IELTS-Blog

Continuing the previous post, here comes

Listening Tip # 4 - Answer as you listen

What I mean here is that you need to listen and write the answer at the same time.
Make no mistake - it is not a very natural thing for you, so you have to practice a lot in it.
The reason you have to “answer as you listen” is that you immediately forget the sentences after you have heard them. This is what stress, foreign language, constant flow of information does - it makes you forget. After hearing the third sentence you won’t be able to repeat the first. It means that when any part of Listening is over - you won’t be able to remember any of answers. So write them as you hear them, leave nothing for later.

Answer Sheet is a very important piece of paper.

First of all, your score for Reading and Listening tests is calculated based on what you have written on it - only! It means that if you’ve got all the Reading/Listening test answers right but didn’t copy them from the booklet to the Answer Sheet, you score ZERO for the whole Reading/Listening test. I have read in IELTS official site that you can request later that they check your booklet for answers, but honestly - who needs the head ache?

Second, it is best that you look at it before you go to take IELTS because it has this certain structure you need to be familiar with. There are 2 sides you must fill, one for Listening and the other one for Reading answers and they look very much alike. It is very easy to mix them and start writing answers on the wrong side, so check and see what’s printed above the table with answer numbers 1-40, “IELTS Listening Answer Sheet” or “IELTS Reading Answer Sheet”.

Third, when you are training (with clock) for IELTS, you should include in your practice copying your answers to the Answer Sheet. This way you imitate the whole IELTS process better and get used to dividing your time correctly.

So here use this link to PDF file from IELTS official site, open it, go to page 8 and see for yourself what IELTS Answer Sheet looks like - click here.