Introduction to Part 3

Part 3 of the IELTS Listening test is a big step up from Parts 1 and 2. Instead of everyday situations like booking a hotel, Part 3 is always about school, university, or training topics.

The biggest difference in this section is that you will hear a conversation between two to four people. For example, you might hear two students and a teacher discussing a research project, or students planning a group presentation.

Many students find Part 3 difficult because multiple people are talking at once, sharing different opinions, arguing, and changing their minds. This guide will show you exactly how to handle this section, avoid the traps, and get the right answers.

Understanding the Speakers

Because there are up to four speakers, it can get confusing quickly. To help you tell them apart, the test-makers use different types of voices. You might hear a man and a woman, or an older teacher with a younger student.

Your first job is to figure out who is who, and who is making the final decisions. For example, if a teacher and a student are discussing which classes the student should take, the teacher might give a lot of information, but the student is the one who actually makes the final choice.

Step-by-Step Strategy

To get a high score, you need a solid plan for before, during, and after the audio plays.

Step 1: Before You Listen (Preparation Time)

You will get about 30 seconds before the audio starts. Use this time wisely!

• Check the Word Limit: If you are filling in blanks, circle the word limit (like “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”). If you write three words, your answer is completely wrong.
• Underline Keywords: Highlight important words in the questions.
  • Unchanging words: Names, dates, and numbers usually do not change in the audio.
  • Changing words: Verbs and adjectives will almost certainly be changed into synonyms (different words with the same meaning) by the speakers.
• Guess the Answer: Try to guess if the missing word is a noun, a verb, or a number.

Step 2: While You Listen (Active Tracking)

• Follow the Order: The questions always follow the exact order of the conversation.
• Don’t Jump Too Fast: Do not just write down the very first answer you hear. Speakers often discuss an idea and then change their minds. Wait for them to agree.
• Keep Moving: If you miss an answer, forget it and move immediately to the next one. If you panic and get stuck, you will lose your place and miss the next three answers too.

Step 3: After You Listen (Checking and Transferring)

• If you take the paper test, you have 10 extra minutes at the end of the whole exam to move your answers to the final sheet.
• Check Your Spelling: If a word is spelled wrong, you get zero points.
• Check Grammar: Make sure your answer fits the sentence. If the sentence needs a plural word (like “students”) and you write “student”, it is wrong.
• Use Capital Letters: It is a great idea to write all your answers in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS so the examiner can read them perfectly.

Common Traps and Tricks

IELTS examiners use specific traps in Part 3 to test if you are really understanding the conversation or just hunting for words.

1. The Synonym Trap

The audio will rarely use the exact words written on your test paper. If an answer choice uses the exact same words you hear in the audio, it is usually a trap. The correct answer is usually a paraphrase.

• What you read: “The book is too difficult.”
• What you hear: “I am struggling to understand the dense reading material.”

2. The “Changed Mind” Trap (Corrections)

Speakers in Part 3 act like real people. They suggest an idea, and then change their minds.

• Speaker 1: “I can write the introduction.”
• Speaker 2: “Actually, I have more experience with that topic, so maybe I should do it.” If you stop listening after Speaker 1, you will get the answer wrong. Always listen for the final agreement.

3. Tricky Negative Words

Pay close attention to small negative words like “hardly,” “rarely,” “barely,” or “unlikely.” These tiny words completely reverse the meaning of a sentence, and examiners use them to trick you into picking the wrong multiple-choice answer.

Signpost Words: Your Audio Guide

Speakers use “signposts”—special words that tell you where the conversation is going.

• Moving to the next question: “Let’s move on to…”, “What about…”, or “Now let’s turn to…”. When you hear these, move your eyes to the next question.
• Changing Speakers: “What do you think, Steven?” or “Do you agree, Dr. Johnson?”.
• The Pivot (“But”): The most important words are “but,” “however,” and “on the other hand”. When you hear these, the speaker is usually throwing away a trap answer and is about to give you the real answer.

Types of Questions in Part 3

Multiple Choice

You must choose the correct answer (A, B, or C). Sometimes you have to pick two answers from a longer list. Read the choices quickly and underline what makes them different from each other. Remember, the speaker will probably mention all the options, but only one will be the final, agreed-upon fact.

Matching

You get a list of items (like courses or research ideas) and must match them to options (like A, B, C). A very common task is matching how a speaker feels about something :

• Definitely will (A): “I’ll sign up for that,” “That sounds great.” 
• Maybe (B): “I might wait,” “I’ll think about it.” 
• Definitely won’t (C): “I’d rather not,” “I’ll forget about that one.” 

Flow-Charts and Notes (Fill in the Blanks)

Flow-charts show a step-by-step process, like a science experiment or a business plan. Follow the arrows. Read the words that are already printed on the chart—they act as landmarks to help you follow along with the audio.

Important Vocabulary to Learn

Because Part 3 is about school, you must know academic vocabulary and how to spell it perfectly.

• University Words: presentation, project, tutor, semester, laboratory, faculty, bachelor’s, master’s, questionnaire, lecture.
• Library Words: catalogue, index, reference room, fine, overdue, librarian, the stacks, periodical.
• School Subjects: Mathematics, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Architecture, Literature, Archaeology.
• Common Spelling Traps: Wednesday, February, autumn. (Tip: If you can’t spell February, write the date as numbers, like 10/02/2020).

Practice Examples

Here is how you should think during the test, using real examples:

Example 1: Multiple Choice (The Changed Mind)

Question: Which research topic did the man choose? A. Winds and winter temperatures B. The geography of Northern Europe C. The Gulf Stream 

What you hear: “Well, I’ve been researching the geography of Northern Europe and it feels like that’s what my project is about, but it’s not. It’s actually about The Gulf Stream.” 

How to answer: The speaker says Option B perfectly out loud to trick you. However, the signpost word “but” shows a change. He finishes by saying “It’s actually about The Gulf Stream.” The correct answer is C.

Example 2: Matching (Understanding Certainty)

Question: Match the course “Media Studies” to Jack’s decision. Options: A. He’ll definitely do it. B. He may or may not do it. C. He won’t do it. 

What you hear: “I’ve decided I’d rather do something completely new.” 

How to answer: Jack doesn’t say the word “no”, but “I’d rather do something completely new” means he rejects the course. The answer is C.

Example 3: Flow-Chart Completion

Question: Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER. Prices for ___________ went up by 2.4%. 

What you hear: “For a more detailed view, prices for cereals, such as bakery products, went up by 2.4%.” 

How to answer: The audio matches the 2.4% figure to the word “cereals”. The answer is cereals. (Always write numbers as digits like “2.4” instead of spelling them out to avoid mistakes!).