In the IELTS Listening Secrets, we are going to talk about a few points that you have to focus on in the IELTS Listening test. Focusing on the following IELTS Listening Secrets will make the IELTS Listening test easier and will help you to get your desired score on the IELTS test.
The following are our IELTS Listening Secrets and tips for the IELTS Listening exam.
Main Ideas
Important words and main ideas in conversation are ones that will come up again and again. Listen carefully for any word or words that come up repeatedly. What words come up in nearly every statement made? These words with high frequency are likely to be in the main idea of the conversation. For example, in a conversation about class size in the business department of a college, the term “class size” is likely to appear in nearly every statement made by either speaker in the discussion.
Voice Changes
IELTS expects you to be able to recognize and interpret nuances of speech. Be on the alert for any changes in voice, which might register surprise, excitement, or another emotion. If a speaker is talking in a normal monotone voice and suddenly raises their voice to a high pitch, that is a huge clue that something critical is being stated. Listen for a speaker to change their voice and understand the meaning of what they are saying.
Example:
- Man: Let’s go to Walmart.
- Woman: There’s a Walmart in this small town?
If the woman’s statement was higher pitched, indicating surprise and shock, then she probably did not expect there to be a Wal-mart in that town.
Specifics
Listen carefully for specific pieces of information. Adjectives are commonly asked about in IELTS questions. Try to remember any main adjectives that are mentioned. Pick out adjectives such as numbers, colors, or sizes.
Example:
- Man: Let’s go to the store and get some apples to make the pie.
- Woman: How many do we need?
- Man: We’ll need five apples to make the pie.
A typical question might be about how many apples were needed.
Interpret
As you are listening to the conversation, put yourself in the person’s shoes. Think about why someone would make a statement. You’ll need to do more than just regurgitate the spoken words but also interpret them.
Example:
- Woman: I think I’m sick with the flu.
- Man: Why don’t you go see the campus doctor?
Sample Question: Why did the man mention the campus doctor?
Answer: The campus doctor would be able to determine if the woman had the flu.
Find the Hidden Meaning
Look for the meaning behind a statement. When a speaker answers a question with a statement that doesn’t immediately seem to answer the question, the response probably contained a hidden meaning that you will need to recognize and explain.
- Man: Are you going to be ready for your presentation?
- Woman: I’ve only got half of it finished and it’s taken me five hours just to do this much. There’s only an hour left before the presentation is due.
At first, the woman did not seem to answer the question the man presented. She responded with a statement that only seemed loosely related. Once you look deeper, then you can find the true meaning of what she said. If it took the woman five hours to do the first half of the presentation, then it would logically take her another five hours to do the second half. Since she only has one hour until her presentation is due, she would probably NOT be able to be ready for the presentation. So, while an answer was not immediately visible to the man’s question, when you applied some logic to her response, you could find the hidden meaning beneath.
Memory Enhancers
You have scratch paper provided to you while taking the test. This can be a huge help. While you listen, you are free to make notes. If different people are talking, use shorthand to describe the main characteristics of each speaker. As you hear main adjectives that you think might be hard to remember, jot them down quickly in order that you can refer to them later during the question stage. Use your notes to help you remember those hard to remember facts. Don’t end your test without making use of your scratch paper ally.
Example:
- Speaker 1: I’m Bob Thomas, and I’m majoring in business development.
- Speaker 2: I’m Matt Smith, and I’m majoring in chemical engineering.
- Speaker 3: I’m John Douglass, and I’m majoring in speech therapy.
Your shorthand might read:
- Bob – Bus.
- Matt – Chem.
- E John – Sp. Th.
On subsequent questions about the characters, you’ll be able to remember these basic facts and answer more accurately. However, don’t spend so much time making notes that you miss something on the tape. You won’t be able to rewind it and catch what you miss. The idea is that the notes should only supplement your memory, not replace it.
7 Secrets to Improve Your IELTS Listening Score
Here are the 7 test preparation tips that will make a significant impact on your IELTS Listening score.
#1. Get used to a variety of accents.
Friends and teachers have undoubtedly recommended that you listen to English radio to help you prepare for the IELTS test. That’s really fantastic advice! You should listen to as many different accents as possible to get the most out of your IELTS preparation. Try listening to an Australian radio station and a British American comedian. All of these accents will be heard in the IELTS examination, which is an international English exam. Check out PBS (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).
#2. Improve your listening abilities in general.
The IELTS Listening module is designed to assess your listening abilities. Do not utilize practice exams to increase your score, as we covered in the first point about being comfortable with diverse English dialects. Practising may help you get more comfortable with the test, but it won’t help you enhance your listening skills significantly. Doing numerous listening exercises is the most effective strategy in this case. Listen to broad audio sources such as radio reports, TV programmes, documentaries, podcasts, and so on. Start practicing IELTS Listening practice exams after you have a good knowledge of how an English speaker speaks.
#3. Carefully read instructions before starting the test.
When we say it, it’s so straightforward. When you’re in the middle of an exam, though, it’s easy to forget. Make sure you read the question twice to ensure you don’t miss anything vital. For example, if the question asks you to write no more than three words and you write four, you will not receive any points for exceeding the limit. In reality, because you didn’t follow the instructions, your responses will be recorded as wrong. You can save crucial marks by taking a little more time to read attentively.
#4. While you’re listening, list down crucial aspects.
It’s difficult to remember everything when listening to the audio. So, what are your options? Concentrate on what the speaker is saying rather than how they are delivering it.
Make a list of important points and shorten them. You simply need to jot down crucial details to aid your recall when you go over the issues in further detail. Learn to tell the difference between vital and non-essential data. Sort them into groups that make sense.
For example, if two individuals are discussing making dinner plans, the most significant information is the date/time they eventually agree on. They regard other dates/times to be unimportant.
#5. Practice your listening skills.
If you have an audio clip to practice with, play it first and then repeat. Check to see if you need further listening to pick out what you missed the first time. Continue to listen to the clip numerous times to see if you can get a little more understanding each time. When you can’t understand anything else from the audio, switch to reading the text-only version. Your objective should be to get as much information from the audio as possible.
#6. Boost Your Learn English Vocabulary
The third section of the listening test usually involves a two- or four-person intellectual discourse. Students and a course instructor, for example, discussing a project. Make an effort to absorb as much language as possible concerning university education. You will be able to comprehend this portion better if you do it this manner.
#7. Before you listen, read the questions.
Before listening to the audio, you have the option of reading the questions. Take advantage of the situation. The questions might assist you in determining the sort of response you require. Prepare to hear a possible response that isn’t the actual response. When two individuals are forming arrangements, this is a regular occurrence. They initially agreed to meet at a specific time, but one of them later realizes that they are unable to do so, so they set a new time.