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Free IELTS Listening tests for your exam preparation

Today I have more free Listening resources for you. I’ve had several requests this week to find and publish links to some Listening practice tests. This is the list I’ve compiled, feel free to let me know if you’ve found additional resources – every little bit helps.

1. Here you will find a short listening sample (mp3) with 5 questions, the correct answers are provided too. Click here to proceed to the test.

2. This test was prepared by the British Council, and I think it’s great. There are four Listening sections, just like in a real IELTS exam. You can take this test under real exam conditions (without breaks between sections) or in a practice mode – start and stop the audio as many times as you like while you’re working on your listening skills. Note: if you are going to do this under real exam conditions download and print all the question files and the blank answer sheet for your answers, and also save audio files for the four sections on your computer before beginning the test.

Click here to go to Section 1

Click here to go to Section 2

Click here to go to Section 3

Click here to go to Section 4

The question types you will see are Notes completion, Table completion, Information matching and Multiple choice, and the accent types are English and American.

On each Listening Section page you can download the questions in PDF format, or simply read them off the screen. The audio can also be downloaded from the same Section page, or you could listen to it online, if you’re on a fast internet connection.

Download a blank answer sheet here

Download the correct answers here

3. Another useful piece of software is the IELTS Listening Conqueror 2.0.

It’s a program that you need to download and install on your computer (some will see this as a downside). It allows you to run 4 full listening tests for free (there are many more in the full version but it costs some money), and the transcript is displayed as you listen, sentence by sentence.

You also have the option of typing as you listen (they call it the method of dictation). The speed is adjustable and you can set the software to repeat every phrase as many times as you like. I have tried it, the quality of the recordings is not bad and the software is pretty easy to use.

The file size is 7 Mbytes, not an issue for any broadband users, people with dial-up will have to take a coffee break while the file is downloading.

That’s all for today, enjoy!

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Simone Braverman is the founder of IELTS-Blog.com and author of several popular IELTS preparation books, including Ace the IELTS, Target Band 7, the High Scorer's Choice practice test series, and IELTS Success Formula. Since 2005 her work has helped 100,000's of students worldwide achieve their target IELTS scores and live their dream lives. When Simone isn't working on her next IELTS book, video lesson, or coaching, she enjoys playing the guitar or rollerblading.