The Listening test and how to prepare
What happens in each part, and the habit that matters most: predicting.
12 minutes · A free lesson from Listening
The Listening test has four parts and 40 questions, and you hear each recording once. The questions follow the order of the recording, so when you hear the answer to question 3, question 4 is next.
| Part | Speakers | Typical situation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two people | An everyday conversation — booking, renting, enquiring |
| 2 | One person | A talk about everyday life — a tour, local facilities, an event |
| 3 | Up to four people | Students and a tutor discussing an assignment or course |
| 4 | One person | A short lecture on an academic subject |
Quick check: The recording says "the cheaper option is the one on Tuesdays". The question asks for "the least expensive day". What is the answer?
- Tuesday
- The cheaper option
- It is not given
Show the answer
A: Tuesday — The words differ — "least expensive" and "cheaper" — but the meaning is the same. Listen for meaning, not for the words on the page.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: What should you do in the time before each part begins?
- Close your eyes and relax
- Read the questions and predict the answers
- Go back over the last part
Show the answer
B: Read the questions and predict the answers — Predict what kind of word fills each gap, and what you might hear instead of the words on the page.
Quick check: What should you do if you miss an answer?
- Wait for the speaker to repeat it
- Keep thinking about it until you remember
- Let it go and move to the next question
Show the answer
C: Let it go and move to the next question — Each recording is played once. Dwelling on one missed answer is how it becomes three.
Quick check: Which part is a short lecture on an academic subject?
- Part 4
- Part 1
- Part 2
Show the answer
A: Part 4 — Part 1 is an everyday conversation, Part 2 an everyday talk, Part 3 a discussion, and Part 4 a lecture.
Quick check: In what order do the questions come?
- The order of the recording
- A random order
- Hardest first
Show the answer
A: The order of the recording — When you hear the answer to question 3, question 4 is next.