IELTS Listening Part 3 practice tests
Part 3 is a discussion in an education or training setting, usually students talking about a piece of work, often with a tutor. Practise it on its own here: about ten minutes each, with the answers explained.
- Questions
- 21 to 30
- Speakers
- Up to four people
- Topic
- Study or training
- Played
- Once in the exam
Choose a Part 3 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 3Two university students, Maya and Leo, discussing their research project on food waste with their tutor.10 questions: Multiple choice, Matching · British and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 2, Part 3Two students, Priya and Sam, talking to their tutor about their presentation on music and concentration.10 questions: Multiple choice, Matching · Australian and British and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 3, Part 3Two students, Aisha and Ben, discussing their river survey with their tutor.10 questions: Multiple choice, Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
- Listening Practice Test 4, Part 3Two psychology students, Hannah and Tom, discussing their research project on sleep with their tutor.10 questions: Multiple choice, Completion and short answer · British and Australian accents
- Listening Practice Test 5, Part 3Two geography students, Kofi and Mia, discussing a survey they are planning about how people travel to work.10 questions: Multiple choice, Matching · British and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 6, Part 3Two business students, Leila and Marcus, discussing their presentation on plastic packaging with their tutor.10 questions: Multiple choice, Matching · British and American accents
- Listening Practice Test 7, Part 3Two geography students, Amir and Sophie, planning a field trip with their tutor.10 questions: Multiple choice, Completion and short answer · American and British accents
What to expect in Listening Part 3
In Part 3 you hear a conversation between up to four people in an educational or training situation. A typical example is two students discussing a project or an assignment, sometimes with their tutor.
The difficulty is that the speakers discuss ideas, not simple facts. They suggest things, disagree, change their minds and finally agree. The questions ask what they decided, what one person thinks, or why something was a problem.
The speakers also talk faster than in Parts 1 and 2 and interrupt each other. You need to know who is speaking and whether the other person accepts what was said.
Tips for Part 3
- Know the voices. Note the names in the questions and work out in the first few seconds which voice belongs to which person.
- Listen for agreement. "Exactly", "that's a good point" and "I suppose so" show agreement. "I'm not sure", "but wouldn't that..." and "maybe, although" show doubt.
- Wait for the decision. An idea that is suggested and then rejected is a trap. The answer is what the speakers settle on in the end.
- Read the questions as a guide. The questions follow the order of the conversation, so they tell you what will be discussed next.
- Learn study vocabulary. Words such as deadline, draft, survey, findings, sample, reference and presentation come up again and again.
More advice: IELTS Listening tips and tricks.
Questions
- What is IELTS Listening Part 3?
- A conversation between up to four people in an educational or training situation, such as students discussing an assignment with a tutor. It has 10 questions, numbered 21 to 30.
- Why do many people find Part 3 the hardest?
- The speakers talk faster, there are more of them, and the questions are about opinions and decisions. Speakers often suggest an answer and then reject it.
- What question types come up in Part 3?
- Often multiple choice and matching, where you match speakers or topics to opinions. Sentence and note completion 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 1 practice tests
- Listening Part 2 practice tests
- Listening Part 4 practice tests
- Full listening practice tests: all the parts together under exam conditions.