1. IELTS Listening: Form
Completion, MCQs, Matching
July 17, 2023

2. 1. Form
completion

3. 1. Completing a form
TIPS:
Before you listen
a. Predict what type of information you need to listen for. Ask yourself these questions:
• What is the subject of the answer? E.g. is it a name, a date, a country?
• What words fits grammatically? E.g. Is it a noun, a verb, an adjective, on an adverb?
• What is the function of the answer? E.g is it a comparison, a list, an instruction, a label, a question?
While you listen
a. It’s often a phone conversation.
b. Be careful of traps.

5. Completing a form: Addresses

6. 2. Multiple Choice Questions - MCQs

7. Multiple Choice - MCQs
TIPS:
Before you listen
a. Highlight key words in the stem of the question.
b. Look at the options a,b and c and think of synonyms or similar words and phrases as
you may not hear the exact words in the recording.
While you listen
a. You will probably hear words from all options but you have to keep listening to
ensure they select the correct option.
b. Don’t try to match words – but meaning.
c. Your task is to locate the key word(s) that will help you find the right answer.
d. Keep listening after you choose your answer. Sometimes the speaker adds more
information that changes the answer.
e. Be ready for next question – always look at the keywords for the next question.

8. Multiple Choice: single answer question

9. Multiple Choice with sentence stem
A beginning of a sentence with three endings possibilities. Only one
ending is correct.

10. Example question:
3. Matching Features
Questions

11. Matching feature 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.

12. Matching sentence fragments
Before you listen
a. Look at the instructions and questions and think what the
conversation is going to be about.
b. Look at the questions a-d again and quickly think of
similar words or phrases.
While you listen
a. Choose only one option A-D for each question.
TIPS:

13. A final tip