Is it A, B or C?
At first glance, multiple choice might seem easier than other question types. But if you’ve tried an IELTS Listening practice test, you’ll know this kind of question has its own unique set of challenges.
You need to pay close attention to what the speaker(s) is saying as some of the answer options can be very similar. You might also hear words from the incorrect answer options in the audio.
In this article, we’ll go over some easy-to-follow tips to help you confidently tackle multiple-choice questions in the IELTS Listening test.
Types of multiple-choice questions in the IELTS Listening test
IELTS Listening multiple-choice questions test different listening skills, such as understanding main ideas or specific details.
These questions may give you three answer choices. Sometimes they take the form of incomplete sentences with three possible endings. You must select the correct answer (A, B, or C).
Other times, you'll need to choose more than one correct answer from a longer list of options, so make sure you read the instructions carefully.
The audio conversation or monologue will always follow the order of questions in the test.
IELTS Listening multiple-choice questions: An example
IELTS Listening multiple-choice tips
So, what can you do to practise and prepare?
Focus on keywords
Before the audio begins, focus on the multiple-choice questions and answer options. This will give you an idea of what to listen for during the recording. Highlight or underline keywords in the questions and the possible answer choices. These could be names, numbers, places, dates or other specific details. Let’s look at an example from the sample questions. The keywords have been underlined.
31. Participants in the Learner Persistence study were all drawn from the same
age group
geographical area
socio-economic level.
Tip: Listening for keywords can help you stay focused on the most relevant parts of the recording and choose the correct answer.
Listen for synonyms and paraphrasing
Be aware that the words you hear in the recording might not match the exact words in the question. In sample question 31 above, the correct answer is b. However, the speaker says that the participants are from the same ‘local region’ instead of ‘geographical area.’
Tip: The speaker(s) might paraphrase the correct answer using synonyms or different word forms.
Be mindful of distractors
The IELTS Listening test includes distractors to assess your ability to focus and understand spoken English in real-life situations. In everyday conversations, not everything you hear is true or relevant. Sometimes people give information or offer an opinion and then change their mind. Similarly, in the IELTS Listening test, the multiple-choice questions include incorrect options. The recording may include information that is irrelevant and could lead you off track.
Let’s look at an example from question 9 below:
Source: Free IELTS Listening – practice sample questions | IDP IELTS
In the recording, the shipping agent explains the three types of insurances and asks the customer which one he’d like to choose.
As the customer considers the options, the first type he mentions is ‘economy’, which might lead some listeners to choose A.
However, if you listen to the whole sentence, you’ll hear that he had a bad experience with economy insurance last time, so decides to choose C (Premium).
“Oh, I’ve been stung before with economy insurance, so I’ll go for the highest.”
Tip: Don’t just choose an option because one word from it appears in the recording. Listen carefully to the context in which it is presented.
Pay attention to tone
Sometimes, the speaker’s tone can give you clues about the correct answer. A positive or excited tone can show approval or agreement. A speaker might emphasis a particular word or idea to signal that it’s important.
In contrast, a rising intonation might suggest a question or uncertainty. A negative or unenthusiastic tone might indicate disapproval and an incorrect answer, such as the way the speaker says ‘oh’ in the example we looked at before:
“Oh I’ve been stung before with economy insurance, so I’ll go for the highest.”
Tip: Listen carefully to the tone of voice, paying attention to word stress, emotion and context in the conversation.
Turn half sentences into questions
Some multiple-choice questions are half sentences that you need to complete with one of the options (see question 9 above). For this question type, try changing half of the sentence into a question. This can make it easier to select the correct answer.
For example, for question 9, you could change the first half of the sentence to:
What type of insurance is chosen?
Eliminate the wrong answers
Tip: If you’re not sure about the answer, eliminate the options you know are incorrect first. This narrows down your choices and makes it easier to choose the correct one.
Answer all the questions
Finally, don’t leave questions unanswered, especially when you have a list of options to choose from.
In the IELTS Listening test, you receive one mark for each correct answer. If you answer a question incorrectly or leave it blank, it simply means you lose the opportunity to potentially gain a point for that question.
Tip: If you’re not sure what the answer is, take a guess. You won’t lose a point if it is wrong, but you might just gain one.
Multiple choice in the IELTS Listening test can be challenging, but by practising these strategies—such as listening for paraphrasing and distractors and paying attention to tone—you can approach the test with confidence.
With enough practice, you'll not only do well in the test but also feel more confident navigating real-world conversations and talks.
For more IELTS Listening multiple-choice practice, visit our IELTS Prepare Hub.