IELTS Listening Part 2: Mastering the Monologue

Welcome!

Welcome to IELTS Listening Part 2! You’re about to practice one of the most important sections of the IELTS Listening Test — the Monologue. In this part, you will hear one speaker talking continuously about a familiar, everyday topic — it could be a description of a place, an event, a set of instructions, or services offered by an organization.

Key point: You will hear the recording only once. There’s no second chance — so active listening is essential! You’ll have 10 questions to answer based on what you hear. Don’t worry — I’ll guide you through the strategies you need for success.

Summary and Structure

Let’s start by understanding what to expect:

🎯 Tip: In Part 2, pay attention to how the information is organized. Is the speaker giving a list, describing locations, or explaining steps? The structure will help you predict and catch answers easily.

Listening Task: Monologue Questions 11 – 14

Instructions:
You will hear a guidance counselor explaining the school’s counseling services. Listen carefully and match the services to the correct counselor. Remember — you will hear the recording only once.

You will have 30 seconds to read the questions before the recording starts. Use this time to quickly underline keywords like “course selection,” “job interviews,” “emotional support,” etc. It will help you listen with purpose!

Questions 11–14

Which counsellor should you see? Write the correct letter, A, B, or C, next to questions 11–14.

• A. Mr. James Carter
• B. Ms. Helen Lee
• C. Dr. Sara Mitchell

1. Which counsellor helps students with course selection?
2. Which counsellor works with students on their resumes and job interviews?
3. Which counsellor is available for emotional and mental health support?
4. Which counsellor offers both academic and career counseling?

🎧 Listen to the Audio:

Listening Task: Monologue Questions 15 – 20

Instructions:
Now you’ll hear about the different workshops organized by the counseling team. Listen carefully and complete the table with no more than two words for each blank.

🎯 Tip: Pay attention to who leads each workshop and what they focus on — time management, stress, interviews, etc. Match the description to the right blank.

Questions 15–20

Solutions and Detailed Walkthrough

Solution Walkthrough: Questions 11–14

Now, let’s carefully walk through how to solve the first four questions about the counselors. This is a matching task where you need to associate each responsibility with the correct counselor. The first step is to focus on the key words in the questions — like “course selection,” “resumes,” and “mental health.” During the recording, the speaker introduces each counselor and mentions their specialization clearly.

For Question 11, the counselor responsible for course selection is Mr. James Carter. The audio clearly states that he focuses on academic advising and helps with issues like subject choices and study strategies.

Question 12 asks who assists with resumes and job interviews. That’s Ms. Helen Lee, who specializes in career counseling. She is the one who guides students through the job search process, including building resumes and preparing for interviews.

Moving to Question 13, which is about emotional and mental health support. Dr. Sara Mitchell is the counselor responsible for personal counseling, covering topics like stress, anxiety, and well-being.

Finally, Question 14 requires you to identify the counselor who offers both academic and career counseling. The audio mentions that Mr. James Carter also assists with career counseling if Ms. Lee is unavailable. Therefore, the correct answer is again Mr. James Carter.

🎯 Teacher Tip: In matching tasks, always listen for synonyms and paraphrases. The speaker may not use the exact words from the question — be alert for similar meanings!

Solution Walkthrough: Questions 15–20

Now let’s tackle the table completion questions. Tables require you to match the speaker’s detailed descriptions to the missing words — often dates, names, or features. Before the audio starts, glance over the table to predict what type of word fits in each gap — for example, is it a type of student, an activity, or a feature of the workshop?

For Question 15, the target group for the “Study Skills” workshop includes first-year students and others who need academic support. The speaker says it’s useful for new students adjusting to university demands.

In Question 16, the career development program involves resume building, networking, and interview preparation, helping students transition into the job market.

For Question 17, the mental health awareness workshop teaches coping with stress and managing mental well-being. The phrase “managing mental well-being” comes directly from the recording.

Question 18 requires the workshop name for organizing time effectively — it is the Time Management workshop, as the counselor says clearly during the audio.

Looking at Question 19, the second-year students are those struggling with workload. The recording emphasizes students who find it hard to balance study and life duties.

Finally, Question 20 mentions a workshop for students preparing for internships and job applications, including interview tips.

🎯 Teacher Tip: Pay special attention to the order of information in table completion. Speakers usually follow the order of the table — listen carefully and write answers immediately before you forget!

🪞 Reflection Prompt

Now think about this: What strategy helped you most in today’s Listening Part 2 practice? Was it scanning the questions? Predicting key words? Taking notes quickly? Or staying calm and focused through the audio? Identify what worked, and commit to practicing that skill in your next session!