IELTS Listening Test: 4 Strategies for Success in Part 4

We frequently hear that Part 4 is the most challenging section of the IELTS Listening test. 

That’s because this part of the test involves following a talk or a lecture, an important skill to master if you’re planning to work or study abroad. You’ll hear one person speaking about a particular topic in more depth. 

There’s often only one audio recording for this part, which means you need to listen to the whole lecture and then answer all 10 questions in one go.

This part can include different question types. You might need to choose the correct answer from multiple-choice options, or you may be asked to complete notes or sentences.  

Example of IELTS Listening Part 4 questions

Source: Extract from Part 4 of IELTS Listening Familiarisation test

In episode 5 of our video podcast, we ask IELTS expert Andy Watts to share her advice for Part 4 of the IELTS Listening test.  

Andy is a presenter on the IELTS Guided Short Course, created by E2 Test Prep, which is available on the IELTS by IDP app. 

Read on to discover Andy’s four key strategies.  

Practise listening to lots of different types of lectures and talks on the internet to become familiar with how ideas are usually organised in lectures. 

First, the speaker will introduce the topic and might give some background or history about that topic. Then, they’ll go on to look at a number of main points or smaller topics within that broad subject. At the end, they’ll wrap up or give a short conclusion. 

Signposting language is words and phrases that people use to show the relationship between ideas. 

For example, you might need to follow a cause-and-effect relationship in Part 4, so you’ll need to know a lot of phrases to show that kind of relationship e.g. led to, resulted in, was caused by, was the reason for etc. 

You might need to follow an explanation or theory about something. The speaker might say ‘The primary reason for’ or ‘the most important factor in.’ 

Watch Andy Watts talk about IELTS Listening Part 4.

From IELTS Prepare by IDP video podcast series.

You won’t hear the same words in the questions when you listen to the audio recording.  

Instead, you’ll hear paraphrasing. This might include synonyms, but not always. For example, you might have one word in a question but hear a phrase or a whole sentence that means the same as that in the audio recording. 

Note completion is a common task in IELTS Listening Part 4. You’ll be asked to use words you hear in the audio recording to fill the gaps. 

Read the instructions. How many words are you allowed to use? Read through the notes, even any bullet points that don’t require an answer as these will help you follow the sequence of the audio. 

Predict the type of word missing (e.g. noun, verb, adjective). Is there a word you can think of that makes logical sense in that note? It might be the right answer. 

Source: Extract from IELTS Listening Familiarisation test

If you’re planning to take the IELTS test on computer, why not try putting Andy’s strategies into practice with our IELTS Listening Familiarisation test?

 For more IELTS preparation tips, tune in to IELTS Prepare by IDP - your trusted guide to test day success.   

Our 10-part video podcast features preparation advice from a wide range of IELTS experts and covers everything from the IELTS test structure to what to expect on test day.  

 Watch or listen now on the IELTS by IDP app, YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.  

Want to hear more preparation tips from Andy Watts? Start a free trial of E2 Test Prep’s guided short course for either IELTS General Training or IELTS Academic. 

The course includes: 

• Guided Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking overviews 

• Practice questions, video lessons, sample responses and much more 

• Available free for 14 days, exclusively through the IELTS by IDP app 

Read answers to frequently asked questions about IELTS Listening.