IELTS Listening Part 4 practice tests
Part 4 is one person giving a talk on an academic subject, like part of a university lecture. Practise it on its own here: about ten minutes each, with the answers explained.
- Questions
- 31 to 40
- Speakers
- One person
- Topic
- An academic subject
- Played
- Once in the exam
Choose a Part 4 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 4Part of a lecture about urban heat islands.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 2, Part 4Part of a lecture about how animals navigate.10 questions: Completion and short answer · American accent
- Listening Practice Test 3, Part 4Part of a lecture about the building of London's sewers.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 4, Part 4Part of a lecture about the history of paper.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 5, Part 4Part of a lecture about the history of chocolate.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 6, Part 4Part of a lecture about how elephants communicate.10 questions: Completion and short answer · British accent
- Listening Practice Test 7, Part 4Part of a lecture about the use of colour in marketing.10 questions: Completion and short answer · American accent
What to expect in Listening Part 4
In Part 4 you hear one speaker talking about an academic subject, for example part of a lecture on city temperatures, animal behaviour or the history of an invention. You do not need to know the subject: everything you need is said in the talk.
The questions are very often a set of notes to complete, with one word in each gap. The notes are organised under headings, which follow the structure of the lecture.
It is the last part, the language is the most formal, and there is nobody to interrupt or repeat a point. If you lose your place, the headings in the notes are the way back in.
Tips for Part 4
- Use the headings. Read the headings and sub-headings in the notes before you listen. When the speaker moves to a new topic, move to the next heading.
- Listen for signpost words. "First of all", "another reason", "however", "as a result" and "finally" tell you where the talk is going.
- Predict the word. Look at the words around each gap. Is the missing word a noun, a verb or an adjective? Singular or plural?
- Write what you hear. The answer is a word the speaker actually says. The words around the gap are usually changed, but the answer itself is not.
- Do not get stuck. If you miss an answer, leave it and listen for the next one. One lost mark is better than three.
More advice: IELTS Listening tips and tricks.
Questions
- What is IELTS Listening Part 4?
- A talk by one speaker on an academic subject, like part of a university lecture. It has 10 questions, numbered 31 to 40.
- Do I need to know the subject of the lecture?
- No. The test is of your English, not your knowledge. Every answer is said in the recording.
- What question types come up in Part 4?
- Most often note or summary completion with one word per gap. Sentence completion and multiple choice 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 3 practice tests
- Full listening practice tests: all the parts together under exam conditions.