5 steps to improve IELTS listening score.

5 steps to improve IELTS listening score.

While there are many advisers giving suggestions on writing and speaking modules, few have actually spoken about realistic plans to improve comprehension (understanding) English.

There is a huge difference in the levels of comprehension among non-native speakers of English, candidates from south east asia, Korea and Japan are particularly lacking due to their lack of exposure to sounds of English while those from south Asia – India, Sri lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal tend to have an edge.

Step one: Identify important listening exercises to improve on understanding. Listen to weather reports, announcements and news. Try to repeat what was said and get sensitive to sounds. It is essential to listen, understand and repeat the sound (say what you heard).

Step two: Read out loud while listening to your own sounds, if it doesn’t sound acceptable then correct yourself and repeat this exercise till the sounds are acceptable.

Step three: Get familiar with sounds of English they are certainly different from your native language, use a Phoneme chart to do this, this should be the fundamental step to improve IELTS listening score.

Step four: Expand your vocabulary as well as varied sentence structures to express yourself. To do this the recommended exercise would be to go through various topics of general interest and related conversations such as Health-conversation with a doctor, health care facilities, health insurance etc.
Education- process of enrollment, conversations with a lecturer, finding accommodation, discussing exams etc.

Step five: Get conscious of the way you sound in terms of word/sentence stress, try to find a speaker of English and practice general conversation. These exercises involve both speaking and listening because they are closely related activities that cannot be independent of each other. In other words, if you can’t speak enough, you can’t comprehend what is being said.

The five step method can be used to improve listening skills faster, it works well for IELTS, TOEFL or other standard English tests although their format may be different.

Listening exercise for IELTS

Listen to the audio clip about Lake Eyre and answer these questions.