5 Common Mistakes In IELTS Listening & Tips To Avoid Them
By: Hiren Patel
Tags: Ielts Listening, Study Abroad, Ielts Coaching

5 Common Mistakes In IELTS Listening & Tips To Avoid Them

Do you find it difficult to improve your score on IELTS listening tests? Do you often make common mistakes in your listening test and can even correct them?

If so, we have a list of well-tested and helpful tips for you.

In IELTS listening tests, it can be difficult to keep up with the speed of recording multiple tasks by focusing, searching and ,writing responses at once! Plus, you only get to listen to the sound once and you can’t turn it off. This can make testing difficult and candidates often make common mistakes.

The following points will provide details on these common mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Ignoring The Instructions

There are instructions given in each listening section where it says how many words and numbers there may be in the answers in that section. Inspectors usually disregard these instructions.

Tip — Read all the instructions before each section carefully and write the answers correctly. Responses may vary according to the instructions provided. If the instructions say “No more than two words and/or number”, answer with a limitation.

2. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

You will be tested for your spelling and grammar. You can lose marks if you do not spell the place name, person or address again by making a grammatical mistake. Along with this, singular and plural errors are also very common.

Tip — For listening tests, you are given answers but you must pay attention and write the correct answer according to the question asked. When writing your answers, keep an eye on all punctuation marks, initial errors and pay attention to your spelling. Examine the noun form, whether in the singular or in the plural form, listen carefully for the plural ‘s’. This can really test your listening skills.

3. Understanding the Distractors and the traps

Candidates try to find the right words in the question to get the answer but to no avail. Many times in the audition test, they give incorrect information at first and then correct it, this is called interruption. Students are often unfamiliar with distractions and traps or are immersed in themselves.

Tip — Do not look for keywords in the questions because the speaker may be using the same close words to talk about the same thing and this may confuse you. So, understand the question and look for the correct answer without looking for a shortcut. Pay close attention while listening so that you do not fall into the trap of distraction.

4. Practice Listening test by Listening to it Only Once

According to the test format, you will be made to listen to the audio-only once. When students do not prepare well for exams, they often lose their minds or even lose their time.

Tip — During the listening test, you will be doing a lot of things; listening to the sound, searching for the answer, and writing the answer. In this case, you need undivided attention so it is important that you practice the listening phase by listening to the audio-only once.

5. Not Using Prediction Skills

Listening test also tests your basic understanding of the topic to be discussed in audio. Students are so focused on finding clues that they do not try to predict the answers while reading the questions in the short time they have been given.

Tip — If you have a short period of time to read the question before the sound starts and even while listening to the sound, you can predict these possible events — the type of answers you need to listen to and the exact information of the question. you need to find.

Along with this, underline keywords that can help predict answers. Pay attention to keywords, their synonyms, and the phrases that are used as you find your answer somewhere in that part of the sound.

IELTS compliance testing is not difficult but may be difficult. These tips will help you prepare for the exam and eventually you will achieve the points you desire. Keep practicing as much as you can and learn from your mistakes so that you can improve.

At Vihaan Overseas, certified counselors and specialists provide appropriate guidance to help students achieve their goals in IELTS. We offer gold tips and tricks so you don’t miss out on such common mistakes. Aside from this, regular practice and mock testing, systematic staff will help you do your best in a real test.