Strategies to improve IELTS Listening skills

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Essential strategies to improve IELTS Listening skills

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam includes a listening section that tests your ability to understand spoken English. Many test takers find the listening section to be the most challenging part of the IELTS exam. However, with the right strategies and practice, you can significantly improve your listening skills and get the scores you need. Here are some of the most effective strategies to improve your IELTS listening skills:

TopicDetails
Introduction– Overview of the IELTS listening test format and scoring
Strategies for Success– Predicting content from prompts – Understanding discourse markers – Taking strategic notes – Managing time effectively – Reviewing answers
Building Core Skills– Improving pronunciation recognition – Expanding vocabulary – Tracking speech features like word stress and intonation – Processing faster speech – Parsing complex sentence structures
Getting Accustomed to Accents– Listening to speakers with various English accents – Recognizing different accent features – Building familiarity with accented speech
Practice with Actual Tests– Taking timed practice tests – Analyzing responses – Identifying areas for improvement
Tracking Progress– Regular testing to benchmark improvement – Feedback from instructors – Adjusting preparation based on results

1. Listen to English regularly

The absolute best way to improve your English listening comprehension is to listen to as much English as possible daily. Make it a habit to listen to English-language radio, podcasts, news broadcasts, movies, YouTube videos, and audiobooks. Over time, your listening skills will become sharper and English will sound more familiar to your ears.

2. Focus on daily conversations

Practice listening to casual English conversations between native speakers. Spoken English used in everyday conversations tends to be faster and more connected than other types of materials. Getting comfortable with understanding natural dialogues is essential preparation for the IELTS listening test. Good sources for conversational English include language learning podcasts, TV shows, and videos of people interacting.

3. Master pronunciation

Many listening difficulties come from not being able to distinguish different English sounds from each other. Spend time learning the pronunciation of English vowels and consonants. Understand how sounds change in connected speech. Learn about features like word stress, linking, reductions, and intonation.

4. Improve vocabulary

To understand spoken English well, you need to recognize the words being used. Build your vocabulary through reading, the use of dictionaries/apps, and vocabulary practice. Having a robust vocabulary will help you grasp the meaning of more spoken text easily. Learn common collocations and phrases that native speakers use frequently in everyday talk.

5. Take notes strategically

The IELTS listening test allows you to take notes as you listen. Take brief notes on keywords, names, dates, numbers, and main ideas. Don’t try to write down long sentences. Use abbreviations where appropriate. Coming up with your own shorthand notation can help you note down information more quickly. Review and organize your notes before moving to the next question.

6. Predict test content

Use the context, situation, question prompts, and visuals provided to predict the kind of information you will hear. This will help prepare your mind to listen for specific details. Scan the questions first to have a sense of what key points you should listen for in the audio.

7. Pay attention to discourse markers

Listen for phrases like “However”, “In addition”, “For example”, “As a result” etc. These discourse markers indicate the direction and flow of someone’s talk. Understanding them will help you follow the structure of what is being said. Make note of signpost language used by speakers.

8. Don’t get stuck on what you missed

Don’t let a few missed words or phrases prevent you from answering questions. Keep focused on listening to the ongoing content rather than dwelling on what you didn’t catch. The recording will not pause or repeat just because you missed something. Stay mentally agile to comprehend the rest.

9. Answer while listening

Use the time allowed during the recording to answer questions. You can usually determine the answer while the related information is being discussed. Don’t wait till the whole audio is finished before answering. Getting things down along the way will save you time recollecting points at the end.

10. Check your answers

Glance through the questions again after the recording ends. Use any remaining time to recheck your work. Make sure your answers correspond to the correct questions. Fix any silly mistakes. Change any answers you may have misheard or remembered incorrectly. This could help boost your score.

Improving your IELTS listening skills requires regular practice and using effective test-taking strategies. Learnovate Training Center is Best Training Center provides excellent coaching and preparation resources to help you achieve high IELTS listening band scores. Their instructors utilize proven methods and materials designed specifically for the exam. Learnovate is widely regarded as the best IELTS training institute in Dubai owing to its extensive experience, expert trainers, and high success rates. Join comprehensive IELTS classes at Learnovate to get fully ready for the demanding listening section of this high-stakes English exam.

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