One of the most overlooked yet highly effective strategies for achieving an 8+ band score in the IELTS Listening test is using the time wisely to check your answers. You are given some time between sections and at the end of the test to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. While this may seem like a simple task, it’s actually a golden opportunity to ensure that you’ve answered questions correctly, and to spot any mistakes that might have occurred during the test. This tip is critical, especially when aiming for high-band scores.
✅ Why Checking Your Answers Is Crucial
In the IELTS Listening test, mistakes can happen easily—whether you misheard a word, made a typographical error, or got distracted by the speed or accent of the speakers. When you’re working at high speed and under pressure, it’s common to overlook small errors. That’s why having time to double-check your answers is one of the most important aspects of test strategy. By reviewing your responses, you can fix any spelling errors, check for missing information, and ensure your answers make sense in the context of the conversation.
🧠 How to Effectively Check Your Answers
Here’s how you can make the most of your time to check your answers during the IELTS Listening test:
- Use the 30 Seconds Before Each Section
- Tip: During the brief 30-second interval before each section begins, read through the upcoming questions. This gives you a chance to anticipate the types of answers you’ll need to listen for. This not only helps you stay focused but also gives you time to identify possible problem areas that you should pay extra attention to while listening.
- Example: If you notice that a question asks about specific numbers or dates, mentally prepare yourself to focus on hearing and noting down the precise details.
- During the Listening, Quickly Note Potential Mistakes
- Tip: If you think you’ve made a mistake while listening, jot down a quick note in your question booklet. For example, if you’re unsure about a particular word or number, write down a “?” next to the question. This will remind you to revisit it during the check phase.
- Example: If you’re listening to a speaker who says a location and you’re unsure of the name, put a “?” in your booklet and continue. You can always cross-check the spelling or double-check the word later when you have more time.
- Use the Time Between Sections for Answer Checking
- Tip: Between sections, you typically get a few seconds to glance over your answers. This is your chance to spot obvious mistakes and ensure that you’ve written down the correct answer for each question.
- Example: Quickly review your answers and check for spelling errors, missing words, or incomplete answers. If you’re unsure about any answer, take a moment to confirm the correct spelling or to see if you’ve misunderstood the audio.
- Review the End-of-Test Transfer Time
- Tip: At the end of the test, you are given around 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the question booklet to the official answer sheet. Use this time wisely! While transferring, carefully check each answer for accuracy, including spelling, number formatting, and any possible mistakes.
- Example: When transferring answers for a number-based question (e.g., a phone number or address), make sure the sequence of digits is correct. If a question asks for a name, ensure you’ve spelled it properly.
- Focus on Common Mistakes
- Tip: It’s useful to be aware of common mistakes that candidates often make in the IELTS Listening test, such as missing a plural form, failing to notice a preposition, or misinterpreting homophones. During your answer-checking time, be extra vigilant for these frequent issues.
- Example: If your answer was “book,” check to see if the recording actually said “books” or “the book.” Even slight variations in wording can change the meaning and the answer.
🧠 Common Areas to Focus on When Checking Your Answers
- Spelling Errors
- Tip: Pay close attention to spelling as this is a common area where candidates lose marks. In the IELTS Listening test, you need to spell the answers correctly. If you misspell an answer, even if it’s phonetically correct, it will be marked as wrong.
- Example: If the audio mentions the word “restaurant,” but you write “resturant,” it will be marked incorrect.
- Plural vs. Singular
- Tip: Ensure that you’re using the correct singular or plural forms when necessary. This is another frequent issue in the IELTS Listening test.
- Example: If the audio mentions “two books” and you write “book,” your answer will be wrong. Always listen carefully to determine whether the speaker used a singular or plural noun.
- Numbers and Dates
- Tip: Numbers are often a tricky part of the IELTS Listening test. Check that dates, addresses, phone numbers, or amounts are correctly recorded in the format the test expects.
- Example: If the answer is “20th June,” ensure you write the date in the correct format (e.g., “20 June” or “20th June”). Pay attention to any numerical patterns or formats the speakers use.
- Correct Articles (a, an, the)
- Tip: The articles “a, an, and the are often tricky. Make sure to check for their use when transferring answers, as incorrect use of articles can lead to a wrong answer.
- Example: If the speaker says “the book on the table,” but you wrote “a book,” it would be incorrect.
- Misheard or Overlooked Words
- Tip: If you are unsure about a word you heard, double-check it. Mishearing or overlooking words can easily lead to wrong answers. Listen for context and check your answers for potential gaps.
- Example: If you’re unsure about the answer and have written something like “uncertain,” it’s worth reviewing your notes to ensure that “certain” or a different word was not used.
💡 Example Scenario: Answer Checking
Let’s walk through an example of using your checking time effectively:
- During the Listening:
You hear the audio, and the speaker talks about a phone number. You quickly write down “+44 206 84845” but wonder if you missed a digit. - Using the Transfer Time:
As you move to the 10-minute transfer period, you review your answer. You notice that the number is missing a digit. You correctly transfer it to “+44 206 848 4845.” - Final Review:
Before you finish, you take one last moment to look over all your answers, ensuring all numbers are correct, spellings are accurate, and articles are properly used.
📌 Final Thoughts
Use your available time wisely to check your answers during and after the test. This is an effective way to increase your chances of achieving a higher band score. Answer checking may seem like a small task, but it can make a significant difference when trying to avoid unnecessary mistakes and improve the accuracy of your responses.
🔁 Tip in a nutshell:
“Use the available time to check your answers for common mistakes such as spelling, plural forms, and numbers. A final review can make all the difference!”
