Viva Tips - IELTS (Part 2)

IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING

The IELTS Listening exam will last for about 30 minutes. You will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to transfer your answers on to an answer sheet.

There are forty (40) questions in total and each question is worth one mark.

There are four parts to the listening exam and you will only hear the listening once.

TOP TIPS

1. Listen to longer academic style talks, TED talks are a great way to start. You can find them at www.ted.com. Pick a topic that interests you, listen once with no subtitles, then listen again with. Check how much you understood.

2. Take some practice tests. Head to www.ielts.org and try out a few before the test.

3. The listening exam will often use many synonyms to describe a question in the exam paper. Broaden your vocabulary range so that you are able to pick out these synonyms.

4. If you are unsure of the answer try to write something. It is better to guess than to leave the space empty.

5. Spelling is important. You will be marked incorrect if you spell a word wrong. Make sure you work on your spelling.