There are traps on the IELTS Listening test!
These traps will lower your score!
But don’t worry.
We’ll show you how to identify them and how to avoid them in today’s episode.
Today we’ll show you the 5 things that could hurt your score on the Listening test.
Top 5 IELTS Listening Traps:
Trap #1) Trying to figure out your score while you are taking the test: If you are doing this then you are not paying attention to the listening and you are not identifying key words, listening for them, and listening for the answer. If you use too much mental space trying to calculate your score you will lose points! Don’t do it.
Trap #2) Writing your answer and second guessing yourself: Don’t doubt your answer. Go with your first thoughts. If you write an answer and then go back and change it then it’s probably going to be wrong. If you do this you will miss the next answer. The test doesn’t stop for you. You will lose points if you do this. If you MUST change your answer, you will have time to change it later.
Trap #3) Not following the test instructions and the strategies: You are not smarter than the test. The test will tell you exactly what to do. Follow the steps. Some teachers have different advice here. Some teachers tell you to use the answer checking time to look ahead at the next group of questions. We don’t believe that you should skip ahead and do this. You need the time to check your answers. You will be able to catch spelling, grammar, and logic mistakes.
Trap #4) Taking notes while you’re listening: IELTS is not TOEFL. On TOEFL you take notes but on IELTS you don’t. You do not have the time. If you take notes you will be missing the next answers. Do not take notes. Make sure you work with an IELTS professional who will give you the right advice on this.
Trap #5) Stressing out because you don’t understand every word you hear: Even native speakers don’t understand every word that they hear in English. You just need to get the answers. IELTS won’t surround the answer with so many tough words that it’s impossible to understand. You will understand enough to get the answers. Don’t waste time stressing about this.
Try to find listening practice that you enjoy in your free time.
That will give you the confidence that you need on test day.
Have you fallen into any of these Listening traps?
Let us know in the comments below. What will you do differently next time?
