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IELTS / Guides / Listening · Short-answer questions
IELTS Listening · Guide

Short-Answer Questions in IELTS Listening: strategy, word limits, traps

You answer direct questions such as 'What time does the tour start?' or 'Which building is closed?' with a few words from the recording. Because the question is written out in full, you must work out exactly what is being asked. The task tests focused listening and careful reading of the question word.

About Listening practice

Format

  • Can appear in any part, typically in Parts 2, 3 or 4 as a set of about 3 to 6 questions.
  • The limit is printed, usually NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER or ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER.
  • Questions follow the order of the recording.
  • Answers are words or numbers the speaker actually says. Articles are rarely part of the answer.
  • On computer you type into a box beneath each question; spelling is marked, capitals are ignored and hyphenated words count as one.

Strategy

  1. In the pause, circle the question word. 'Who' needs a person or role, 'where' a place, 'how many' a number, 'how' a method, 'which' one item out of several, and 'why' a short reason.
  2. Underline the subject of the question, such as 'the new café' or 'the first survey'. This tells you which part of the recording to listen to and keeps you from answering about a neighbouring topic.
  3. Predict the type of answer in two or three words before you hear it. 'What should visitors bring?' could be 'warm clothing', 'a camera' or 'sun cream'.
  4. Listen for the subject, then for the information that answers the question word. The speaker may say the answer before or after naming the subject.
  5. Write the answer as short as the limit requires. If the speaker says 'a pair of waterproof boots' and the limit is two words, write 'waterproof boots'.
  6. Watch for corrections and offers that are declined. 'We could meet at ten - actually, make it half past nine' gives 9.30 as the answer.
  7. Check that your answer is a response to the question, not a repeat of its words. 'Where do students submit their forms?' needs a place, not 'students submit'.
  8. Keep the question order in your head; once a question is answered, move straight to the next, since there is rarely a long gap between short-answer items.

Common traps

  • Answering about the wrong subject. The question asks about the café but the speaker is also discussing the library; the answer you grab belongs to the wrong place.
  • Writing too many words by copying the speaker's phrase. 'The south entrance' is two words and 'the main south entrance' is three.
  • Missing the word that changes the answer, such as 'except', 'only', 'instead', 'no longer'. These mark the difference between the item mentioned and the item asked for.
  • Giving a reason when only a noun is wanted, or a noun when a reason is wanted. Match the question word exactly.
  • Writing a number in the wrong form, for instance 'twelve to fifteen' when the question asks for one number. Read the question to see whether a range is acceptable.

Practise it inside a real Listening section

Practice on PrepFreely is always a complete section, so you meet this question type in the same place and proportion as on test day. Random sections never repeat until you've done them all. Every answer is explained.

Practise Listening Take the Listening course

FAQ

Can I write a full sentence?

No, and it will usually break the word limit. Write only the key word or words from the recording.

Do I need to include 'a', 'an' or 'the'?

Usually not. Articles use up your allowed words and are rarely part of the answer; leave them out unless the speaker's phrase needs one to make sense and the limit allows it.

What if there are two possible answers in the recording?

Choose the one that answers the specific question. If the speaker corrects or changes a detail, the final version is the answer.

Are short-answer questions in order?

Yes. The first question is answered first, which helps you recover if you miss one: the next answer comes later in the recording.

Is a wrong answer penalised?

No. A wrong or missing answer scores zero, and nothing is deducted, so always write something.

More IELTS Listening guides

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