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International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an esteemed English language proficiency exam which aims to assess a candidate’s reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. In order to attain overseas education, it is compulsory for non-native English speakers to prove their efficiency in the language by providing English proficiency test scores. As sections are conducted separately in a timed manner, individual scores are given per section and then the aggregate represents the total band score of a candidate. Thus, it becomes important to focus on each section individually. This blog brings you a comprehensive list of preparation tips and strategies on how to increase the IELTS Listening score.
This Blog Includes:
Must Read: Everything About IELTS Writing Tasks
IELTS Listening Section Overview
IELTS listening mainly comprises different recordings which the test-taker can listen to only once and then answer the corresponding questions. The maximum duration of this test is 30 minutes during which the test-taker has to solve 40 questions. In order to curate the best strategy on how to increase the IELTS Listening score, you must be familiar with the four sub-section it comprises, i.e.
- Part 1: A conversation between 2 people
- Part 2: A monologue
- Part 3: An academic discourse between a maximum of 4 people
- Part 4- A monologue based on an academic topic.
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IELTS Listening Score Chart
| RAW SCORE | IELTS BAND SCORE |
| 39- 40 | 9 |
| 37- 38 | 8.5 |
| 35- 36 | 8 |
| 32- 34 | 7.5 |
| 30- 31 | 7 |
| 26- 29 | 6.5 |
| 23- 25 | 6 |
| 18- 22 | 5.5 |
| 16- 17 | 5 |
| 13- 15 | 4.5 |
| 11- 12 | 4 |
IELTS Listening Score Band Descriptors
| Band | Skill Level |
| Band 0 | Did not attempt the test |
| Band 1 | Non-user |
| Band 2 | Intermittent user |
| Band 3 | Extremely limited user |
| Band 4 | Limited user |
| Band 5 | Modest user |
| Band 6 | Competent user |
| Band 7 | Good user |
| Band 8 | Very good user |
| Band 9 | Expert user |
Check out – IELTS and GMAT Scores to Study in UK
How is the IELTS Listening Score Calculated?
In the listening test, you will have to answer 40 questions related to the audio clips played to you wherein the answer will either be correct or incorrect. You will receive 1 mark for each correct answer, with the total marks determining your IELTS band score. Have a look at the table below which indicates the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score:
| Correct Answers | Band Scores |
| 39-40 | 9 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8 |
| 32-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-31 | 7 |
| 26-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-25 | 6 |
| 18-22 | 5.5 |
| 16-17 | 5 |
| 13-15 | 4.5 |
| 11-12 | 4 |
IELTS Listening Score in Top Universities
| Top Universities | IELTS Listening Score |
| Harvard University | 7.5 |
| MIT | 7.0 |
| California Institute of Technology | 7 (overall) |
| Princeton University | 7 (overall) |
| Yale University | 7 (overall) |
| University of Chicago | 6 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6.5 minimum |
| John Hopkins University | 7 and above |
| University of Toronto | 6 |
| University of British Columbia | 6 |
| McGill University | 6.5 (overall |
| Oxford University | 7 |
| University of Edinburgh | 7 |
| University College, London | 6.5 |
| University of Cambridge | 7 |
| Imperial College, London | 6.5 |
| King’s College, London | 6.5 |
Sample of IELTS Listening Test Sheet
In the IELTS listening component, there will be audio-based questions and the students will have to answer them once the audio is complete. To know about the IELTS sample test of listening click here.
Must Read: How to go from IELTS Band 5 to 7 in 35 days?
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