If you’re struggling with IELTS Listening, especially in Part 1 and Part 3, you need to pay close attention. In my 11 years of teaching IELTS, I’ve seen clients repeatedly make the same mistakes, and many have told me that once they fixed them, their scores improved significantly.
In this post, I’ll share two of the biggest mistakes people make in IELTS Listening Part 1 and Part 3 and how to avoid them.
Understanding the Challenge in Part 1 and Part 3
In IELTS Listening Part 1 and Part 3, you typically hear conversations between two people—sometimes even three. A common challenge is that the question asks about Person A, but the information comes from Person B. This is where things can get tricky, and many test-takers fall into one of these two traps.
Mistake #1: Focusing Too Much on Person A
Many test-takers assume that since the question is about Person A, Person A must be the one giving the answer. As a result, they focus entirely on Person A and ignore Person B. However, in many cases, Person B is the one providing the key details. If you don’t listen to Person B, you might miss the answer entirely.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Pay attention to the entire conversation, not just the person the question is about.
Be aware that Person B might provide the necessary details.
Keep an open mind—don’t assume information will come from only one speaker.
Mistake #2: Answering Too Quickly
The second mistake happens when you recognize that the information is coming from Person B, and you immediately write down the answer without waiting for Person A to confirm it. This is risky because Person B might give incorrect or incomplete information, and Person A may later correct it.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Wait for Person A to confirm the details before you write your answer.
Listen for clarifications, corrections, or approvals from Person A.
Stay patient and don’t rush to answer as soon as you hear relevant information.
Final Tip: Active Listening is Key
In IELTS Listening, information is usually given only once. If you make either of these mistakes, you may miss the correct answer entirely. Train yourself to listen carefully to both speakers and ensure that the final confirmation comes from the correct person before writing your answer.
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By avoiding these two common mistakes, you can improve your accuracy and boost your IELTS Listening score.
Have fun learning!
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