IELTS Listening Part 1 practice tests
Part 1 is a conversation between two people in an everyday situation, such as booking a course or asking about a service. Practise it on its own here: about ten minutes each, with the answers explained.
- Questions
- 1 to 10
- Speakers
- Two people
- Topic
- Everyday life
- Played
- Once in the exam
Choose a Part 1 to practise
Each one opens straight into that part. Check your answers as you go, see why each one is right, and get an estimated band at the end. Free, with no account needed.
- Listening Practice Test 1, Part 1A telephone conversation between a receptionist at a leisure centre and a parent who wants to book swimming lessons.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 2, Part 1A telephone conversation between a man who is looking for a flat and a letting agent.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
- Listening Practice Test 3, Part 1A woman booking a boat trip at a tourist information office.10 questions: Completion and short answer · Australian and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 4, Part 1A man phoning a car hire company to book a car for a holiday.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 5, Part 1A woman phoning a college to enrol on an evening course.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
- Listening Practice Test 6, Part 1A man phoning a medical practice to register as a new patient.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
- Listening Practice Test 7, Part 1A woman phoning a shop to hire camping equipment.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
What to expect in Listening Part 1
In Part 1 you hear two people talking in an everyday social situation. One of them usually wants something practical: to book lessons, join a club, rent a room or report a problem. The other asks for or gives details.
The questions are often a form or a set of notes to complete, so many answers are facts: a name, a phone number, a date, a price, a postcode. Names are usually spelled out letter by letter, and you must write them exactly.
The speakers talk fairly slowly and the topic is familiar, so this is the part where most people can collect marks. The marks are lost on details: a misheard letter, a number written wrongly, or the first answer written down when the speaker then corrects it.
Tips for Part 1
- Predict the kind of answer. Before the recording starts, look at each gap and decide what it needs: a name, a number, a day, a place. You then know what to listen for.
- Wait for corrections. Speakers often change their minds: "Tuesday... no, sorry, Thursday." The answer is the final one, so do not stop listening after the first thing you hear.
- Practise letters and numbers. Know the alphabet by sound, especially A, E, I, G, J and double letters. Practise hearing the difference between 15 and 50, and 13 and 30.
- Keep to the word limit. If the instructions say ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, two words is wrong even if the meaning is right.
- Check your spelling. A misspelled word is marked wrong. Common words such as Wednesday, February and accommodation cost many marks.
More advice: IELTS Listening tips and tricks.
Questions
- What is IELTS Listening Part 1?
- A conversation between two people in an everyday social situation, such as making a booking or an enquiry. It has 10 questions, numbered 1 to 10.
- Is Part 1 the easiest part of IELTS Listening?
- Most people find it the most approachable, because the topic is everyday and the speakers are fairly slow. It is still easy to lose marks on spelling, numbers and corrected answers.
- What question types come up in Part 1?
- Most often form, note or table completion, where you write a word or a number in each gap. Multiple choice and matching can also appear.
- Can I hear the recording twice?
- Not in the real test: each recording is played once only. Our part practice lets you replay it, so you can go back and hear what you missed. Turn to a full test when you want exam conditions.
- Do these practice tests come with answers?
- Yes. Press "Check these answers" under each group of questions to see which are right, the correct answer, and the words from the recording that prove it. At the end you get an estimated band for the part.
Practise the other parts
- Listening Part 2 practice tests
- Listening Part 3 practice tests
- Listening Part 4 practice tests
- Full listening practice tests: all the parts together under exam conditions.