IELTS Listening: 7 traps that cost students marks

IELTS Listening has four parts and 40 questions, and each recording is played once only. Most lost marks do not come from difficult English. They come from a small number of predictable traps. Learn to recognise them and your score can rise quickly.

1. The speaker changes their mind

In Part 1 especially, a speaker often gives one answer and then corrects it: “We’ll arrive on the fourteenth… oh no, actually, the fifteenth.” Always wait for the final answer before you write.

2. Distractors in multiple choice

Often all three options are mentioned, but only one matches the question. Listen for words such as “but”, “however” and “actually”, which often come just before the correct answer.

3. Spelling

A word that is misspelled is marked wrong. Names and addresses are usually spelled out letter by letter, so practise writing letters quickly as you hear them, and learn to spell common topic words correctly.

4. Singular and plural

If the speaker says “knots”, writing “knot” may lose the mark. Check whether the sentence before the gap needs a plural.

5. Word limits

If the instructions say ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, an answer of two words is wrong, even if it is correct. Read the instructions for every group of questions.

6. Numbers, times and dates

Prices, times and phone numbers appear in almost every Part 1. Practise until you can write “£640” or “10.30” instantly without thinking.

7. Losing your place

If you miss an answer, leave it and move on immediately. Missing one question is far better than missing the next three while you worry about it.