IELTS Listening has 4 parts and 40 questions, played once. The six question types are multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form/note/table completion, sentence completion and short answer.
Strategy that raises your score
- Read ahead. Use the pauses to read the next set of questions and underline keywords.
- Predict the answer type — a number? a date? a name? — before you hear it.
- Write as you listen; transfer answers carefully at the end and watch spelling (a correct word spelled wrong is marked wrong).
Train your ear daily: listen to a 2-minute news clip and write a one-sentence summary. It builds the exact skill this section tests.