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IELTS Listening Strategy – 5 Steps to a Higher Score

In this IELTS listening strategy video lesson, I discuss 5 steps that you can take to improve your IELTS listening score: predicting the topic, finding keywords, listening for synonyms and antonyms, always staying focused, and previewing instead of reviewing.

The sample test from this video can be found here: http://www.ielts.org/usa

Step 1: Predict the Topic

  • Use the title, content, & any pictures to guess the topic immediately.
  • This will help you to predict the kind of language that you will need.
  • Don’t worry if you don’t know much about the topic. Just get ready for related vocabulary.
Look at the title and style of the test page to mentally prepare

Step 2: Find the Keywords in Each Question

  • Look for the most important words in each question.
  • Underline them, circle them, whatever you need to do.
  • Don’t forget about the answer choices for multiple choice.
In the IELTS listening test, highlighting key words can be very useful.

Step 3: Listen for Synonyms and Antonyms

  • The person speaking doesn’t always use the same words.
  • You need to listen for synonyms (different ways of saying the same word).
  • And also antonyms (saying the opposite).
Listen for different ways to say numbers, for example.

Step 4: Always Stay Focused

  • There is no time on IELTS listening for you to lose focus.
  • Don’t worry if you miss a question. Focus on the next question.
  • Sometimes you may need to refocus. During these times, just take a deep breath and get back to it.

Step 5: Don’t Review. Preview!

  • The listening test gives you time to review your answers.
  • Instead of going back, focus on previewing the next questions.
  • Previewing will include reading the questions/answers and looking for the keywords.

That’s it for IELTS Listening Strategy!

If you follow these five strategies, your IELTS listening score will improve. They may seem simple, but IELTS listening strategy can be the difference between getting the score you need and missing it. For more IELTS listening lessons, click here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Thanks it was an interesting and helpful video.I have some question regarding while i am answering the question. For example, while writing number of years, should i go with ‘9 years’ or ‘nine years’. also capital letters matter??

    Reply

  8. This is really helpful. I lost concentration towards the end of the listening test , so wasn’t able to write questions 47-40 . It was devastating for me. Actually , I was waiting to hear a synonym for “bureaucratic” and l didn’t know what happened till the end ofthe test. Though l scored 7.5, I could have scored higher if I had concentrated more. Thanks.

    Reply

  9. This is really helpful. I lost concentration towards the end of the listening test , so wasn’t able to write questions 37-40 . It was devastating for me. Actually , I was waiting to hear a synonym for “bureaucratic” and l didn’t know what happened till the end ofthe test. Though l scored 7.5, I could have scored higher if I had concentrated more. Thanks.

    Reply

  10. It was great especially in this aspect of preview instead of review it is really an eye opener.thanks alot.i Wil be writing my ielts 1st December

    Reply

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