Introduction to Part 4

Part 4 is the final and most difficult section of the IELTS Listening test. In this part, you will hear a monologue (only one person speaking) about an academic subject. You can imagine that you are sitting in a university lecture hall listening to a professor give a talk.

The topics are academic, but you do not need any special knowledge to answer the questions. The answers are always in the audio. You might hear a lecture about history, business, animal biology, or the environment.

The Biggest Challenge: In Parts 1, 2, and 3, the audio stops in the middle to give you a break to read the next questions. In Part 4, there is NO break. The speaker talks continuously for about 5 minutes, and you must answer all 10 questions (Questions 31 to 40) at the same time. This tests your focus and stamina.

Types of Questions

Because this is a university-style lecture, the questions almost always look like a student’s notebook. The most common question types are:

1. Note Completion: Filling in the blanks in a list of notes with headings and bullet points.
2. Summary or Sentence Completion: Filling in the blanks in a short paragraph that summarizes the lecture.
3. Table or Flow-chart Completion: Filling in missing facts in a chart or a step-by-step process.
4. Multiple Choice: Sometimes, you will get multiple-choice questions at the end of the lecture.

For all fill-in-the-blank questions, there will be a strict word limit, such as “Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”. If you write more than the limit, you get zero points.

Common Traps and Distractors

The examiners use clever tricks in Part 4 to test if you are truly understanding the lecture or just trying to match words.

1. The Heavy Paraphrasing Trap

In Part 4, the words printed on your test paper will almost never be the exact words the speaker says. The speaker will use synonyms (different words with the same meaning).

• What you read on the paper: “The company focused on customer satisfaction.”
• What you hear in the audio: “The business prioritized keeping their buyers happy.”

You must listen for the meaning of the sentence, not just search for the exact keywords.

2. The “No Pause” Panic

Because there is no break in the audio, students often panic if they miss an answer. If you are still thinking about Question 32 while the speaker is talking about Question 34, you will lose three points instead of just one. If you miss an answer, guess quickly and move on immediately.

3. Word Form and Plural Traps

If the question is a sentence completion, your answer must be grammatically correct when you put it in the blank. If the speaker says “The oceans are rising,” and you write “ocean” (without the ‘s’), your answer is marked wrong because it breaks the grammar rule. Always listen carefully for the “s” at the end of words!

Signpost Words: Your Lecture Map

Since the professor talks for a long time, they use “signpost words” to organize their speech. These words act like a map, telling you exactly where you are on the test paper.

• Introducing the topic: “Today, I am going to talk about…” or “Let’s look at…”
• Moving to the next heading: “Now, moving on to…”, “Next, let’s consider…”, or “Another interesting point is…” (When you hear these, move your eyes down to the next section of your notes!)
• Giving an example: “For instance…” or “Namely…”
• Showing a contrast (A trap is coming!): “However,” “On the other hand,” or “Conversely.” (This usually means the speaker is rejecting a fake answer and is about to give the real answer).

Step-by-Step Strategy

To succeed in Part 4, follow this expert routine:

Step 1: Before the Audio (Preparation Time)

You will get about 30 to 45 seconds to look at Questions 31-40.

• Read the Headings: The headings on the notes are your best friends. They match the structure of the lecture.
• Check the Word Limit: Circle the rule (e.g., “ONE WORD ONLY”).
• Predict the Answer: Look at the blank spaces. Guess what kind of word is missing. Is it a noun? A verb? An adjective? If the notes say “Built in the year ______”, you know you must listen for a date.

Step 2: During the Audio (Active Listening)

• Follow the Bullet Points: Read the bullet points that do not have blank spaces. The speaker will mention these points. Tracking them helps you keep your place in the audio so you know exactly when the answer for the next blank is coming.
• Keep Your Pencil Moving: Do not stop and stare at one question. Let your pencil hover over the current question, but keep your eyes ready for the next one.

Step 3: After the Audio (Transfer Time)

• If you are taking the paper test, you have 10 extra minutes at the end of the whole exam to move your answers to the final answer sheet.
• Check Spelling: This is critical. Part 4 uses difficult academic words. If it is spelled wrong, it is marked wrong.
• Check Grammar: Read the sentence with your word in it. Does it sound correct? Does it need an ‘s’?

Important Vocabulary to Learn

Part 4 uses formal, academic English. You should be comfortable spelling words related to science, history, business, and the environment.

• Environment & Nature: Deforestation, global warming, carbon dioxide, renewable energy, fossil fuels, avalanche, volcano, agriculture.
• Business & Work: Management, marketing, strategies, recruitment, workforce, consumer, advertising.
• Health & Biology: Vegetarian, carbohydrates, protein, disease, psychology, treatment, nutrients.
• Academic Words: Research, experiment, laboratory, methodology, statistics, analysis, characteristics.

Practice: Part 4 Sample Questions

Here is a typical set of 10 questions you might see in IELTS Listening Part 4. This is based on a university psychology lecture about “Time Perspectives” (how people think about time).

Questions 31-35

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Questions 36-40

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

36. We are all present-orientated sometimes because

A. we are born that way.

B. we naturally want to relax.

C. it is good for our physical health.

37. What is the main reason why boys do worse than girls at school?

A. They are distracted by modern technology.

B. They play video games instead of doing school work.

C. They are not as intelligent as girls.

38. Present-orientated children

A. do not realise present actions can have negative future effects.

B. are unable to learn lessons from past mistakes.

C. know what could happen if they do something bad, but do it anyway.

39. If Americans had an extra day per week, they would spend it

A. working harder.

B. building relationships.

C. sharing family meals.

40. Understanding how people think about time can help us

A. become more virtuous.

B. work together better.

C. identify careless or ambitious people.

How an expert handles this practice:

• For question 31, the expert looks at the table structure. The word above it is “Positive”, so the blank in 31 must be the opposite word for people who focus on “disappointments and failures”. The expert predicts the answer will be a negative adjective (like negative or pessimistic).
• For question 33, the expert sees “religious beliefs, social conditions”. This is a list of powerful forces. They will listen for the speaker to mention religion or society to know the answer is coming.
• For the multiple-choice questions (36-40), the expert knows the speaker will probably mention all three options (A, B, and C) to try and trick them. They will wait for the speaker to use a contrast word like “but” or “however” before selecting the final, true answer.