IELTSInternational Exam

LISTENING TEST

Presented by:

Carolina CubillosKarent BarajasWilliam Castillo

Carlos Escalante

I

It tests the four macro skills:

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking

IELTS: THE INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM

IELTS Listening about the IELTS Listening test

1. You will listen to 4 different recordings and answer 40 questions

2. The test takes approximately 30 minutes. You will have an additional ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet

3. You only hear the audio once

4. A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used

5. Different topic

6. A variety of question types are used.

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4

Usually a conversation between two people.

Two parts

Can be social or academic setting

Personal details

About 4 minutes listening time

Usually a monologue of a functional/ social nature.

Can be social or academic setting

Information giving

About 3-4 minutes listening time

Usually a conversation between 2 to 4 people.

Academic setting

Information sharing

About 4 minutes listening time

Usually a lecture or speech given as a monologue.

Academic setting

Information giving : lecture

At least 4-5 minuteslistening time

Posible Topic Areas About social and educational situations

Academic context

Details of assigments

Plans for excursions

Holidays

General pointers Become familiar with the structures given.

Read the questions carrefully

Anticipate what you will hear: imagine

Learn to identify question types

General Listening Advice• Read the questions before you highlight key words

• Pay attention to linking words and discourse markers

• Check your spelling and grammar

• Guess- if you can not find the answer

• Transfer answers quickly but carefully

• Remember that the most important words are always stress the most

• Don´t leave any space on your answer sheet

Task type 1 – Multiple choiceTask type and format

• In this task type, there is a question followed by three possible answers, or the beginning of a sentence followed by three possible sentence endings. Test takers are required to choose the one correct answer A, B or C.

• Sometimes test takers are given a longer list of possible answers and told that they have to choose more than one. In this case they should read the question carefully to check how many answers are required.

Task focus• This task type is used to test a wide range of skills. It may require the test

taker to have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the listening text.

• N° of questions: Variable

Task type 2 – MatchingTask type and format

In this task type, test takers are required to match a numbered list of items from the listening text to a set of options on the question paper. The set of options may be criteria of some kind. Many variations of this task type are possible with regards the type of options to be matched.

Task focus• This task type assesses the skill of listening for detail. It assesses whether

a test taker can understand information given in a conversation on an everyday topic such as different types of hotel or guest house accommodation. It also assesses the ability to follow a conversation involving interaction between two people. It may also be used to assess test takers’ ability to recognise relationships and connections between facts in the listening text.

• No. of questions: Variable

Strategies. Be ready to listen.

The moment you hear the words "Section 1", "Section 2" etc. you should:

•Be prepared and ready to listen for the instructions that are given.•Listen for details about the information contained in the coming passage, (e.g. who? what? where? when? why?).

Learn to predict

In the Listening Test you use four skills at once. It is not surprising that candidates often find this

the most demanding of the four tests. You need to be able to:

• read the instructions and questions• listen for general information• listen for specific information• write the answers as you listen for the answers to the questions that follow.

Tips for Multiple Choice1. Read the questions and predict the types of information you need before starting the module.

2. Be alert for: synonyms for words and phrases in the options• the same idea expressed during different parts of speech• specific information, e.g., dates or numbers

3. Keep track of the time. You have a few seconds to read each section before you listen. You will however have ten (10) minutes at the end to put your answers on the answer sheet.

4. Each listening text will only be heard once; it is important that you look for key words and phrases before you actually start the exam.

5. The questions are in the same order as you hear the answers.

6. Don't spend too much time trying to think of an answer.

7. If you need to make a guess, base it on key words and phrases you have heard.

Tips for Matching• 1. Before starting to listen, carefully read the numbered and lettered

lists.

• 2. The numbered list would always be in the same order as you would hear it in the recording.

• 3. The ideas in the lists might not be expressed in the same way as those in the recording.

• 4. In this type of question, you should listen for ideas; never listen for particular words or phrases.

• 5. When you've chosen something from the list, put a line through it so you won't get to use it again.

Task type 3 – Plan, map, diagram labelling

Understand relationships between words (discourse markers)

Sequencing and following chronological order.

Listening for specific information.

Strategies

Brainstorm any vocabulary or knowledge that you have of the picture or topics.

Task Type 4- Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary completion

Task Type and Format

1) Form: often It’s used to record details for example (names)

2) Set of notes: It’s used to summarise any kind of information using designs in order to show how different elements relate to one another

3) Table: It’s used to summarising information which relates to clear categories – e.g. place/time/price

4) Flow-chart: It’s used to summarise a process which has clear stages, with the direction of the process shown by arrows

Test takers have to take into account:

A) Select their answers from a list on the question paper

B) Identify the missing words from the recording which fit into the form/notes, etc.

C) Read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers they should use to fill the gaps will vary. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’

Task type 5 – Sentence completion

• Required to read a set of sentences summarising key information from all the listening text or from one part of it

• complete a gap in each sentence using information from the listening text.

• A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN ONE, TWO or THREE words

Strategies:

Contractions are not use when word limits are given Use scanning for information Make sure that you have the general understanding on the passage before

starting to complete

Task type 6 – Short-answer questions

Short answer questions

Taks type and format

Task focus

Number of questions

Strategies Remenber the answer is short no more tan three words

and- or number.

Contractions are not used when word- limits are given.

Listening the specific information.

Look at the given information to identify the type of information required.

Look and read the questions before of start the listening test.

References• http://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening-for-diagrams-practice-and-tips/

• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0xs4JxDJAriLXpKY19VU3BFaTg

• https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-format-in-detail

• http://www.dori-ielts.com/what-about-form-completion-tasks-in-listening/