IELTS Listening Pitfalls: Common Mistakes and How to Steer Clear

The IELTS Listening Test is a crucial component of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), designed to assess your ability to understand spoken English in various contexts. The test is divided into four sections, each aimed at evaluating different listening skills through a range of audio recordings.

Section1

It involves a conversation between two speakers on everyday social topics. It typically includes 10 questions and lasts approximately 10 minutes.

Section 2

In this section, you will listen to a monologue set in a social context, such as a speech about local facilities. Like Section 1, it contains 10 questions and takes around 10 minutes.

Section 3

This section features a conversation among up to four people discussing educational or training-related topics. It also consists of 10 questions and is about 10 minutes long.

Section 4

The final section involves a monologue on an academic subject, such as a university lecture. This section includes 10 questions and lasts approximately 10 minutes.

Familiarizing yourself with the format and timing of each section is crucial for success.

7 common mistakes

Getting distracted

While listening to the different recordings, it's easy to lose yourself in thought and just loosen up. However, you ought not to! Distractors will be there to test your focus and make sure you pay attention to the details.

This can come in the form of a person stating a particular fact and then retracting it moments later or a sentence that another speaker corrected.

Listening To The Audio Blindly

It refers to not actively concentrating or paying attention to the recording. This may result in the exclusion of critical information, cues, or answers that are required to answer the questions successfully. To guarantee understanding and precise answers, it's critical to pay close attention, actively participate with the audio, and take notes as necessary. Examinees can prevent this error and enhance their performance in the IELTS Listening part by actively and consciously listening.

Trying to predict the answers

You must read the content thoroughly before assuming the answer. Given some details, you can anticipate the kind of audio that will be played in the present task. It could be challenging to extract the responses from the recordings without these forecasts. Focus on the keywords, synonyms, and paraphrases that are utilized in the recordings.

Poor Note-Taking Skills

Taking notes effectively entails summarizing the audio recording's main ideas, important details, and keywords. It becomes more difficult to remember the information required to correctly respond to inquiries when notes are disjointed, confusing, or unorganized.

Test-takers should practice effective note-taking strategies, such as use symbols, acronyms, and bullet points to swiftly summarize information, to avoid making this error. Taking better notes can help candidates remember and apply knowledge more efficiently throughout the IELTS Listening section, which will improve performance and score higher.

Answers shifting time

Keep in mind that the recordings are only played once. As a result, while listening to the recordings, you must focus. It is recommended that you do not change your responses as you listen to the recordings. To transfer your responses from the question sheet to the answer sheet, you have an additional ten minutes. During mock exams, you have to practice transferring the answers. On the other hand, you can't mishandle the extra ten minutes by transferring the answers late.

Leaving blank spaces

The response sheet cannot have any blank places on it. Since there is no negative marking in the IELTS, you are free to estimate and compose the response. If your estimate is correct, you can claim the points. So, it is preferable to estimate rather than leave blank gaps. You can write another response in the space left by leaving it blank. You'll receive a lower grade for this.

Grammatical errors:

The exam's most crucial section is this one. You have to proofread your answers twice before turning in the answer sheet to make sure all the answers are correct and no words have been misspelled.

Master the IELTS Listening section by avoiding distractions, staying actively engaged with the audio, and taking strategic notes. Focus on keywords, resist predicting answers, manage time effectively, and fill every space on your answer sheet. Proofread meticulously to eliminate grammatical errors and optimize your score. With preparation and perseverance, embrace the journey to success. Leverage resources like La Forêt for guidance, ensuring you excel and open doors to limitless opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get 8.5 in IELTS listening?

To achieve an 8.5 in IELTS Listening, practice is key. Focus on active listening, note-taking, and mastering key strategies like predicting answers and managing time effectively. Utilize high-quality resources like La Forêt for targeted preparation and guidance. With consistent effort and expert support, you can enhance your skills and confidently aim for top scores in the IELTS Listening section.

Are spelling mistakes counted in IELTS listening?

Spelling mistakes are not typically penalized in the IELTS Listening section, as long as the answer is phonetically correct and matches the pronunciation heard in the audio. However, accuracy in spelling is crucial for other sections of the test.

What are the most commonly repeated words in the IELTS listening test?

Does IELTS cut marks for spelling mistakes?

Yes, spelling mistakes are penalized in the IELTS Writing and Speaking sections. In the Writing section, incorrect spelling can affect your score for lexical resources and can lead to a lower score in coherence and cohesion if it impedes clarity. In the Speaking section, minor spelling errors may not be directly penalized but can affect fluency and pronunciation scores.