IELTS Step-by-step Mastering Listening from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Improve your ielts listening grade significantly to a 7+
Do 12 real listening past papers and review them in detail
Learn tips and tricks to immediately improve your grade

Learn skills that are essential for getting a 7+
Learn about every type of ielts listening task
Improve your general listening skills

Improve your ielts listening grade significantly to a 7+
Do 12 real listening past papers and review them in detail
Learn tips and tricks to immediately improve your grade
Learn skills that are essential for getting a 7+
Learn about every type of ielts listening task
Improve your general listening skills

Syllabus

Begin your active listening journey with a warm welcome. Test your knowledge and get course details.

Overview of the unit: The Details

Watch a welcome video, explaining how this course can benefit you and explaining the course structure and outline.

Watch the video and complete the test at the same time as me; the downloadable PDF is in the resources attached to this video. The audio file is also available for download.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #1 step by step, with commentary.

Learn about why this task type is very common in the IELTS Listening exam, and how to go about answering this task type.

Distractors: the options in Multiple Choice questions that try to take your attention away from the correct answer. But should you read all the options? In this video I explain that you should, even though in the first seven IELTS Listening tests I don't, and that might be why I don't get such good grades initially.

You may know the English alphabet very well, but will you be able to keep up with someone spelling a complicated name when they say something like 'my first name's spelt T, E, double S ' or 'my name's "Simon" but with an E at the end '?

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #2 step by step, with commentary.

Learn about why this task type is very common in the IELTS Listening exam, and how to go about answering this task type.

How many words are you allowed to fill into the gaps? Can you use numbers? Find out which task types you should always read the rubric (instructions) of.

I'm sure you're confident with smaller numbers in English, but what about numbers like 345,012 or 1.2 billion? And what about symbols? What's the symbol for 'degrees centigrade' or British pounds? (by the way, it's °C and £ respectively)

You don't have to wait for the narrator to say 'now turn to section 3'—if you're ready, go straight to it. In this short video, I'll explain why.

Please note that the answer for Number 1. is NOT "business studies", it is just the word "business".

Learn about the most common task type in the IELTS exam — Multiple Choice Version 1

The audio in the Listening exam seldom uses the same wording that's on the question paper—they usually use synonyms (words that have similar meanings). Learn how to expand your range of vocabulary using synonyms so that you're not caught unawares.

Did you know that if you're unable to produce a certain sound in another language, it becomes difficult to identify that sound when listening to it, resulting in confusion? Watch this video to see how you can improve your ability to say certain difficult sounds in English to improve your listening skills.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #4 step by step, with commentary.

The three most common English accents that you'll hear in the IELTS Listening exam are British, American and Australian. Are you confident when it comes understanding them? This video will help you to improve your confidence levels with each accent.

Did you know that you'll get no points even for a tiny spelling error? There's no dedicated IELTS exam for grammar or vocabulary, so it's tested in the Listening and Reading exams (and Writing, of course)—lots of spelling mistakes will result in a bad mark.

English spelling can be very complicated because its a mixture of many different languages with their own spelling rules. This video will help you to identify the most common spelling patterns in English.

Do these practice exercises to improve your spelling.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #5 step by step, with commentary.

Learn about why this task type is quite common in the IELTS Listening exam (especially in Sections 3 and 4), and how to go about answering this task type.

Time is limited in the exam—how do you highlight the important information in each question? Identifying and underlining key words is the answer.

Taking advantage of the context around a gap in a cloze/gap-fill task can help you to make an educated guess of what word(s) is (are) missing, giving you a better chance of getting the correct answer.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #6 step by step, with commentary.

'Honey' lexis is a term I've come up with that explains the type of words or phrases that often congregate around an answer. Examiners, it seems, create questions from sentences and phrases that are near 'honey' lexis.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #7 step by step, with commentary.

Watch this short introduction to the main Learner Training video coming up next.

Did you know that the voice actors in the audio deliberately stress the answers to a certain extent (at least, until question about 35 and in gap-fill type tasks)? Being able to hear that stress can actually help you to identify where the answers are hiding.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #8 step by step, with commentary.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #9 step by step, with commentary.

Learn more about this task type that often comes up in Section 2 of the exam.

Watch this short video to help you to avoid making this common error with short answers in the Multiple Choice (Version 2) task type.

Most languages don't have such pronounced weak forms, but English does. Knowing what they are can improve your comprehension skills considerably, not to mention giving you an opportunity to get an improved score in 'pronunciation' in your IELTS Speaking exam.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #10 step by step, with commentary.

Especially in Section 4, there are terms that even a native speaker would probably not know. But does that stop you from answering the question? No. Use the context around the word or term to guess its meaning, and focus on the question itself.

Spoken English has something called 'connected speech' which, if you don't know what it is, can cause you to misunderstand words and phrases and perhaps even write an incorrect word into a gap or choose a distractor. This video gives you the rules of connected speech so that you can identify it easily and even use it yourself in the IELTS Speaking exam.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #11 step by step, with commentary.

Learn more about this task type that sometimes comes up in Sections 2—4 of the exam.

Why get flustered if you miss an answer when it's only going to make you miss more answers later on in the exam? Learn to realise the importance of focusing on the task at hand with this short video.

Go through the answers to IELTS Test #12 step by step, with commentary.

Even though this task type is uncommon these days, it's important that you know how to tackle it.

Learn how to make your own listening exercises where you can practice listening to a text of your choice and testing your spelling skills.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Features detailed reviews of 12 past IELTS Listening papers, providing learners with extensive practice and familiarity with the exam format

Focuses on improving time management skills, which is crucial for success in the IELTS Listening exam, where pacing and efficiency are essential

Explores various IELTS Listening task types, such as multiple choice, form completion, and map labeling, ensuring comprehensive preparation for all sections of the exam

Requires learners to download and print PDF materials to complete practice tests, which may present a barrier for some learners without easy access to a printer

Emphasizes the importance of spelling accuracy, which is critical in the IELTS Listening exam, where even minor spelling errors can result in lost points

Includes sections on understanding different English accents (British, American, Australian), which is helpful for learners who may be more familiar with only one accent

Reviews summary

Mastering ielts listening step-by-step

According to learners, this course is exceptionally well-structured and provides a comprehensive approach to the IELTS Listening exam. Students frequently highlight the practical tips and strategies taught by the ex-IELTS examiner instructor, James Castleden, which are described as highly effective and easy to apply. Many reviewers credit the course with significantly improving their band score, often achieving 7+ or higher, sometimes correcting silly mistakes and gaining considerable confidence. The step-by-step review of past papers is a standout feature, allowing learners to understand their errors and improve systematically. While challenging, the course is consistently praised for its clarity and ability to make preparation less daunting.

Boosts learner's confidence for the test.

"corrected silly mistakes and gained a lot of confidence from this course."

"dedicated to improving your listening skills, your confidence, and your time management..."

"This course really helped build my confidence before the exam."

"Feeling much more prepared and less anxious after going through the material."

Includes extensive practice with past papers.

"Together you and James will complete 12 past papers and then review them in detail."

"exam time experience before taking any papers gives the students an extra edge as always, good work."

"The 12 practice tests were invaluable for simulating the actual exam conditions."

"Appreciated the detailed breakdown of answers for each practice test."

Content is organized and easy to follow.

"An outstanding course that was well-above my expectations..."

"Thank you James for an exceptionally well-structured course..."

"This course is really comprehensive and has very clear language. It is well planned. So, you can follow easily..."

"The step-by-step review of each test section was incredibly beneficial."

"Content is clearly explained, making complex concepts easy to grasp."

Instructor expertise is highly valued and effective.

"From ex-IELTS examiner James Castleden's YouTube channel..."

"Together you and James will complete 12 past papers and then review them in detail."

"Thank you for you great support James :)"

"Thank you James for an exceptionally well-structured course, jam-packed with practical tips and strategies that actually worked."

"James, thank you for these helpful lessons, I got 6.5 for listening..."

Provides actionable techniques for the exam.

"jam-packed with practical tips and strategies that actually worked."

"many useful tips & methods are presented which you should know."

"You'll also learn hundreds of tips, tricks, skills and techniques that will significantly improve your IELTS Listening grade..."

"Learned valuable techniques for identifying answers and avoiding common traps."

"The tips on understanding accents and weak forms were particularly helpful."

Effective strategies lead to higher band scores.

"helps me to achieve IELTS listening band 8.5; a year ago I got band 6 on listening."

"My score on completion of the final Listening Test was 40/40 (Level 9)... I would never have achieved this score without James's course."

"I got 6.5 for listening part in my IELTS test last month... I've learned your course only in one month, skipping some feedback sections."

"I have corrected silly mistakes and gained a lot of confidence from this course."

"I was able to achieve my target score in the listening section thanks to this course's guidance."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in IELTS Step-by-step Mastering Listening with these activities:

Review English Spelling Rules

Show steps

Strengthen your understanding of English spelling rules to avoid losing points on the IELTS Listening exam due to spelling errors.

Show steps

Review common English spelling patterns and exceptions.
Practice spelling words frequently used in IELTS listening tests.
Take online quizzes to test your spelling knowledge.

Explore Online IELTS Listening Tutorials

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Refine your listening skills by following online tutorials that focus on specific IELTS listening question types and strategies.

Show steps

Search for online tutorials that cover IELTS listening techniques.
Watch tutorials on specific question types, such as multiple choice or map labeling.
Practice the techniques demonstrated in the tutorials with sample questions.

Cambridge IELTS Series

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Practice with authentic IELTS listening tests to improve your familiarity with the exam format and question types.

View IELTS 16 Academic Student's Book with Answers... on Amazon

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Complete a full IELTS listening test from the book.
Review your answers and identify areas for improvement.
Listen to the audio again, focusing on the sections where you struggled.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Dictation Exercises

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Improve your listening comprehension and spelling skills by practicing dictation exercises.

Show steps

Find audio clips of native English speakers.
Listen to a short clip and write down what you hear.
Compare your transcription to the original text.
Repeat the process with increasingly complex audio clips.

Practice with a Study Partner

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Improve your listening skills by practicing with a study partner and providing each other with feedback.

Show steps

Find a study partner who is also preparing for the IELTS exam.
Take turns reading IELTS listening transcripts aloud.
Provide each other with feedback on pronunciation and clarity.
Discuss challenging vocabulary and grammar points.

Summarize English Podcasts

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Enhance your listening comprehension and note-taking skills by summarizing English podcasts.

Show steps

Choose an English podcast on a topic of interest.
Listen to an episode and take notes on the main points.
Write a brief summary of the episode, using your notes.
Review your summary and identify any areas where you struggled to understand the podcast.

Official IELTS Practice Materials

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Practice with official IELTS materials to gain confidence and improve your performance on the listening test.

View Alter Ego: A Novel on Amazon

Show steps

Complete a full IELTS listening practice test from the book.
Analyze your mistakes and identify areas where you need to improve.
Review the answer key and explanations to understand the correct answers.

Career center

Learners who complete IELTS Step-by-step Mastering Listening will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Test Preparation Coach

A Test Preparation Coach specializes in helping students prepare for standardized tests. For a test preparation coach focused on the IELTS, this course may provide valuable insights into the listening section. The course goes over common task types and skills and techniques that improve results. By understanding the nuances of the IELTS listening exam, a coach can better guide their students and develop effective strategies for success in the IELTS. This course covers identifying key words, practice predicting information, and familiarizing yourself with accents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Test Preparation Coach

ESL Instructor

An ESL Instructor helps non-native speakers learn and improve their English language skills. For ESL instructors, this course may be useful in understanding the specific demands of the IELTS listening exam. Learning about various test-taking strategies, common question types, and methods for improving listening comprehension can help instructors better prepare their students for the IELTS. The instructor learns about multiple choice questions, form completion tasks, and map labeling tasks. This course also covers understanding connected speech, familiarizing oneself with accents, and focusing on individual sounds.

See salaries and explore the career path for ESL Instructor

Language Tutor

A Language Tutor provides personalized instruction to students learning a new language. This course may be useful for tutors who are assisting students preparing for the IELTS exam, particularly the listening section. By completing 12 past papers and reviewing them in detail, as done in this course, a tutor can gain insights into the types of questions and skills needed to excel. This course emphasizes essential skills such as note taking, identifying key words, predicting information, and understanding different accents. A tutor who has taken this course may be better equipped to offer targeted support and strategies to their students, potentially helping them achieve a higher band score on the IELTS listening test.

See salaries and explore the career path for Language Tutor

English Language Teacher

An English Language Teacher helps students improve their English language proficiency. This course may be useful for English language teachers who need to familiarize themselves with the format and content of the IELTS listening exam. Understanding the specific challenges of the IELTS listening test, as addressed in this course, allows teachers to better prepare their students for success, particularly by helping them to improve their listening skills and time management. The detailed review of past papers in this course will enable a teacher to guide students more effectively. Additionally, the course covers essential aspects such as understanding distractors, working with numbers and symbols, recognizing synonyms, and improving spelling skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for English Language Teacher

Educational Consultant

An Educational Consultant provides advice and guidance to students and educational institutions. An educational consultant who advises students on IELTS preparation may find this course useful. The course provides a comprehensive view of the IELTS listening exam. This allows the consultant to offer informed recommendations and strategies. In particular, this course covers how to improve confidence and time management as well as general listening skills. Educational consultants may then be better equipped to help students achieve their target scores.

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Language Assessment Specialist

A Language Assessment Specialist develops and administers language proficiency tests. This course may be useful for a language assessment specialist specifically involved with the IELTS exam. The course provides an insider's perspective on the listening section, including task types, question formats, and scoring criteria. The course details techniques for improving grades, skills that are essential for scoring well, and understanding IELTS tasks. Language assessment specialists may be able to refine existing tests or develop new assessment tools based on the insights gained from this course.

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Instructional Designer

An Instructional Designer creates engaging and effective learning experiences. This course may be useful for instructional designers focused on English language learning or test preparation. It may help them gain a deeper understanding of the specific skills and strategies needed to succeed on the IELTS listening exam. This course offers tips and tricks that improve grades. Moreover, the course includes 12 listening past papers and detailed reviews. An instructional designer may find this course useful for helping students get a seven or higher on the IELTS.

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Curriculum Developer

A Curriculum Developer designs and creates educational materials and programs. This course may be useful for those developing IELTS preparation materials, particularly for the listening component. By understanding the structure, content, and common challenges of the IELTS listening exam, developers can create more effective and targeted resources. This course reviews multiple choice questions, table completion tasks, and sentence completion tasks. It also goes over multiple choice questions, gap fill questions, and methods for completing short answer questions. These features of the course may prove useful to a curriculum developer.

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Voice-Over Artist

A Voice Over Artist records narration for various media, including educational materials. While this course primarily focuses on improving listening skills for the IELTS exam, it may be useful for voice over artists who specialize in English language learning resources. The course offers a deep dive into the IELTS listening section, improving familiarity with task types and common challenges. The course goes over multiple choice questions, table completion tasks, and sentence completion tasks. It also covers completing short answer questions, understanding gap fill questions, and working with multiple choice questions. For a voice over artist, it may give insight into pronunciation and pacing.

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Content Writer

A Content Writer creates written material for various platforms, especially educational materials. This course may be useful for a content writer creating IELTS preparation materials. The course helps them to understand the nuances of the IELTS listening section. This includes question types and common challenges faced by test takers. By completing this course, one may learn about multiple choice questions, form completion tasks, and summary completion tasks. This prepares the content writer to create accurate and valuable study aids.

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Researcher

A Researcher conducts studies to gather and analyze information on a specific topic. Though focused on IELTS listening skills, this course may be useful for researchers studying language acquisition or test preparation strategies. By completing the course, a researcher may develop an understanding of the challenges faced by learners preparing for the IELTS listening exam. The course details the types of questions that are asked on the IELTS and techniques for getting a better grade as well as skills that are essential for scoring well. An advanced degree is typically required for this role.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates technical documentation and guides. This course may be useful for technical writers working in the field of English language learning. Understanding the IELTS listening section aids in creating clear and helpful study materials. The technical writer may improve their ability to write guides that help students navigate the test. The course improves spelling skills, familiarizes students with accents, and emphasizes task focus. These features of the course may prove valuable for a technical writer.

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Speech-Language Pathologist

A Speech Language Pathologist assesses and treats communication and swallowing disorders. This course may be useful for speech language pathologists who work with clients who need to improve their listening comprehension skills for the IELTS exam. The course may help them learn techniques to enhance auditory processing and understanding of spoken English. The student will know to avoid making common mistakes as well as learning to focus on individual sounds. It may also help in practicing with connected speech. This course may provide them with additional tools to support their clients' communication goals. An advanced degree is typically required for this role.

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Translator

A Translator converts written or spoken content from one language to another. Although this course focuses on English listening comprehension for the IELTS exam, it may be useful for translators who work with English audio materials. Translators learn about the types of English accents that are common in the IELTS exam. This course may also help in understanding connected speech and weak forms. These aspects may improve their ability to accurately transcribe and translate spoken English content.

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Market Research Analyst

A Market Research Analyst studies market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. While seemingly unrelated, this course may be useful for a market research analyst who specializes in the educational sector, particularly in language learning. The course provides insights into the challenges and needs of students preparing for the IELTS exam, specifically the listening section. The course highlights tips and tricks as well as the skills that are essential for success. This knowledge may inform market research efforts related to test preparation materials and services.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in IELTS Step-by-step Mastering Listening.

Alter Ego

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Provides authentic IELTS practice tests with detailed answer keys and explanations. It is an excellent resource for familiarizing yourself with the test format and improving your test-taking strategies. The book includes a variety of listening exercises that simulate the actual exam conditions. It is highly recommended for students aiming for a high score on the IELTS listening test.

Alter Ego: A Novel

Paperback

IELTS 16 Academic Student's Book with Answers with...

Save

The Cambridge IELTS series provides authentic past papers from Cambridge ESOL. These books are invaluable for practicing with real test materials and familiarizing yourself with the exam format. They offer a comprehensive overview of the IELTS listening test, including various question types and audio recordings. This series is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions and by individuals preparing for the IELTS exam.

IELTS 16 Academic Student's Book with Answers with...

Paperback

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IELTS 16 Academic Student's Book with Answers with...

Kindle Edition

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IELTS Step-by-step Mastering Listening

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Mastering ielts listening step-by-step

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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