IELTS Listening: Format, Question Types, Band Scores and Tips

IELTS Listening checks how well you follow spoken English in everyday and study situations. It is the first section of the test, and it is the same for Academic and General Training candidates.

Format at a glance

Feature	Details
Questions	40, in 4 parts of 10
Time	About 30 minutes of recordings, plus 2 minutes to review on computer
Plays	Each recording is heard once
Order	Answers come in the same order as the recording
Accents	British, Australian, New Zealand and North American
Marks	1 mark per correct answer

The four parts

Part	Situation	Speakers	What it usually sounds like
1	Everyday social or practical need	2	A phone call or conversation to book, report or arrange something. Expect spelled names, a code, a phone number or a price.
2	Everyday monologue	1	A tour, an orientation talk or practical advice. Often includes a map or plan.
3	Education or training	Up to 4	Students and a tutor planning or discussing an assignment. Opinions and agreement matter.
4	Academic lecture	1	A talk on a study topic with clear signposting and dense detail.

The parts get harder as you go. Part 4 has no break in the middle, so you need to read all ten questions before it starts.

Question types

Each type has its own guide with a method, traps and an original practice example:

• Multiple choice: choose one answer, or two or three from a longer list.
• Matching: link items such as people, places or opinions to a set of options.
• Plan, map and diagram labelling: follow directions or a description and label parts of a picture.
• Form, note, table and flow-chart completion: fill gaps in a structured page of notes.
• Sentence completion: complete sentences that summarise what you hear.
• Short answer: write a short answer to a direct question.

For word limits, spelling and numbers, read the answer rules before you practise. One extra word or one wrong letter loses the mark.

Band scores

Your raw score out of 40 is converted to a band. These are average conversions; cut-offs vary slightly between versions of the test.

Band	Correct answers
9	39–40
8.5	37–38
8	35–36
7.5	32–34
7	30–31
6.5	26–29
6	23–25
5.5	18–22
5	16–17
4.5	13–15
4	11–12

See how IELTS band scores work for the overall band and rounding.

Habits that win marks

1. Read ahead. Use every pause to read the next questions and predict the kind of answer: a number, a name, a noun, a verb.
2. Listen for the final answer, not the first one. Speakers correct themselves and change their minds. The first thing you hear is often a distractor.
3. Follow the order. If you miss an answer, let it go and listen for the next one. Answers never jump backwards.
4. Watch for signposts. Phrases like the main reason, in fact and moving on to tell you where an answer is about to arrive.
5. Check the word limit and spelling in your 2-minute review. Spelled names in Part 1 must be exact.

Related guides

• Answer rules: word limits, spelling and numbers
• The computer-delivered test screen
• What is IELTS?
• IELTS Reading: complete guide

Sources

• IELTS, Academic Listening format
• IELTS, Scoring in detail
• IDP, How computer-delivered IELTS works