Skill guide 3 of 4
Listening
Listening is the fastest skill to raise. It is marked by counting correct answers, and most lost marks come from three fixable things: paraphrase you didn't recognise, distractors, and careless spelling or word-limit errors.
Correct answers to band
Approximate conversion. It shifts by a mark or so from test to test. For an overall 9, aim for 39 or more (band 9). 35 is band 8.
| Correct out of 40 | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 32–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–31 | 7.0 |
| 26–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–25 | 6.0 |
| 18–22 | 5.5 |
| 16–17 | 5.0 |
The four sections
| Section | Situation | Typical questions | What makes it hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two people, everyday: booking, enquiry, registration | Form or note completion | Spelling names, numbers, dates |
| 2 | One speaker, everyday: tour, facility, local event | Map or plan labelling, multiple choice | Following directions in real time |
| 3 | 2–4 people, academic: students and a tutor | Multiple choice, matching | Speakers change their minds; every option is mentioned |
| 4 | One speaker, academic lecture, no pause | Note or sentence completion | Speed, topic vocabulary, stamina |
Question types and how to handle them
- Form, note, table completion. Read the gap and predict the word type: a number, a name, a plural noun. Check the word limit before the audio starts.
- Multiple choice. Underline the difference between the options, not what they share. Expect all of them to be mentioned.
- Matching. Read the list of options until you know it well. The audio follows the order of the questions, not the options.
- Map or plan labelling. Find "You are here" and the entrance first. Follow the route with your pencil.
- Sentence completion and short answers. The answer must fit the grammar of the sentence. Use the exact words you hear.
Band 5.5 to 6.018–22 → 23–25 correct
Stop losing easy marks
What holds you back
- You start reading the questions when the audio starts.
- Spelling and number mistakes in Section 1.
- You panic after missing one answer and lose the next three.
What to do
- Use every pause to read ahead and predict the type of answer.
- Drill spelling of names, numbers, dates and addresses until it is automatic.
- If you miss an answer, leave it and listen for the next one.
Band 6.0 to 7.023–25 → 30–31 correct
Hear the paraphrase, ignore the distractor
What holds you back
- You wait for the words in the question. The audio uses different words.
- You write the first option you hear, then the speaker corrects it.
- Section 3 multiple choice costs you 3–5 marks.
What to do
- After every test, replay with the transcript and mark where each answer was spoken.
- Keep a paraphrase log: question words on the left, audio words on the right.
- Listen for signals: "actually", "I'm not sure about that", "let's go with".
Band 7.0 to 8.030–31 → 35–36 correct
Stamina and zero careless errors
What holds you back
- Section 4 runs for about 10 minutes with no break, and your focus drops.
- Right word, wrong form: a missing plural or an extra word over the limit.
- Unfamiliar academic topics (biology, history, engineering).
What to do
- Listen to one lecture or documentary podcast every day.
- Use the careless-error checklist from Lesson 7 on every test.
- Do dictation from Section 4 audio to train weak forms and word endings.
Band 8.0 to 9.035–36 → 39–40 correct
Perfect accuracy under pressure
What holds you back
- One or two slips per test: a plural, a spelling, a misheard number.
- Section 4 words you half know (scientific or technical).
- Focus drops in the last ten minutes.
What to do
- Listen to native-speed academic audio every day: lectures, BBC Radio 4, podcasts at 1.25× speed.
- Transcribe one minute of Section 4 a day until you write it perfectly.
- In every mock, check grammar, spelling and word limit for each answer before moving on.
Common traps
- Self-correction. "The meeting is on the 14th… sorry, the 15th." The second one is the answer.
- Word limit. "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS" means three words is wrong, even if the meaning is right.
- Plurals. "Visitors should bring their own ___." If you hear "boots", "boot" is wrong.
- Numbers that sound alike. 15 and 50, 13 and 30. Stress tells you: fifTEEN, FIFty.
- Computer-delivered test. You type answers as you go and get only 2 minutes to check at the end. On paper you get 10 minutes to transfer answers.
Ready to practise your Listening?
Play your teacher’s Listening tasks and see your score and the right answers at once.
Go to Listening tasks