The four parts
The Listening test has 40 questions in four parts and takes about 30 minutes. You hear each recording once.
- Part 1: an everyday conversation between two people, often booking something or giving details. Usually form or note completion.
- Part 2: one speaker in an everyday context, such as a tour or a talk about local facilities. Often a map or plan, or multiple choice.
- Part 3: a discussion between two or three people in an academic setting, such as students and a tutor.
- Part 4: a lecture by one speaker on an academic topic, usually with note completion.
On the computer-delivered test you get 2 minutes at the end to check your answers. On paper you get 10 minutes to transfer them to the answer sheet.
Accents you will hear
The test uses a range of English accents, including British, Australian, North American and others. Many students in Dhaka are most used to American English from films and online video, or to Bangladeshi and South Asian English from teachers. British and Australian voices can feel faster at first, especially in Part 4.
Our 88 practice sets are recorded with British voices, which helps you tune your ear to the pronunciation, vowel sounds and rhythm that many students find hardest. Add variety by listening to international news and podcasts from different countries.
Spelling and numbers
These are the easiest marks to lose. A correct answer spelt wrongly is wrong.
- Commonly misspelt words: accommodation, environment, government, necessary, library, separate, Wednesday, February. Practise them until they are automatic.
- British vs American spelling: both are usually accepted, but be consistent and check the word you hear.
- Numbers and dates: "fifteen" and "fifty", "thirteen" and "thirty". Listen for the stressed syllable. Dates like "the 3rd of March" are often written as 3 March or March 3.
- Letters spelt aloud: practise names and postcodes. Some speakers in the test say "double S" or "double T".
Maps, plans and question order
Map questions in Part 2 trip up many students. Before the audio starts:
- Find where you are on the map (often marked "You are here" or an entrance).
- Read the labels and notice which direction is north, if shown.
- Listen for direction language: "opposite", "next to", "on your left as you come in", "at the far end", "just past".
Students who grew up in Dhaka sometimes give directions by landmark rather than by left and right, which is natural locally but slower in the test. Practise following spoken directions step by step.
Answers come in order
In almost every question set, the answers follow the order of the questions. If you miss one, move on immediately and listen for the next. Losing one answer is fine; losing three because you were still thinking about the first is not.
Common errors among Dhaka students
- Writing more words than allowed. If the instructions say "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS", three words is wrong.
- Missing plurals: "book" instead of "books".
- Writing what you expect rather than what you hear, especially in Part 1 forms.
- Not reading ahead. Use every pause to read the next questions.
- Practising with phone speakers in a noisy room. Dhaka flats can be loud, with traffic, construction and neighbours. Use headphones, as the computer-delivered test does.
Practising with headphones in a busy city
IELTS Listening practice in Dhaka needs concentration, so choose your time. Early morning or late evening is quieter in most of Dhaka. Use over-ear headphones if you can, and do a full set in one go without pausing.
Your commute can still help. On the Metro Rail or in a car stuck in traffic around Farmgate or Banani, listen to English podcasts to build general comprehension. Then do the scored practice at home.
How IELTS Learning helps
Our IELTS Listening practice follows the real test closely.
- 88 Listening sets covering Parts 1 to 4: forms, maps and plans, multiple choice, two- and three-speaker discussions and lectures.
- Instant scores and a review of every question.
- Charged sets with faster speech and harder distractors for students aiming at band 7 and above.
- Mistake Notebook, which saves every wrong answer for later review.
As a guide, band 7 in Listening needs roughly 30 out of 40. Try free sample Listening sets, then check your raw score with the free Band Score Calculator. Full Access is $12 for 2 months.