1. IELTS Listening.
Types of questions:
a. Short answer questions
b. Note and table completion
c. Matching questions
Monday, 14 august 2023

2. Short answer
questions
Example question.

3. Short answer questions
Pre-listening strategy
a. Understand and follow the instructions. Check how many
words/numbers you need to use.
b. Read through the questios to get the idea of the context. (20 sec)
c. Highlight key words in the questions.
d. Predict: anticipate the type of answer (e.g. places, nouns, …) you
may hear and think of possible answers.
Remember! All the answers will be in order as the listening.

4. Note/Table
completion
Example questions:

5. Table completion
In table completion tasks in IELTS listening, there are row or column
headings which tell the test taker the TYPE of information they are
looking for.

6. Note/Table completion
Pre-listening strategy:
a. Survey the questions to get an idea of context.
b. Read the instruction carefully to check the number of items per gap.
c. Look closely at headings or prompt words to identify the type of
information that is missing.
d. Look closely around the gaps to identify the part of speech that’s
missing.
e. Look at the other examples on the page to see HOW to write the
answer.
f. Predict possible logical answers.

7. Keeping up with the speaker: Identifying
signposting expressions
While listening strategy
• Listen out for key words from the questions/synonyms of these to
help you identify when it’s time to move on to the next question.
• Draw attention to the field headings. The speaker will use signposting
expressions to move from topic to topic.

8. Matching
questions
Example question:

9. Matching questions
An overall strategy
a. Use the time before the audio recording starts to read the instructions carefully and check if you must use
the options once only or can use them more than once, and to think about the context of the conversation,
and the number of speakers and their roles in the conversation.
• Also think about the differences between voices e.g. male or female, young or old, deep or high. This will
help them to focus on the speaker who is most likely to provide the information you need to answer the
questions.
b. First, read the answers (i.e. A, B and C) and underline the key words. Think of synonyms or other ways the
key words might be expressed.
c. Then look at the questions (i.e. 21-25). Remember that you will hear these in the same order as the audio
recording.
d. Listen carefully for the first option (e.g. Media Studies) to be mentioned and remember to focus on which
speaker is most likely to provide the answer.
e. Make a note of the answer on the test paper if you are doing the test on paper, or put the answer in the
answer box on the computer screen.
f. Remember you have 10 minutes at the end of the test on paper to transfer your answers or 2 minutes to
check your answers if you are doing the test on computer.

10. Follow-up activities
Use the audio scripts to:
• locate answers.
• identify how an answer is being ‘signalled’.
• note the use of synonyms or rephrasing of the words in the
questions.