How to get 8 bands in IELTS Listening?
As you move to an English speaking country to embark on your journey to a new university or workplace, a wide variety of people will interact with you. The IELTS Listening test simulates such an environment to evaluate your potential to comprehend an individual's verbal expressions. Achieving 8 bands validates that your English proficiency is comparable to a native English speaker. However, acquiring this certification is at the expense of strategic planning and this article is focused specifically on that.
The test consists of 4 sections with the difficulty level increases in ascending order. The first two sections are based on social situations with the former having one speaker and the latter having two speakers. The third part is an academic group discussion and the last one is an academic lecture. You will have to answer 40 questions in 30 minutes and will receive 2 minutes for revising. Additional 10 minutes are given for paper-based test-takers to transfer the answers to the answer sheet. Also, this exam is common for both General Training and Academic IELTS.
Here's an easy guide for you to work your way up to get Band 8.0 in IELTS Listening -
Predict the Answer
As soon as you receive the question paper, read the questions carefully and try to predict if the answer is a name, place, event, verb, adjective or any other word. This will help you point out the keywords when you listen to the recording. You must understand that it is not just a listening test and requires you to read, listen, and write, all at the same time. So, predicting the words can allow you to recognize the possible answers while listening, thereby increasing your ability to multi-task.
Practice Active Listening
Listen to Podcasts, TedTalks, Radio and watch TV Shows and YouTube videos on a daily basis for a stipulated period of time to improve your listening power. You can work on areas like vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and accent to make the best out of it. It is advisable to familiarize with British, Canadian, American, New Zealand, and Australian accents during this process. Make a note of the words that you were not able to understand and review them regularly to remember their meaning and pronunciation.
Pay attention to Questions
Questions will principally help you follow the talk and guide you to find the answers. Use the reading time effectively to understand the questions and decide who the speaker might be or what the topic could be. This will allow you to cull out specific information from the recording. The type of questions that you will encounter during IELTS Listening includes Multiple Choice, Map Completion, Diagram Labelling, Form Completion, Flow Chart Completion, Note Completion, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion, Short Answer Questions, and Table Completion. Reading through them will aid you in identifying what kind of information you require.
Prepositions, Plurals, and Spelling
Prepositions, plurals, and spellings can change the meaning of a word completely. You might have understood a line correctly but missing out on these can deduct your points because it changes the overall meaning. For instance, if the answer is 'Municipalities' and you write 'Municipality', you will lose marks. Always be sure of writing the correct spelling otherwise, the examiner will mark you wrong even if you wrote the right answer.
Listen till the End
It is a tempting mistake to immediately conclude an answer when your prediction relates to a line in the recording. You must listen until the end to avoid such mistakes. For instance, a person might ask someone to come for a meeting at a specific place but there can be a twist to that conversation that might cancel the meeting or change the place by the end of the recording. So, always listen to the whole recording before you finalize your answer.
Bonus Tip: The recordings are played only once, so you need to utilize this time to the maximum extent to decipher the important points.
Understanding Beyond the Surface Meaning
Use your analytical skills to understand components like irony and sarcasm by interpreting intonation patterns. Contextual understanding gives you a better idea of what the speaker is trying to imply in the recording. It is also useful to look at a situation with a different perspective as it can help you predict what you might hear.
Grammar and Vocabulary
A strong vocabulary coupled with an impeccable command over grammar definitely provides you with a competitive advantage. Aiming for band 8 requires you to invest time in these aspects and simple tricks will not help you if you don't have concrete knowledge of these areas.
Conclusion
Now that you know the most effective ways to get Band 8.0 in IELTS Listening, it's time to practice and experience their effectiveness! Sign Up and receive free IELTS Practice Tests and Study Material straight to your inbox!
Related Posts
How to get Band 8 in IELTS Reading?
IELTS Reading: True, False, Not Given Tips & Tricks
