IELTS Listening Part 1: Mastering Everyday Conversations

Welcome to IELTS Listening Part 1!

In this section, you’ll hear a conversation between two speakers about everyday topics like plans, arrangements, or travel. There will be 10 questions, focusing on specific details such as names, dates, and locations. You’ll hear the conversation only once, so listen carefully and take notes if needed. Focus on both the main ideas and the specific details to answer the questions correctly.

Ready? Let’s begin!

Summary and Structure

• Type of Recording: Conversation between two speakers.
• Number of Questions: 10 Questions.
• Context: Social context (everyday topics).
• Common Topics: Everyday activities, such as booking services, making plans, or confirming details.
• Skills Tested: Identifying specific details, understanding social context, recognizing key information (dates, times, names, places).
• Listening Strategies: Listen for specific details (numbers, dates, times, places, names), focus on general meaning, be aware of topic changes or transitions.
• Length of Recording: Approximately 4 minutes (one conversation).
• Speed: Normal speed, with natural pauses for better understanding.
• Number of Speakers: Two speakers.
• Test Format: The speakers will provide information about a familiar topic. You need to listen for specific facts and answer accordingly.

What to Expect

In this section, you will listen to a conversation between two speakers. The conversation will take place in a social context and focus on everyday topics that are typical of daily life. Examples include booking accommodations, making travel plans, scheduling appointments, or giving directions.

You will answer 10 questions in this section, designed to test your ability to listen for specific details and understand the interaction between the speakers. The questions might ask about dates, times, places, names, and other key facts.

You’ll hear the conversation only once, so it’s important to stay focused and take notes if needed. Pay attention to the general meaning of the conversation as well as the specific details that will help you answer the questions accurately.

The speakers will talk at a normal speed, with natural pauses, and the information will be presented in a clear, structured way. This makes it easier to follow, but you’ll need to track how the conversation develops and recognize any transitions between topics.

This section is designed to test your ability to identify specific details, understand the social context of a conversation, and recognize the key pieces of information that are necessary to answer the questions.

Part 1: Social Conversation (Questions 1–5)

Instructions:
You will hear a conversation between two people talking about their social lives, plans, and hobbies. For each question, choose the correct answer. You will hear the conversation only once.

Now, look at questions 1 to 5. You will have 30 seconds to read the questions before the recording starts.
Travel Options to the Museum
The museum is accessible from the (1) __________.
Bus number (2) __________ provides a direct route (15 minutes).
The train journey is faster but requires a (3) __________.
Trains tend to be less crowded during the (4) __________ period.
The bus stop near the museum is a (5) __________ walk away.

🎧 Listen to the Audio:

🧑‍🏫 Walkthrough: Detailed Explanations (Questions 1–5)

In the IELTS Listening test, it’s important to remember that you will see the questions before you hear the audio. This gives you a key advantage because you can analyze the gaps in the notes and predict what type of information you should listen for. In this particular task, the questions are about note completion, where you must write no more than two words and/or a number for each answer. Carefully reading the notes before the audio begins will help you identify what details to listen for — a location, a number, a time period, or a distance.

For Question 1, you are asked where the museum is accessible from. The audio mentions, “If you’re coming from the main station, you can take bus number 47…” This tells us that the correct answer is main station.

For Question 2, you need the bus number that provides a direct route. The audio states clearly, “You can take bus number 47, which is a direct route and takes about 15 minutes.” Therefore, the correct answer is 47.

Moving to Question 3, we need to find out what the train journey requires. The conversation notes that the train is faster but “you’ll need to switch at Central Station.” The key word here is transfer.

For Question 4, you are asked about when trains are less crowded. The audio explains that the “midday period, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is the best time to avoid crowds.” Therefore, the answer is midday.

Finally, for Question 5, the focus is on how far the bus stop is from the museum. The Customer Service Representative says, “The bus drops you off at the City Center Bus Stop, which is a 5-minute walk from the museum.” This makes 5-minute the correct answer.

By reviewing the questions beforehand and identifying these key details during the audio, you’ll be able to complete tasks like this accurately. Practicing this approach will ensure success on test day!

Part 1: Social Conversation (Questions 6–10)

Instructions:
Now you will hear the continuation of the conversation. Listen carefully and answer questions 6 to 10. You will hear the conversation only once.
Complete the table:
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

🎧 Listen to the Audio:

🧑‍🏫 Walkthrough: Detailed Explanations (Questions 6–10)

Just as mentioned earlier, you should use the preparation time before the audio begins to analyze the questions carefully and predict what kind of information you need to listen for. In this case, the task is to complete a table about transport fares, and you are instructed to write no more than one word and/or a number for each answer. Your focus should be on understanding the fare details and discounts for different types of transport mentioned in the audio.

For Question 6, the cash fare for a standard bus ride is asked. The audio clearly states, “For the bus, the standard fare is £2.50 per trip.” So, the correct answer is 2.50.

Question 7 asks about the card fare during peak bus hours. The conversation mentions, “During these times, the bus fare increases by 50p to £3.00. Off-peak fares remain at £2.50 or £2.00 with a travel card.” So, with a 20% discount applied to £3.00, the fare becomes £2.40. Therefore, the answer is 2.40.

For Question 8, the table asks for the off-peak train fare. The audio says, “Off-peak train fares are the standard £3.00 per trip or less with a travel card.” Thus, the answer is 3.00.

Question 9 focuses on the discount for the ferry day pass. According to the audio, “A day pass for unlimited ferry rides is 13.50 with a travel card.” So, the correct answer is travel card.

Finally, Question 10 asks when the single ferry ticket is cheaper. The Customer Service Representative mentions, “A single ride costs 4.50 with a travel card during off-peak hours.” The correct answer is off-peak.

By analyzing the questions carefully and focusing on key details like numbers, time periods, and discounts during the audio, you’ll be able to complete this type of task successfully. Practicing these techniques regularly will help build confidence and improve your listening skills for the IELTS test day.

✏️ Reflection Prompt

🪞 Reflect and Write:

• How well were you able to predict what type of answers you needed?
• What can you do next time to improve how you catch small but important details during listening?

Write a few sentences reflecting on your approach — this will help you fine-tune your listening skills over time!