BitWithBite
IELTS Prep · Listening · Quick Reference
Lesson 3 — Listening Format Cheat Sheet
In one line: 40 questions across 4 increasingly hard sections, heard once — read ahead and know the rules before the recording starts.
Key Ideas
1Format. 40 questions, 30 min recording + 10 min transfer.
2Section 1. Social conversation — easiest. Gap fill, form completion.
3Section 2. Social monologue. MCQ, map labelling.
4Section 3. Educational discussion. MCQ, matching, table.
5Section 4. Academic monologue — hardest. Gap fill, sentence completion.
Key Rules
Read questions
Before the recording plays
Spelling
Must be correct
"NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS"
Max 3 words, no more
Replays
None — you hear it once