In IELTS Listening (Both for General and Academic) There are 40 questions in total, divided into 4 sections containing 10 questions each. The listening tests last for 30 minutes plus 10 minutes extra is given to transfer your answers to the answer script (only on PBT).

The audio is played only once, you can write the answers on the question paper and scribble on the same as much as you want. (It is suggested to write on the question paper directly then to transfer the answers to the answer sheet.)

Listening - Computer Based VS Paper Based

• Paper Based
• Extra 10 minutes for transferring answers to answer sheet.
• More time to check and review answers.
• Easy to scribble answers and underline the key words.
• All answers fall in same order of audio.

• 2. Computer Based
• Only 2 min to check your answer.
• Have to type answer simultaneously while listening.

What to Expect in The Listening Section

Section 1: Section 1 of IELTS listening is usually a conversation among two. Typically, the conversation will involve a semi formal information exchange between the two people. To exemplify, a person might be placing an order over the phone, or confirming details for a hotel reservation. The topic will mostly be related to daily-life situation.

Section 2: Section 2 is usually a “monologue” (where one person do all the talking). This section will also come from a daily life situation. For example, a travel guide explaining a tour details or holiday spots to the visitors.

Section 3: Challenges begin now. There will be a conversation in this section, often among handful of people, about an academic topic. You might hear a few students discussing something from class, or a professor providing feedback about an assignment. This section contains complex vocabulary, which makes it difficult to decode.

Section 4: This section covers any topic from a typical college course. Special knowledge is not required of the subject but, the language definitely be difficult and the lecture will be complex. This is regarded as the toughest passage on the Listening exam for most students. (But with proper strategy can be cleared with flying colors.

Types of Questions Included in IELTS Listening

• Short Answer Type

• Sentence Completion

• Note Completion

• Multiple Choice

• Matching Type

• Map Completion

• Form Completion

1. Short Answer Type

• In this kind of question form you need to complete the sentences.

• The main strategy has to be understand the keywords and try to find out the synonyms.

• This question type will test your ability to answer a question within a certain word limit.

2. Sentence Completion

Sentence completion questions are a type of gap fill question where you must listen to the recording and fill in the missing words in the sentences to complete them.

Particular attention is to be given to the words that come before and after the gap to help you notice when the word is spoken.

Write the exact words, phrases or numbers that you hear in the gap on your question paper.

3. Notes Completion

In this type of question, you will be given a Form, note, table, flow-chart, summary, and asked to complete it by listening to a conversation between two people (usually about hotel reservation)

4. Map Labelling

You will be given a diagram which can demonstrate the parts of a machine, or phases of a process. “ALWAYS REMEMBER WHILE LABELLING THE DIAGRAM YOUR RIGHT WILL BE THE SPEAKER’S RIGHT.” The speaker in the recording will describe the diagram very clearly and logically so that you can understand it easily. In map labelling try to accustomed with the surroundings so that you can catch the clues and fill in the gaps.

5. Matching Type

Candidates are needed to match a list of items from the audio and are requested to match it with a set of options on the question paper. This a tricky set of questions, here the main strategy is to understand the key words and try to find out the synonyms in the audio as same words will be used by the person conversing.

6. Multiple Choice Questions

This is a most popular form of IELTS listening, wherein you have to thoroughly understand the question, find out the focus area and circle the key words. This category is the one where candidates face maximum trouble in solving, so this question type needs a lot of practice and right strategy. Try catching the question words in the audio and try to choose the option which completely agrees with the question.

There are two types of Multiple-Choice Questions:

• Multiple choice single answer – In this kind you need to give single out many.

• Multiple Choice multiple answers – Here you need to choose more than 1 answer from the options.

Precious Tips for Cracking Listening

If the question requires a plural answer, a singular answer is incorrect. This a common problem faced by many, their answer is wrong just because they have written plural instead of singular or vice versa. Always remember, your audio will have the clue weather to mark the answer singular or plural.

Transferring answers to the answer sheets is a tricky job, be very careful while doing this job as all your hard work can go in vain if wrong questions are marked.

Do not ignore the WORD LIMIT, also, more than two words doesn’t mean you need to write two words mandatory; it means you can write one word too, but can go up to maximum two words. Select smartly according to the context.

Croma Campus IELTS Listening Training Will Include:

• Step by step hand holding in all the question type, to make sure that there is no doubts left in any category.

• Authentic Cambridge IELTS Books.

• Recorded Videos/Audios of each type.

• 4 extra advanced level mock tests.

IELTS reading is comprised of 40 questions which needs to be decoded and answered in 60 minutes. There is no extra time given to transfer your answers to the answer script.

For academic IELTS candidates the reading passages are lengthy and they are three in number, while for General aspirants (who are applying for Permanent residence) the reading passages are shorter, easier and four in total.

There are varied types of questions asked in the Reading section of IELTS examination.

They are discussed one by one as follows:

1. True, False /Not Given

In this question type, the candidates are required to mark the question statements as True, False or not given. The main trick in this kind of questions is, if you find plenty of synonyms in the passage related to a question statement, then mark it as TRUE.

2. Completion Type

In completion type questions you need find out the missing piece of the puzzle. (ALWAYS ABIDE BY THE NUMBER OF WORDS ALLOWED TO FILL THE GAPS).

There are 6 sub parts of this category, namely:

• Fill Ups: In this category, the candidates are required to find the correct words to fill in the blanks provided. The major trick is to always understand the synonyms of the statement given and then locate it in the passage.

• Short Answer Type: In this category, test takers should answer the question statement in one or two words depending upon how much is allowed.

• Summary Completion: In this category, the candidates are required to complete the summary of a particular paragraph of the passage. Most of the times, the summary is of one single topic from the paragraph, not the whole passage.

• Diagram Completion: Diagram completion requires completing the pictorial representation by studying the passage and understanding the terminology of the given diagram.

• Flow Chart: Completing a flow chart is quite easy as step by step information is given in the passage, candidates just have to locate the first step, and rest will fall in a flow.

• Table Completion: In this question type, test takers need to complete the missing information of the given table by reviewing the passage.

3. Matching Type

In this category of questions candidates need to match the information given in the question statement by referring the passage given.

This category has 3 sub-types, namely:

• Matching Headings: This is the category where the test taker has to match the heading to each paragraph, which the former suits the most.

• Matching the Paragraphs with the Questions: This category is just the opposite to the above-mentioned category, as, in this question type, the candidate needs to find out which paragraph contains the given information, given as the question statement.

• Matching the Sentence Endings: This category requires that the test taker completes the question statement by matching it with the most suitable ending, as given in the passage.

4. Multiple choice questions

In this question type, test takers are given 3-4 options which seem to match the question statement and are bit tricky, the candidates have to find out the most suitable option after reading the information in the passage.

Hand Holding by The Trainer

In the Croma Campus IELTS Training sessions for reading, you will be introduced with the concept in detail and will be given the tricks and tips to crack the question easily and speedily.

In the beginning each question will be explained, after that, the aspirants are required to do rigorous practice in the class of each question type and then there will be mock tests.

IELTS speaking is held four to five days prior or after the actual exam date. It depends on the availability of the slots. The duration of the exam is maximum 15-20 minutes.

There are total three parts of speaking. Namely,

Part 1: Interview Round

It includes, One on one questions. The questions related to your Hometown, hobbies, Preferences of music, what is happiness for you, Work or study related questions etc.

There are in total 5-6 questions, which you need to answer in a short. This round’s duration is around 4-5 minutes.

Part 2: Cue Card Round

This is a very imperative part of the speaking test. In this round you will be given a random topic to speak upon and you will get 1 minute to prepare for the same. The examiner expects you to speak at least for 2 minutes. The major task is to be fluent and describe the topic completely. The bullet points help you to answer effectively, try to answer all fluently.

Sample Cue Card

Talk about a puzzle that you solved

• What kind of puzzle it was

• How long it took to complete it

• Weather it was difficult or easy

• How you felt about it

Part 3: Follow Up Round

In this round you will be asked 10- 12 questions based on the cue card topic. You need to answer these questions in a generalized manner, be specific and crisp. Avoid taking any sides or starting any religion specific or gender specific discussions that can lead to ambiguity.

Sample of Follow up Questions:

• Why do parents let their children play puzzles

• What kind of puzzles improve people’s intelligence

• Why are detective stories attractive to people

• Which do you think is better A detective movie or its original novel

In IELTS there are 2 writing tasks. The complete writing exam is for 1 hour. For writing task 1, 20min. are allotted and for writing task 2, 40 min. are given to the test takers.

Writing task 1 is different for Academic IELTS and General IELTS takers.

In academic IELTS exam, task 1 is report writing in 150 -180 words and for general IELTS exam, task 1 is letter writing in same word limit.

Task 2 is similar for both the Academic and General IELTS takers i.e. Essay writing. Essay writing is to be done in 250-300 words.

There are different types of questions under essay writing, to name some:

• Agree or Disagree category (Opinion Based)

• To what extent you agree or disagree category (Opinion Based)

• Do advantages OUTWEIGH the disadvantages (Opinion Based)

• Advantages AND Disadvantages. (Non-Opinion Based)

• Causes and Solutions. (Non-Opinion Based)

• Double Question Type

• Discussion Type

Each category has its own style of tackling (will be explained thoroughly in the training).