Listening Question Types
Hey everyone!
In this lesson I want to show you all of the 11 different question types on the IELTS Listening Test. I'll show you a picture of each one, with some specific advice and links to lessons to help you.
I recommend that you check out the Listening FAQ post first if you haven’t yet for more information about the IELTS listening test. Remember, the Listening Test is 40 minutes long, and it has 4 sections with 10 questions each (40 questions total). These sections get progressively harder as you go!
You should use this lesson to locate question types that you have been having trouble with, so you can see some advice and resources for that question type specifically. This means that when you do practice tests, you should pay attention to which question types give you the most trouble!
First, remember: read the instructions!
Let me give you a little bit of advice about the instructions on the IELTS Listening Test: MAKE SURE YOU READ THEM CAREFULLY!
The instructions on the test look like this:
The instructions on both the Listening and Reading tests are important because they often limit the number of words/numbers you can write for your answer.
If the instructions tell you to write only two words and/or a number, and you write three words for an answer, you will get a zero!
Two important notes about the Listening Test instructions:
- Writing a number out (for example, “eight”) still counts as a number, not a word.
- Multiple digits in succession, such as 888-945-9886, counts as one number.
Okay. Let’s look at the question types!
Form completion
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Pay attention to the structure of the form to help you, and think about what kind of conversation it represents. In the above example, someone is booking a place for a summer music festival, and a worker is gathering their personal details.
Table completion
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Pay attention to the structure of the table! It can give you many hints about what the answers to the questions might be. In the above example, someone is thinking about renting a place to stay, and someone else is advising them about details, costs, and possible issues with each location.
- Remember that questions always go in order! With tables, it is important to use keywords from other parts of the table to help keep track of where you are in the question.
Sentence completion
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Remember that the grammar of the sentence will match the answer! In the above example, the answer to #13 “tour guides in the ____” must be a noun, because it’s following “the”. This tip can help you a lot.
Notes completion
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Notes Completion is a common question type in Sections 3 and 4. It can be very difficult.
- Study the headings to help you understand the topic and the flow of the talk you are going to hear. In the above example, you will hear an academic talk about the study of geography, including benefits as well as the two main branches that it focuses on.
- Remember that the grammar of the sentence will match the answer! In the above example, the answer to #33 “and their ____” must be a noun, because it follows a possessive (their).
Summary completion
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Remember that the grammar of the sentence will match the answer! In the above example, the answer to #27 must be a noun, because it follows the article “a”.
Multiple Choice (single answer)
Multiple Choice (multi-answer)
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Multiple Choice are often the most difficult questions on the IELTS Listening Test. They are difficult because:
- Prediction strategy doesn’t work. Don’t try it.
- The words in the question are heavily paraphrased in the audio, so you cannot listen for specific words!
- The audio often mentions many or all of the answers in some way, and you must listen for specific context and detail in order to know which answers are wrong or right.
- For tips with this difficult question type, check out Question Type Strategy: Multiple Choice
Map labelling
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Map labelling is very common in Section 2.
- This question type will test your knowledge of prepositions (across from, over, into, until, etc) and your ability to follow directions.
- Use the visuals in the map to predict the kinds of things the audio might say.
Diagram labelling
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Diagram labelling is a fairly straightforward question type.
- Use the visuals in the diagram to predict the kinds of things the audio might say. Especially you should pay attention to any technical words that cannot be paraphrased. In the above example, “central heating radiators” probably will not be paraphrased.
Flow chart
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Study the headings and the logic of the Flow Chart to understand the topic and the order of what the audio is going to explain.
- Remember that the grammar of the sentence will match the answer. In the above example, the answer to #28 “Make a ____” must be a noun, because it follows the article “a”.
Classification / Matching
QUICK TIPS AND RESOURCES:
- Classification / Matching question types are similar to Multiple Choice, and can be a very challenging question type.
- It is important to realize that the words in the question will usually not match the audio! They will be heavily paraphrased. So it can help to think a little bit about synonyms, and focus on the meaning of the choices in the question, rather than specific words.
- For tips with this difficult question type, check out Question Type Strategy: Multiple Choice
That is all ten question types that you might see on your IELTS Listening Test. Again, when you do practice tests, pay attention to which Question Types give you problems, and study the relevant advice and lessons for them.
Good luck!