IELTS Listening Test

How to prepare for IELTS Listening Test? What is the procedure of the test? How many are the question types? All details of the Listening Test are below.

Procedure of the test

  • The Listening part is the first test you encounter on the exam. You will hear the audio tape only once. However, you are given a question paper and an snswer sheet beforehand. So you can note down your answers on the question paper while you listen.
  • The Listening part takes approximately 30 minutes.
  • When the tape stops you will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

Structure of the test

There are 4 sections. Details of each listening section are following.

  • Section 1

    In this section you will listen to an informal conversation between two people. The conversation language is concerned with social needs.

    For example, you may hear a discussion about what's on radio; or you may hear someone making a complaint about their rented apartment or a defective merchandise they just bought. The conversation might be about someone asking for information over the phone or making an appointment.

    See a sample of the test at IELTSonline Free Practice Tests.
  • Section 2

    In this section you will listen to a monologue (a long speech delivered by one person). The conversation language is also concerned with social needs.

    For example, you may hear someone talking about a new botanic garden in a city or describing the steps to set up a machine or the procedure you need to follow in order to report a lost item.


There are many resources to learn more about languages used in various situation of social needs. One of the right places to start listening include conversation books, radio programs, television programs and movies made in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia.

As you listen to these programs, try to learn how English is spoken in those countries. Pay special attention to their grammar, choice of words and sentence construction. Also remember their accents if you can, as they are sometimes useful to the IELTS listening tests.