Listening – Session 1 – Introduction to IELTS Listening

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a standardized test used to assess the English language proficiency of non-native speakers. Even though most candidates are non-native speakers, native speakers can also take the exam for the purposes of their own, such as teaching.

There are two types of IELTS, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. IELTS Academic is for academic purposes, such as applying for university programs. IELTS General Training is for migration purposes. Migrants to the UK can take IELTS UKVI (Academic or General Training) depending on the requirements of the institutions they aim to join. There are some differences in the format of IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. You can take their IELTS exam on paper (Paper-delivered exam) or on a computer (Computer-delivered exam). At the moment, IELTS has allowed a few countries to organize the IELTS academic exams entirely online.

The IELTS Listening test is one part of the overall IELTS exam and is designed to assess your ability to understand spoken English in a variety of settings and contexts. The listening test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training.

The IELTS listening test consists of 4 sections, each containing 10 questions. The sections are based on recordings of monologues (a long speech by one person) and conversations that take place in a range of settings, including academic, social, and workplace contexts. The recordings are played once, and you are given a question paper and an answer sheet (if taking the paper-delivered exam) or a computer with questions (if taking the computer-delivered exam) and, in some countries, stationery such as draft papers and pencils.

The duration of the IELTS listening test is 30 minutes. If taking a paper-delivered exam, you are also given 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the answer sheet. If taking a computer-delivered exam, you are asked to give your answers on the computer as you listen, and no transfer time is given. During the IELTS Listening test, you are not allowed to pause, use the restroom, or go out of the examination room.

You are assessed on a 9-band scale, with scores ranging from 0 (non-user) to 9 (expert user). The scores are based on a combination of the number of correct responses and your ability to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the recordings.

See the estimations of calculated scores in the table below.