Ace the listening section: Tips for English test prep

ɫèAV Languages
A group of students celebrating and high fiving eachother
Reading time: 5 minutes

Passing an English proficiency test is a milestone for many non-fluent speakers. Among the different sections in such tests, the listening part can often present unique challenges. In most standardized English tests, your ability to comprehend and respond to spoken English will be put under scrutiny.

This blog post is dedicated to helping you, the ambitious test-taker, sharpen your listening skills and equip you with strategies to excel in the listening section of your English test.

Tips to master the listening section of your English exam
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ɫèAV can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Understanding the listening section

Before we plunge into the how-to's, it's key to understand what the listening section typically involves. You will be asked to listen to recordings of conversations and talks on a variety of topics. Following each audio segment, you'll answer questions based on what you've heard. This can assess a range of abilities from grasping and understanding the main ideas to recalling specific details.

Tips to master the listening section

Become an active listener

Active listening involves fully concentrating, understanding and responding thoughtfully to what is being said. During your prep, don't just passively hear the content—engage with it. Take notes, summarize points and predict conclusions to enhance your retention skills and understanding.

Practice with difficult words

When you come across words that are difficult to understand, it's essential to practice them repeatedly. Listening to these words in different contexts can help attune your ear to their nuances. Incorporate them into your study sessions by finding audio resources that use these words and listen to them multiple times. It also helps to make a note of any words you struggle with so you can practice them.

Familiarise yourself with homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings, and they can be a common source of confusion in the listening section. For instance, consider the words "pair" (two items of a kind) and "pear" (the fruit); "flower" (the plant) and "flour" (the baking ingredient); or "right" (correct or a direction) and "write" (to form letters or words).

These words highlight the importance of context in understanding spoken English, and recognizing homophones is crucial for excelling in the listening section. Make sure to include such pairs in your study routine to sharpen your listening skills.

Practice with purpose

Locate practice tests and materials that mimic the conditions of your upcoming exam. Regularly taking mock tests helps you familiarise yourself with the format and timing. This practice can also reduce anxiety on the day of the actual test, as you'll know exactly what to expect.

Hone your note-taking skills

You won't remember every detail you hear, and that's okay. Develop a system of shorthand or symbols that enables you to jot down key information swiftly. With practice, you'll learn to discern what's likely to be the focus of questions.

Understand the question types

The listening test may include multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank, matching and sentence completion, among others. By understanding each type, you can develop targeted strategies, like reading the questions beforehand where time is allowed, to anticipate answers.

Approaches for tackling specific question types

Multiple-choice questions

For multiple-choice questions, listen for keywords and ideas that match the options provided, but also be wary of distractors—information that is true but doesn't answer the question. It helps to quickly read the questions before the recording starts, if allowed, to know what information to listen for.

Fill-in-the-blank

When approaching fill-in-the-blank questions, your attention to detail is crucial. These questions often test your knowledge of vocabulary and understanding of key points. Pay attention to the grammatical structure of the sentence to predict what type of word is missing—be it a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.

Matching

With matching questions, it's beneficial to understand the relationships between parts of the content. They might require you to match speakers to opinions or items to categories. Note any expressions that indicate agreement, contrast, or reason, which can provide hints for correct answers.

Sentence completion

Sentence completion questions examine your ability to understand the main idea and specific details. Practice focusing on the context around blanks and predicting possible answers based on content already heard. This requires a good grasp of grammar and broad vocabulary.

Watch out for the traps

Distractors might be used in listening tests. These are options in multiple-choice questions that seem correct but aren't. Improve your critical listening skills to spot these traps, often engineered to test if you're listening to the specifics or just the surface details.

Recognizing common traps in listening tests

One such trap involves the use of paraphrasing; the spoken content often rephrases what the questions or answers require, testing your understanding beyond mere word recognition. Another trap is the presentation of almost correct options, where minute details are altered to mislead unwary candidates.

A strategic listener will also be on guard for 'red herring' statements where extraneous information is provided to divert attention from the relevant answer. Lastly, watch for speakers correcting themselves in the audio; the initial information might be a trap, with the correct answer being provided only later in the dialogue.

Recognizing and navigating these traps requires a sharp focus and an active engagement with the material—skills that can be improved with deliberate practice over time.

Stay calm and collected

During the test, you might miss an answer or find a section particularly challenging. It's important to stay calm and move on. Agonizing over one question can cost you the concentration needed for subsequent questions.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How can I improve my ability to understand different accents?

A: Regularly listen to media from various English-speaking countries. Platforms like YouTube, podcasts, or even accent training resources can provide exposure to a wide range of English accents.

Q: Should I take notes by hand or on the computer?

A: Practice the method you'll use in the actual test. If you're taking a paper-based test, get comfortable with writing notes quickly by hand. For a computer-based test, practice typing your notes efficiently.

Q: How important is spelling in the listening section?

A: It can be very important, especially in sections where you have to write down what you hear. Incorrect spelling can sometimes result in a wrong answer, so it's crucial to sharpen up your spelling skills.

Conclusion

Conquering the listening section of your English test requires practice, strategy and patience. By becoming an active listener, immersing yourself in English, practicing purposefully and learning to stay calm and collected under pressure, you'll be positioning yourself for success.

Remember, every moment you spend preparing—from listening to English music, to tackling practice exams—is a step towards acing that listening section and moving one step closer to achieving your goals. Good luck.

Still looking for the perfect English test or certification for you? Make sure to check out our range of tests to help you really showcase your skills.

Our range of English tests

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • A business woman on her phone smiling, sat in a office with a laptop on her lap

    Digital Language Tutor: Enhancing language learning through AI-powered conversation partners

    By Mateusz Jekiel
    Reading time: 3.5 minutes

    With an ever-growing range of learning tools and applications being launched, choosing the right solution can feel overwhelming. However, the Digital Language Tutor for Mondly by ɫèAV distinguishes itself as an innovative solution aimed at helping corporate clients enhance their listening and speaking abilities in relevant business contexts.

    The Digital Language Tutor is targeted at professionals who speak at least a B1 level of English (43-50 on the Global Scale of English). It employs AI-powered Conversation Partners to simulate corporate scenarios, providing users with an immersive and interactive learning experience.

    In this post we outline the strategic design process behind these Conversation Partners, highlighting the importance of diverse representation, compelling and authentic personality trait development, and integrating level-appropriate language skills alongside essential corporate soft skills to create a comprehensive language learning solution.

  • A group of students stood in a classroom high fiving eachother

    How to help students achieve their New Year’s resolutions

    By Nicola Pope
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    2025 is here. As we step into the new year, it's the perfect time to reflect on our recent challenges andachievements. It’s also a good moment to think about the future with optimism andplan our goals. Our students, too, are thinking about their New Year's resolutions.

    As a teacher, you can help them consider how learning English will help them now and in the future. On top of this, you can guide them as they plan their goals and give them useful advice on how to achieve them.

  • Students sitting outside a building chatting and smiling together

    Understanding resolutions: Setting your language goals for success

    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Millions of people make resolutions every New Year (or any significant milestone). Many learners set inspiring goals to acquire new skills, explore new academic fields, or develop better study habits. But how often do these resolutions stick? And how can you turn your learning-related goals into lasting habits? This post dives into the science of resolutions and practical strategies to make your learning commitments stick.

    Why do learning resolutions fail?

    that the majority of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. When it comes to learning, the reasons often include overly ambitious goals, lack of clear plans and failure to sustain motivation over time.

    One main reason resolutions fail is that they are not specific enough. Goals like "get fit" or "learn a language" are too vague and don’t include steps to take. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to feel lost and lose motivation.

    For example, it’s one thing to decide, “I’m going to learn French this year,” but without a structured plan, consistent practice and measurable benchmarks, the resolve often fizzles out.

    Another factor is having unrealistic expectations. While it's good to be ambitious, setting too high goals can cause frustration and burnout. For example, trying to master a skill in just a few weeks ignores the time and effort needed to improve.

    Distractions and other priorities can slow down progress. Life demands, like work or family, can easily push resolutions aside if they aren't included in everyday routines.

    How long does it take to form a habit?

    One key to sticking to a learning resolution is habit formation. Popular belief often quotes the “21-day rule,” but research says differently. A 2009 study published in the found that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit.

    However, this number varies based on personal factors, the difficulty of the habit and the surroundings. For instance, if your goal is to study for 20 minutes each day, it may feel more comfortable after a few weeks of practice. In contrast, picking up a harder learning habit, like spending two hours a day studying Mandarin grammar, could take much longer to become a regular part of your routine.

    Strategies for making resolutions stick

    1. Start small and specific

    Instead of setting a big goal like “become fluent in Spanish," set smaller, easy-to-reach goals. For example, try "learn 10 new Spanish words each day" or “listen to one Spanish podcast each week.” This makes your goal seem less overwhelming and helps you feel accomplished over time.

    that mixing big-picture goals with small, specific ones can be a useful way to stay on track when working toward long-term objectives.

    2. Use the power of routine

    Connect your new learning habit with one you already do. This is called “habit stacking.” For example, if you have coffee every morning, decide to study for 15 minutes as you finish your drink. Linking the new habit to a routine you already have makes it more likely to stick.

    3. Track your progress

    Keeping track of your learning helps motivate you and shows where you can improve. Whether you check off lessons in a language learning app like Mondly by ɫèAV or write notes in a journal, seeing what you’ve accomplished keeps you interested.

    4. Build accountability

    Tell your friends, family, or study groups about your learning goals. When someone else knows your goal, it can help you stay on track. It’s even better to join a community of others who want to learn, like on social media or in online classes.

    People who do well often set clear, achievable goals and share them with friends for support.

    5. Reward yourself

    Small rewards can go a long way toward maintaining motivation. Celebrate milestones with meaningful perks, such as a favorite treat, an afternoon off, or buying yourself a book on the subject you're learning.

    6. Anticipate and plan for setbacks

    Life happens—sometimes work is stressful or things go wrong. Remember that missing a day or getting behind doesn’t mean you've failed. Keep going by recognizing challenges and getting back to your study plan with fresh motivation.

    7. Don’t fear failure

    Mistakes are part of progress. Every mispronounced word or awkward conversation is a step closer to fluency.

    8. Reassess and adjust goals

    If your language learning plan isn’t working, change it. If weekly goals seem too much, try monthly goals instead. The key is flexibility.

    The reward of resolutions

    Keeping resolutions can be tough, but the benefits are great. Picture yourself reading a book in your target language, traveling more easily, or making stronger friendships with people from different cultures. With determination and these tips, you can achieve your language learning goals.

    Start today -Whether it's January or June, it's never too late to set new goals. Draft a language learning plan, break it into small steps, and watch as each day brings you closer to your destination.