The
test measures how well you can manage the following skills:
-
Listening for specific information
-
Listening for main ideas and supporting information
-
Understanding the speaker’s opinion
Each
of the four sections in the listening test may have up to three different types
of question testing a range of skills.
DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS 1: Listening for specific information
WHAT DOES “LISTENING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION” MEAN?
When
you listen for specific information, you are listening for key details; for
example, to help you make a decision or complete a task.
Exercise
1. Imagine you are
listening to the following. What kind of information might you want to listen
for in each case?
Example:
a smart phone: price, name of brand, accessories
HOW IS YOUR ABILITY TO LISTEN FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION
TESTED IN IELTS?
In the exam, you may need to show your understanding of specific information by:
- filling in gaps in a set of notes or summary
- completing a form
- answering multiple choice questions
- writing short answers to questions
- completing a grid or chart
- picking words from a list
Exercise
2. Read the
questions below and decide what type of information you need to listen out for.
Will you need to write something or choose an answer?
Now
listen to Extracts 1 and 2 and answer Question 1, 2 and 3
Look at Questions 4, 5 and 6 in the box below.
Underline the key words in each question, that is, the words which tell you
what information to listen out for. For example, the key word in Question 4 is “work”,
so you need to listen for what job the man does.
Now
listen to Extract 3 and answer question 4-6
EXAM TIP: The words you need are on the recording. Remember, you cannot use more
than three words in a short answer question.
Exercise
3. Look at the
statements and possible answers below. Turn them into questions by changing the
stem. The first one is done for you.
Now listen to Extract 3 again and answer
Question 7 and 8
How
was the answer expressed on the recording? Were the same words used as in the
question?
EXAM TIP: You are not always listening for the words used in the question. IELTS tests your ability to
make sense of what you hear – not just to listen for key words. Sometimes one of the
speakers will ask the question for you in a slightly different form so listen
out for this.
DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS 2: Listening for main ideas and supporting
information
WHAT DOES “LISTENING FOR MAIN IDEAS” MEAN?
Imagine
you are at a party. You join a group of people who are already talking to each
other. The first thing you do is try to work out they are talking about. What
is the topic? And then, what is the main idea? You can get an idea of the topic
from the vocabulary they are using. The main idea is the main point or message.
Exercise
4. Listen to Extract 4. You will hear four different mini-talks; in each case identify the main
idea and complete the table below. Sometimes the main idea will be explicitly
stated, sometimes it will be in the overall message.
Listen to Extract 4 again and pause the
recording after each speaker. Make notes of some of the supporting information.
Look at the example for the first mini-talk below.
HOW IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF MAIN IDEAS AND SUPPORTING
INFORMATION TESTED IN THE IELTS EXAM?
In
the exam, you may need to show your understanding of main ideas and supporting
information by:
- answering short questions
- answering multiple choice questions
- filling in gaps in a set of notes
- choosing a word from a list
- completing a diagram, a chart or a grid
- summary completion
Exercise
5. Read Question
9. Is this question testing main ideas or supporting information? Now listen to
Extract 5 and answer the question.
Another task that tests your understanding of main
ideas is multiple choice. For example, in Question 10 below, you must decide
which of the 3 options best sums up what the man says. Listen to Extract 6 and
answer the question.
EXAM TIP: When information is deliberately repeated in an IELTS listening, it may
be the information you need. How often did the speaker repeat the main idea?
Exercise
6. The IELTS may
use summary completion to test your understanding of supporting details. The
words in the summary will give a brief version of what you hear. Read the
summary below. What is the main idea? Underline the words that tell you. What
details do you need?
Now
listen to Extract 7 and answer Questions 11-14
Another way of testing your understanding of supporting
detail is selecting from a list. Listen to Extract 8 and answer Question
15 below
EXAM TIP: You have to get both answers correct to get your mark.
DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS 3: Understanding the speaker’s opinion
HOW CAN YOU TELL OPINIONS FROM FACTS?
An
opinion is a point of view; it differs from a fact in that it cannot be proved
true. Some people make their opinions sound like facts, but usually when people
give a verbal opinion, they use phrases such as “I believe, I think, in my
opinion…”.
Exercise
7. Which of the
following are opinions? Which are facts? How do you know?
1. As
far as I can see, the increase in petrol prices is due to the government’s
taxation policy
2.
These days all children can be immunized against diseases such as measles and
mumps. Here’s a leaflet with the information you require.
3.
I’m sure that if children aren’t taught how to socialize when they are going,
they will have difficulty getting on with other adults later on in life.
4.
The law forbids people from driving faster than 70 km an hour in most parts of
the city.
HOW IS UNDERSTANDING SPEAKER’S OPINION TESTED IN THE
IELTS LISTENING MODULE?
Opinion is usually only tested in Section 3 and 4 of the listening test. The most common method is through multiple-choice questions as these can provide you with a choice of opinions from which to select the correct answer.
Exercise
8. Look at
Question 16-17 below. Are you listening for an opinion or a fact? Which words
tell you? Listen to Extracts 9-10 and answer the questions.
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