IELTS Listening Overview
In the IELTS Listening test, you need to understand spoken English clearly.
Here are the key things to know before you start.
About the IELTS Listening Test
How the test is organised
What you will listen to
Key information about the test
What the Listening test is
The 4 Listening Sections
The four sections explained
What happens in each section
How the difficulty changes
Types of situations you will hear
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Listening Question Types
The different question types
What each question looks like
Click to see tips and strategies
Quick examples of each type
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About the IELTS Listening Test
This is the first part of your IELTS exam.
You will listen to four sections, each testing how well you understand spoken English.
The test becomes more difficult as you move from everyday conversations to academic lectures.
Here is a simple overview of the test:
Key Information
Test Format
Paper-based or Computer-delivered
Questions
40 questions in total
4 sections
10 questions in each section
Section Content
Section 1:
Two people having a conversation in an everyday situation.
Section 2:
One person talking about a topic or giving information.
Section 3:
A discussion between students or people in an educational situation.
Section 4:
A lecture or presentation by one speaker on an academic subject.
Time
Around 30 minutes of audio + 10 extra minutes to transfer answers (paper-based test only)
Scoring
Each correct answer gets 1 mark.
Your final score is converted into a band score from 1–9.
The Four Listening Sections
There are four sections in the Listening test, and each one becomes slightly more challenging than the previous section.
The test moves from everyday conversations to academic lectures.
Understanding each section will help you prepare and avoid common mistakes.
Listening Question Types
There are several question types you should become familiar with before test day.
Each type tests different skills, so the more you practise, the more confident you will feel.
Below are the question types you may encounter in the Listening test.
You will see these question types in different sections of the test.
Question Types
1
Short-answer questions
2
Matching
3
Note Completion
4
Multiple Choice
5
Table Completion
6
Sentence Completion
7
Summary Completion
8
Map, Plan, Diagram Labelling
9
Flowchart completion
10
Form Completion
Choose a Section
Learn about each section and practise your listening skills.
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