How to Answer IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Questions

IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Question Introduction

In a multiple choice question, candidates can expect to choose from 3 or 4 possible options, which are usually letters (A, B, C, or D). There may also be questions that require you to select more than one possible answer.

This question type requires pulling out keywords in the questions and answer options before listening to the prompt, as well as listening for specific information. Just like you would scan for information in the reading passage, this question type will require you to “scan” with your ears and listen for specific information that you have underlined in your questions. Keep in mind that for the Multiple Choice listening sections, answers will be stated in the order that the questions appear.

Below is a sample practice. Give it a try!

How to Answer Multiple Choice Questions

Step 1: Read the Questions

Before we even listen to the prompt, take time to quickly read the questions and all of the answer options in order to understand the topic and key words. If you’d like, you can combine this with Step 2 below. 

This is perhaps the most important step because you need to scaffold your listening. What does this mean? You do not want to listen blindly and hear key words for the first time. Instead, you should be preparing yourself and reading the questions (along with the answer options) before the listening prompt is played. Generally, you will have about 20 seconds to do this. Reading the questions and answer options will also allow you to become familiar with the topic, which is particularly helpful for the more abstract and educational topics (Sections 3 and 4).

Step 2: Underline Key Words

After you have quickly read (or while you are reading), underline the key words. What are key words? They are important words that will call out your attention while you listen to the prompt. Generally, you will want to avoid underlining adverbs, pronouns, or basic adjectives.

Step 3: Take Notes on Key Information

Now it is time to start listening! As you listen, take outline notes close to your questions and answer options when you hear key words. Remember: you will only hear each listening prompt once, so it’s important to remember key information. Try this on your own and make your notes and outline as necessary. 

You can do so next to your questions and answers, or on the margins of your test booklet. After you give it a try on your own, check out our work and understand how we approached this step. Always do what works best for you, but it might not be a bad idea to adopt some of our tips for guaranteed success!

Step 4: Use Process of Elimination (POE) 

Now that you have taken notes and listened to the prompt, it is time to approach the step of answering questions and using POE. You should be approaching this step as you listen, in order to maximize your time and answer the questions as you go along. Not to worry; with practice and time-management, you will be able to multitask as you listen, leaving the extra time at the end of the listening section for checking your answers and transferring them to your answer sheet if necessary. In order to show you how we have done this, we will showcase our explanations with the answers below.

Recap

Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:

Do:

1. Utilize the 20 seconds you will have prior to hearing the listening prompt and read the questions first, underline your key words, and actively listen for those key words during the prompt. 
2. Remember that the answers will most likely come in order during the listening prompt. This means that you should keep detailed notes for your outline! Doing so will help you pick up where you left off if you miss something, and it will help you understand at which point a certain answer was given.
3.  Find an outlining technique that works for you. Feel free to experiment during your practice sessions and try writing in the margins or close to your answer options. Make it easy to reference afterwards if necessary.
4. Take notes and use POE as you listen. 

Don't:

1. Waste your time during the time before and after the listening prompt is played. Think of these 30 minutes of the listening exam as ‘game time’, and actively listen or read the questions as much as you can! 
2. Focus on only one aspect of the process. In other words, don’t just listen, don’t just read, and don’t just answer. You will need to combine these three tasks in order to have enough time in this section. In other words: make sure to multitask. 
3. Immediately answer based on hearing only keywords. Remember to make sure that the answer makes sense. Be aware that this section of the exam will include sentences that are meant to trick you, and are usually spoken right before the sentence that contains the correct answer. 
4. Leave anything blank! Even if the exam is difficult, POE is not helping, and you are finding it difficult to answer correctly, choose your best guess. 

IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Practice List

Now it is time to practice! Check out the following Multiple Choice practice questions.

IELTS Listening - Multiple Choice Questions Practice List