Top 8 Tips for IELTS Academic Listening Task 5: Sentence Completion

Sentence completion is probably one of the most challenging components of the IELTS Academic Listening Test. For this item type, you are required to read a set of incomplete sentences summarizing key information from the audio recording. Your task is to fill a gap in each sentence using information from the listening text. This listening task assesses your ability to determine the key information from the audio recording.

Do you want to ace this listening task? Aside from enrolling in a JRooz IELTS Review Center and maximizing your study time at home, it is also helpful to utilize different test-taking tips and strategies to boost your exam preparation. For instance, check out these exam tips for the sentence completion task.

Top 8 Tips for IELTS Academic Listening Task 5: Sentence Completion

In order to achieve a high band score in this listening task, practice using these top eight tips during your IELTS course sessions.

          1.    Read the instructions. The IELTS Academic Listening Task 5 consists of the following guidelines:

a.    Each gap requires a specific word limit.

b.    Contracted words are not allowed.

c.    Hyphenated words count as single words.

          2.    Examine the incomplete sentences before you listen to the audio recording. Doing this gives you an idea of what you will be hearing.

          3.    Pay attention to the words that come before and after each gap. These words will serve as your guide when listening to the audio recording.

          4.    As you listen to the recording, list down critical points such as names, dates, terminologies that are related to the incomplete sentences.

          5.    Keep in mind that the words you see in the incomplete sentences may be the synonyms of the words from the recording, so you may be listening out for words with similar meanings.

          6.    Use a note-taking strategy to organize your notes properly. The listing method of note-taking is ideal for organizing ideas and concepts discussed in an audio recording.

          7.    Time management plays a crucial role in the IELTS Academic Listening Task 5. To do this effectively, consider the following IELTS course points:

a.    Spend at least one minute filling out each gap.

b.    Use your notes as your guide when filling out the gaps.

c.    If you can’t find the answer to a specific gap, skip it and come back to it later.

          8.    Once you have filled out all the gaps, look for any grammatical errors and misspelled words. Correct them before you proceed to the next part of the exam.

Do you want to know more test-taking strategies? Enroll now in a JRooz IELTS Review Center and don’t forget to check out our blog today!

REFERENCES:

"How to Do IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Questions." IELTS Freeway. Accessed June 13, 2019. http://ieltsfreeway.com/ielts-listening-overview-new-old/ielts-listening-sentence-completion-questions/.

"IELTS Listening Tips: How to Improve Your Score." IELTS Academic. Accessed June 13, 2019. https://ielts-academic.com/ielts-listening-tips/.

"IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Strategies." IELTS Buddy. Accessed June 13, 2019. https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-listening-sentence-completion-strategies.html.