IELTS Listening has four sections, 40 questions, and audio plays once only. You hear a range of accents (British, Australian, North American). Each section gets slightly harder.
Section 1 — Social conversation (Q1–10)
Usually a phone call or enquiry form: booking, registration, travel arrangements. Expect form completion and short answers.
- Watch word limits: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER
- Spelling counts — practise common names and place names
- Answers often come in question order
Section 2 — Social monologue (Q11–20)
A single speaker: tour guide, facility announcement, workplace induction. Question types include multiple choice and matching.
Section 3 — Academic discussion (Q21–30)
Two to four speakers (students + tutor). Focus on opinions, reasons, and agreement/disagreement.
Underline who holds each opinion while you read the questions — speakers often change their mind mid-conversation.
Section 4 — Academic lecture (Q31–40)
A university-style lecture with no break. Vocabulary is more academic. Note completion and sentence completion are common.
General strategies
- Use preparation time to read ahead and predict answer type (number, name, noun)
- Write answers on the question paper while listening; transfer carefully in paper tests
- If you miss an answer, move on — dwelling loses the next two questions
- Practise with our Listening mock tests