This document provides tips to improve listening skills and prepare for language exams. It recommends stopping talking and focusing on the speaker, relaxing, removing distractions, being patient and impartial, listening for tone and ideas rather than just words. For exams, it advises improving general skills beforehand rather than practicing tests, learning spelling, reading questions quickly, checking answers for word forms and spelling, and transferring answers correctly. It also provides extra tips such as staying calm, being focused, not copying others, having necessary materials, and checking answers.

1. TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR
LISTENING SKILLS
Intermediate level

2. Stop talking
 Don’t talk, listen.

3. Prepare Yourself to
Listen
 Relax.

4. Put the Speaker at
Ease
 Help the speaker to feel free to speak.

5. Remove
Distractions
 Focus on what is being said.

6. Empathise
 Try to understand the other person’s point
of view.

7. Be Patient
 A pause, even a long pause, does not
necessarily mean that the speaker has
finished.

8. Avoid Personal
Prejudice
 Try to be impartial.

9. Listen to the Tone
 Volume and tone both add to what
someone is saying.

10. Listen for Ideas – Not Just
Words
 You need to get the whole picture, not just
isolated bits and pieces.

11. Wait and Watch for Non-
Verbal Communication
 Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-
movements can all be important.

12. TIPS FOR LANGUAGE TEST
DEVELOPMENT AND
EXAMINING.
IELTS TEST

13. Before taking the
exam…
Be sure to improve your general
skills before you take the exam.
Listen to everything you can.
Don’t use practice test as a
way to improve your score.
Learn how to spell and practice
your orthography.

14. During the Test…
• This information gives you the topic and
makes understanding the rest much easier.
• Read the questions quickly and try to decide
which type of words goes in the spaces (noun,
verb, adjective).
• Check your answers by checking for word
forms plurals.
• Check spelling.
• Use initial capital letters when needed.

15. At the end of the Test…
Transfer your answers
correctly.
• Check you’re writing your answers
into the correct numbered space.
Don’t leave any blank space.
• If you don’t know, make a guess.
You never know, you may just be
right.

16. Extra tips…
 Don’t be nervous, calm down and try to
clear your mind.
 Be focus in each part of the test.
 Don’t try to copy from another student, you
will lose time and you may lose your
opportunity of taking the test.
 Be sure you have all the material you need
(pencil, eraser, sharpener).
 If you are not sure of an answer, keep going
and go back later to it.
 Take your time and check all your answers.
Good Luck!