Top 5 IELTS Listening Tips for a Band 9: Strategies for Different Question Types

When you attempt the IELTS Exam and do the Listening section for the first time, the question that would come to your mind is if you can get a band score of 8 or more, isn’t it? Well, it is possible! With the following top 10 IELTS Listening tips, you will be able to grab your desired band score for sure.

Top 5 IELTS Listening Tips For a Band 9

Read the following top 5 IELTS Listening tips that will help you enhance your listening skills.

1. Do not worry about different accents!

When you are from a non-English speaking background, you will not just face issues with speaking but listening to English as well. So you must practice IELTS Listening practice exercises with varying accents in the recordings, as things can become even tougher to practice and improve.

2. Boost your topic-specific vocabulary

Your main aim should be to polish your IELTS topic-based vocabulary every single day. For example, section 3 is always about education or university topics. Hence, you can start learning vocabulary based on this theme so that you can understand the section even more better.

3. Look for Signposting words

Look for IELTS Listening signposting words to get an idea of the situation that is to happen beforehand. Hear phrases like, “You will now hear a conversation between..” or “You will hear a lecture about..” Note that this information will not be written on the question booklet, so be attentive.

4. Stop writing quickly and check for mistakes

If you write as quickly as you listen to the audio, the correct answer may actually be in the next sentence; hence, you may miss it. So, while writing the answer, you need to keep in mind that you have to listen to the complete sentence and then write the answer.

Note: After every section, you will get 30 seconds to check for mistakes. Make sure that you check for silly mistakes like spelling errors, grammar, or word forms.

5. Pay attention throughout the audio

Never forget that you will only hear the audio once. Hence, if you missed out on some words and got passed over some questions, do not worry! You can leave them and focus on the actual part where the audio is moving. Know that, you can always come back at the end of the section, and fill it up.

IELTS Listening Tips for Different Question Types

Check out the following list to know all about the IELTS Listening question types and how to approach each one of them as you prepare for your IELTS exam!

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening MCQs

To tackle IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Questions,

• Listen for keywords in both the question and then look at the options, since they will guide you to the right answer.
• Before you listen, try to predict the kind of answer (number, name, terms, etc.) fits best.
• When you hear the listening audio, quickly try to eliminate any options that do not match the context.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Note Completion

For IELTS Listening Note Completion,

• You should just focus on important details like dates, terms, numbers, or names, since they are mostly the answers.
• Ensure in writing the answers in the correct form, such as using names or numbers as needed
• Listen for pauses or stresses, as they often indicate important and crucial information.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Sentence Completion

To answer IELTS Listening Sentence completion,

• You must begin by reading the question sentence in order to understand the context and predict the type of word you will need (noun, verb, etc.) as your answer.
• Focus on making sure that the answers fit grammatically within the sentence.
• You must avoid writing extra words that aren't needed and follow the instructions about the word limit.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Summary Completion

To crack IELTS Listening Summary completion,

• Equip yourself to listen for synonyms, as the audio may even paraphrase the information.
• Pay attention to the context of the audio to find out whether you need a verb, noun, or adjective.
• Then, keep a track of time references and mention of numbers in the summary to help match your correct content.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Map Labelling

To ace IELTS Listening Map Labeling,

• You must look for directional phrases like "to the right" or "adjacent to" to guide you to the correct place.
• Look for landmarks mentioned in the listening audio and try to visualize the layout of the map as you listen.
• This will help you connect to the spoken information and then label the locations correctly in the map.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Matching Questions

To tackle IELTS Listening Matching Questions,

• Try to look for unique details in the audio that will help you match the information to the given options.
• As you listen, you can also note down the information spoken about each of the options.
• While practicing, try to take it step-by-step to avoid confusing similar-sounding answers.

Tricks to Crack IELTS Listening Short Answer

To answer IELTS Listening Short Answer Questions,

• Beware of the word limit given. Do not exceed it.
• Focus on looking out for specific facts such as names, terms, numbers and places.
• Also, try to be prepared to recognize when a speaker paraphrases the content in a different way.

All in all, know that consistent practice is the key! If you’re fully prepared for your IELTS Listening, it should be an easy ride for you. You can always read the IELTS preparation tips and keep enhancing your preparation game consistently. To start off, get help from our IELTS experts or attend our FREE webinars to learn tricks to improve your listening skills!

Also Check:

• What Happens on IELTS Listening Test Day?
• IELTS Listening answer sheet
• Word Count in IELTS
• How to Tackle IELTS Listening Distractors?