In this exercise you will practise predicting answers.
When you do the listening subtest you will need to listen at the same time as you fill in your answers on an answer sheet. Before listening to each section, you are given time to read the questions, and during this time you need to think about possible answers and focus on the information you will need to extract from the recording you hear. Remember, you hear the recording only once.
You should fill in all answers on the answer sheet. Marks are NOT deducted for incorrect answers.
1. Predicting answers.
Look at the form below that you will have to complete while listening to a conversation. Before listening, select the most probable answer (A, B or C) for each item.
Now listen to the conversation and check the information on the form.
Now listen again and read the transcript.
In this group of exercises you will revise and practise numbers.
To fill in forms successfully in the listening subtest you will need to understand numbers you hear. In English, there are two ways of numbering things:
(i) cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3.../one, two, three...) (ii) ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd.../ first, second, third...)
1. Revising numbers.
Revise cardinal and ordinal numbers. Put the words in the gaps to complete the table. The first line has been done for you. This exercise is in two parts. Scroll down to see the second part.
Part 1
Part 2
2. Ordinal numbers.
Type in the boxes to complete these notes describing some of the rules for forming ordinal numbers. (Base your answers on the information in the table in exercise 1.)
3. Telephone numbers.
TIP: When telephone numbers are spoken in English, the speaker will usually put the numbers into groups of three or four. For example:
632 4153 = "six, three, two [pause] four, one, five, three"
If the same number appears twice together in a telephone number, we tend to say "double-___":
662 4711 = "double-six, two [pause] four, seven, double-one"
If the same number appears together three times in a telephone number, we tend to say "triple-___":
445 6667 = "double-four, five [pause] triple-six, seven"
To indicate that a number or address is unfinished, the speaker will be likely to finish a phrase or "chunk" of numbers on a rising tone; when the number is finished, the tone will fall.
As you hear each phone number, decide whether the speaker has finished or not finished.
4. Telephone numbers.
Listen to the following short conversations and select the telephone number that is said.
In this group of exercises you will revise and practise the alphabet and spelling aloud.
It is important that you are able to recognise and note down words that are spelt for you, for example, when filling out a form.
1. The alphabet: The names of the letters.
Listen to the names of the letters. Look at the examples. Put the letters in the correct box.
Examples:
| /ai/ example = I, y | /əʊ/ example = o | /a:/ example = r |
2. Spelling.
English spelling can be very difficult and surprising! There are, however, some words - even names - that are spelt "as they sound". If a name in the IELTS exam is a common name, or it is spelt as it sounds, it is possible that it will not be spelt for you in the recording; in this case, you will have to guess the spelling.
Listen to the following names and choose the most probable spelling for each one. (Remember, in many cases, there are different possible spellings.)
NOTE: Some of the other spellings of names are also possible, but they are less common, and therefore, if these were the correct answers based on a listening text, the names would be spelt aloud. These other possibilities include:
Questions 1, 3, 7, 8: answer B
Questions 2, 4, 5: answer A
3. Before you listen.
As mentioned at the start of this section, it is important to read the questions and to think about possible answers and the information needed before you listen. Read the form below and select the most likely answer - is it going to be a number, a name, a time, etc.?
4. Form completion.
Now listen and fill in the correct answers.
Now listen again and read the transcript.
In this group of exercises you will review the note completion task type.
1. Before you listen.
As mentioned in previous sections, listening and making notes will be easier if you first predict what kind of information you are listening for.
Look at the information in the table. Select the most likely answers from the options.
Now listen and check your answers in the table. Change the answers that you predicted if necessary, before you check them.
2. Note completion.
Now listen again and complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Now listen again and read the transcript.