IELTS Listening Test
IELTS Academic Format: Listening
Everything you need to know for your IELTS Academic Listening test.
The IELTS Listening paper comprises four sections that evaluate various listening skills through everyday and academic conversations and monologues. Lasting 30 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes for transferring answers, it includes diverse question types like multiple choice and diagram labelling. This assessment measures your ability to comprehend specific information, main ideas, and speaker attitudes, all vital for effective communication.
Time allowed: Approximately 40 minutes
How the Listening paper is structured
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Parts 1 and 2 — everyday social contexts
Part 1 consists of a dialogue between two speakers, such as a conversation about travel arrangements. In Part 2, a single speaker provides information, like a presentation on local facilities.
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Parts 3 and 4 — educational and training contexts
Part 3 features a discussion between two main speakers, such as university students engaging in dialogue, often with guidance from a tutor. In Part 4, a sole speaker delivers a lecture on an academic topic.
Listening at a glance
| Time duration | Approximately 30 minutes, plus an additional 10 minutes for answer transfer. |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 40 |
| Task types | Various question formats, including multiple choice, matching, labelling plans, maps and diagrams, and completion tasks (forms, notes, tables, flow charts and summaries). |
| Answering | Test takers record their answers on the question paper during the listening section and have 10 minutes at the end to transfer their responses to an answer sheet. It is important to ensure correct spelling and grammar, as mistakes may result in penalties. |
| Marks | Each question is scored at 1 mark. |
Question formats
- Multiple choice
- Matching
- Plan, map, diagram labelling
- Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary completion
- Sentence completion
- Short-answer questions
Sit a full IELTS mock test, free
Practise the listening paper under real timing, then get your answers reviewed against the band descriptors.