on computer you get 2 minutes to check.
Updated 26 October 2026 · Trestle editorial team, Qoodly
Key takeaways
- You hear each recording once, so reading ahead is your biggest advantage.
- Predict the type of answer before you listen.
- The first thing you hear is often a distractor; wait for the final, confirmed answer.
- Spelling, plurals and word limits count.
The four parts
| Part | What you hear | Typical questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A conversation between two people in an everyday situation, e.g. booking or registering | Form, note or table completion; names, numbers, dates |
| 2 | One speaker in an everyday context, e.g. a tour or announcement | Multiple choice, map or plan labelling, matching |
| 3 | A conversation in an educational context, e.g. students and a tutor | Multiple choice, matching opinions, sentence completion |
| 4 | An academic talk or lecture by one speaker | Note or summary completion |
Before you listen
- Read the instructions: "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER" means three words is wrong.
- Predict the answer type for every gap: a price, a day, a plural noun, an adjective.
- Underline keywords and think of synonyms you might hear instead.
While you listen
- Follow the signposts. Speakers say "first", "the main problem", "moving on to" before the next answer.
- Expect corrections. "The meeting is on Tuesday… actually, no, let’s make it Thursday." The answer is Thursday.
- Don’t stop on a missed answer. Move to the next question so you don’t lose two.
- Write as you hear, then tidy spelling and plurals at the end.
Distractors: the main trap
Question: The tour starts at ____. Recording: "Most of our tours start at 9:30, but because of the festival this one begins half an hour later." Answer: 10:00 (or 10 a.m.), not 9:30.
A daily listening routine
- 10 minutes: one part, timedDo one part of a practice test without pausing.
- 10 minutes: check with the transcriptFor each mistake, find the exact words that gave the answer and the distractor that misled you.
- 5 minutes: replay slowerListen again to the hard sections, at a slower speed if you can, until you hear every word.
- Review laterBring back missed questions after a few days.
Questions
How many times can I hear the IELTS Listening recording?
Once. That is why reading the questions and predicting answers before each part is so important.
Does spelling count in IELTS Listening?
Yes. Incorrect spelling or the wrong form (for example singular instead of plural) makes the answer wrong.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Listening?
About 30 out of 40, according to the average marks published on ielts.org. See the IELTS band score calculator for all bands.
Is there extra time to transfer answers?
On the paper test there are 10 extra minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet. On the computer test there are 2 minutes to check answers.
Sources
Formats and scores can change. Confirm the details for your test date with the test maker before you book.
Trestle is independent practice by Qoodly. It is not affiliated with, endorsed or approved by ETS or the IELTS partners. TOEFL, TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP are registered trademarks of ETS. IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP Education and Cambridge University Press & Assessment.