Listening Practice

In this post, we will take a look at how you can practice using your listening skills so that you can be super successful in the IELTS Listening test.

There are 5 main tips that you can follow to make sure that you are improving not only your listening skills but also your General English.  

Take a look and try out the practice exercises!


1. Give It Your Full Attention

When you listen to something, a practice test, youtube videos, audiobooks or podcasts etc, try to be fully focused on what you are hearing. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted. If you have other things on your mind and you tend to zone in and out, try to sort out things you need to do before you start your listening practice and preparation. 

When listening, pay your full attention to the words used and the tone of voice. This will help you to find out the information you need. 

Listen to the TED Talk below and think about the following questions >>

  • What story does the speaker tell about his sister?
  • What is the reason he wakes up every morning?
  • How do people measure their happiness?
  • What examples does the speaker give to support his points?
  • Should we work harder in order to be happy?


2. Pick Up Key Points

Many people lose focus when someone has been talking for more than one minute. It is really easy for our attention to drift away and start thinking about other things, making us miss out on information the speaker has given. 

Try to stay focussed and listen out for key points the speaker is giving to you. For example, if you are listening to a TED talk, think about the key points you have heard and make some notes.

Listen to the TED Talk below and think about the key points >> 


3. Practice Active Listening 

Focus completely on whatever you are listening to and what the person is saying. A good exercise to do for practice is to sit down with a friend and practice giving feedback on what they have been saying. You should focus on their words, grammar and how they give you their information. Doing this will make you think about the information they are giving you in much more depth, focus on the specifics.

Active listening will help you to think about understanding pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and structure. 

Listen to the TED Talk below and think about the following >> 

  • Pronunciation
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Structure


4. Be Curious

Be a curious learner and listen to more than just the IELTS practice tests. Look for opportunities to practice your listening skills in other places, such as listening to podcasts, TED talks, the news, tv shows, documentaries or audiobooks. Always be on the lookout for interesting things you can listen to.

Take a look at the links below and listen to some great content:


5. Recognise Opinion and Attitude

When you listen to a TED talk or the news, for example, think about the views of the speaker, how do they feel about the issues? What are their thoughts on the subjects that are being discussed? Being able to recognise the attitude and opinion of the speaker are necessary to be successful in the IELTS Listening Test.

Look out for the language they use to convey their opinions to the audience and how you pick up on that, what type of vocabulary do they use? How do they tell the audience what they think?

Watch the video below from TED Talks, can you answer the following questions?

  • How does the speaker feel about the refugee crisis?
  • What language does the speaker use to convey his opinions to the audience?
  • What do you notice about the vocabulary he uses?
  • How does he tell you what he thinks?  

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