IELTS Listening: format & tips
Four recordings, 40 questions, about 30 minutes — and the audio plays once only. Success comes from reading ahead and predicting answers before you hear them.
How IELTS Listening works
You answer 40 questions while listening to four recordings, in about 30 minutes. The recordings get gradually harder and are played once only. It's identical for Academic and General Training.
On paper you get 10 extra minutes at the end to copy answers onto the answer sheet. On computer there's no transfer time — just a short review. About 30/40 ≈ band 7, 23/40 ≈ band 6 (approximate). See band scores →
The four recordings
They move from everyday situations to academic ones, and from conversations to monologues:
Recording 1 — everyday conversation
Two speakers in a social setting (e.g. booking something or arranging plans). Often form/detail completion.
Recording 2 — everyday monologue
One speaker on a daily-life topic, such as a talk about local facilities or an event.
Recording 3 — education conversation
Up to four people in a training or study context — for example, students and a tutor discussing an assignment.
Recording 4 — academic monologue
One speaker giving a university-style lecture on an academic subject — the hardest section.
The question types
Multiple choice
Choose the best option — distractors are common, so listen to the whole sentence.
Matching
Match items to a list of options as they're mentioned.
Plan / map / diagram labelling
Follow directions or descriptions to label a visual.
Form / note / table / flow-chart / summary completion
Fill gaps with what you hear — mind the word limit.
Sentence completion
Complete sentences using words from the recording.
⚠️ Watch the word limit
"No more than two words and/or a number" means exactly that — go over and the answer is wrong.
A reliable listening strategy
Use the pauses to read ahead
Before each section, read the questions and underline keywords so you know what's coming.
Predict the answer type
Is the gap a number, a name, a place, a time? Knowing this primes your ear.
Listen for paraphrase, not exact words
The recording rarely uses the same words as the question — listen for the meaning.
Never stop to dwell
If you miss one, let it go — the audio won't wait, and dwelling costs you the next answers.
Check spelling & word limits
A right answer spelt wrong scores zero. On paper, use the 10 transfer minutes to check carefully.
Train your ear daily with podcasts, news and lectures in English — variety of accents matters, since IELTS uses several.
Where to go next
Frequently asked questions
How long is Listening and how many questions?
Is the recording played twice?
Is Listening the same for Academic and General?
Does spelling matter?
Train your ear every day.
Do one full listening section a day under exam conditions and review the transcript afterwards.
Format, timing and question types are based on official British Council IELTS information. Raw-score-to-band figures are approximate and vary by test version. Always confirm details with your test centre.