This is a detailed analysis of all 76 IELTS Listening Part 1 tasks published in official Cambridge IELTS exam practice books 1 to 19 from 1995 to 2024. It starts with a summary of how the tasks are similar and different, then there is a table going through each task in detail. This is designed to help make exam presentation and practice materials reflect the real test, and prioritise what to study. For over 350 pages of photocopiable IELTS Listening materials, see https://www.usingenglish.com/e-books/ielts-listening/
Summary of official Listening Part 1 tasks
- Since IELTS 2 in 2000, Part One has always had exactly two speakers
- The situations are usually ones in which the candidate should write the notes that one person is taking, most commonly a service situation such as someone from a job agency taking down the applicant’s details
- There is a more or less even split between telephone conversations and face-to-face conversations (though that doesn’t make any practical difference to candidates)
- All tasks have been “One word and/ or number” and/ or (less commonly) “One word only” since IELTS 15 in 2020 (sometimes changing between these two variations after the split in the recording)
- Other kinds of task have included matching three items to three descriptions (with no extra options) in IELTS 14 and IELTS 11, multiple choice (most recently in IELTS 11 in 2016) and a much wider range of tasks before IELTS 10 (“Three words and/ or a number”, etc)
- Even when there have been longer gapfill tasks such as “No more than two words”, grammar words like “a” and “the” are not needed, as the speaker and candidate are writing notes, not putting words into full sentences
- The recording is always split into two parts with a pause in between, usually (but not always) around the midway point (after question 4, 5, or 6) and/ or at another obvious point such as a change of page
- About two thirds of Part Ones have one word spelt out by one of the speakers, almost always words which are not in a dictionary like street names and surnames, and often with real-life phrases for such situations like “How do you spell that?” and “B for banana”. About one third of these also have some kind of confirmation of the spelling like “So, that’s…”
- Most tasks also have numbers that must be written such as telephone numbers, prices and dates
- There are many British characteristics of the test such as British postcodes (“NW7 9QT”), pronunciation of the alphabet (most notably “zed” and a non-rhotic “ah” for R), pronunciation of dates and times (“the seventeenth of December”, etc), pronunciation of numbers (“oh eight seven three”, etc), and some vocabulary (“halls” for “student dorm”, etc)
The 648 one-word gapfill answers can be analysed as:
- 366 nouns (a mix of singular, plural and uncountable, including some repeated answers, 56% of all answers)
- 163 different singular nouns
- 156 numbers and times (24%)
- 88 numbers (not including times, 14%)
- 68 times (including years, dates, etc, 10%)
- 59 different uncountable nouns (plus some which can be both countable and uncountable)
- 56 different plural nouns
- 48 names (which are not English words that would be in a dictionary, 7%)
- 44 adjectives (7%)
- 14 addresses (including postcodes, but not including just street names which are normal English words or just house numbers, 2%)
- 13 verbs (2%)
- 4 directions (less than 1%)
Recent trends in IELTS Listening Part 1
- As mentioned above, the number of words or numbers has been reduced, so students are unlikely to have to write more than one word or one number nowadays
There have been no major changes to things like the likelihood of having to write a spelling, having to write a number, what kinds of words are in answers, etc (but see the oddities below for exceptions).
Oddities/ Surprises in official IELTS Listening Part 1 tasks
- Looking at the statistics above, I was surprised to find that there are nearly as many answers that are adjectives as there are ones which are names (though names which are also words like Mr Green are not included in the latter statistic)
- Similarly, I would have expected many more (tricky/ whole) addresses than verbs
- IELTS 19 has three situations where someone wouldn’t naturally be taking notes such as talking to friends, but this is only otherwise seen in IELTS 3 and there are other odd things about IELTS 19, so this is probably a mistake which can be safely ignored
- IELTS 19 also has spelling of a word which is unusual but would be in a dictionary, which seems to be only example of this
- IELTS 18 has one example with two splits in the recording and one example with no split in the recording, but all examples before and since are with one split, so this can probably be ignored
- IELTS 17 has two examples of Part One with neither a number nor a spelt word, but this is very rare and so unlikely to be in the real tests
Conclusions on IELTS Listening Part 1 practice and preparation
- Candidates should mainly practise with Part Ones which have two speakers, “one word and/ or a number” tasks, a split in the recording, both a number and a word which is spelt, and a situation in which one of the speakers would naturally be taking notes such as a survey or joining a club. This should also include some practice of “one word only” tasks, perhaps after the split in the recording, and no number or no spelling in some tasks.
- It is also fine to do a little practice with less representative tasks like two friends talking and a split in a less obvious place, as such variations could possibly be in the real test.
- Candidates who are not used to British English will need to get familiar with the aspects that are listed above such as how times and other numbers are pronounced
Year-by-year detailed analysis of official Cambridge IELTS Listening Part 1 tasks
The columns below show the test and the year it was published, the kind of task(s), where the recording is split (almost always into two), the situation and topics, and any numbers and words which are spelt which come up in it. A star (*) mean a surprising point such as something that is different in all the other tests.
| Book/test, Year | task/ tasks | split | who/ why/ where | topics | no | spelling |
| 19/1 2024 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, change of topic | teacher asking park ranger about visit | travel, leisure, education | area in hectares, price in pounds and pence | - |
| 19/2 2024 | 1 word and/ or a no, 1 word only | after Q6, change of pg and task | friend about joining the same group (so prob not really taking notes)* | arts and media | time | surname |
| 19/3 2024 | 1 word and/ or a no, 1 word only | after Q6, change of task and pg | friend giving advice about local area (so prob not really taking notes)* | food, home, leisure | time | suggested food* |
| 19/4 2024 | 1 word and/ or a no, 1 word only | after Q6, change of task | supervisor giving info to new recruit (so prob not really taking notes)* | work | floor in ordinal numbers, phone no | name |
| 18/ 1 2023 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5 | passerby and surveyor transport survey | travel | postcode, date | street name “Is that…?” |
| 18/ 2 2023 | 1 word only, 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5 at pg split | job centre staff and job seeker about work in a restaurant | work, food and drink | pay in pounds and pence | town name, “Sorry, where?” |
| 18/ 3 2023 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q1 and after Q4* | camera club organiser and possible member | leisure | - | street name with double letter “Is that…?” |
| 18/ 4 2023 | 1 word and/ or a no | no split* | work agency staff and job seeker | work | finishing time | road “Sorry?” |
| 17/1 2022 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5 | organiser and potential conservation volunteer | nature | price in pounds | - |
| 17/2 2022 | 1 word only | after Q7* | organiser and potential volunteer | work | -* | -* |
| 17/3 2022
| 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6 | friends advice on surfing holiday | travel, sports, leisure | temp in degrees, price in euros | name of beach “How do you spell that?” |
| 17/4 2022 | 1 word only | after Q5 | cleaning company staff and potential client | work | -* | -* |
| 16/1 2021 | 1 word and/ or a no | end of 1st of 3 sections | getting info about workshop during school holidays | leisure, education | - | name of industrial estate “That’s…” |
| 16/2 2021 | 1 word and/ or a no | end of 2nd of 5 sections | getting info about copying pictures to a disk from company/ shop | technology | cost in pounds, deadline in days | - |
| 16/3 2021 | 1 word and/ or a no | end of 2nd of 4 sections | getting info about cycle camp for son | sports | pay in dollars per week | - |
| 16/4 2021 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, random* | speaking to cottage owner about renting it | home, travel | date, cost in pounds
| name of cottage “V for Victor”, “What was that again?” |
| 15/1/ 2020 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, 2nd section | job agency | work | length of time, money in pounds | family name “Let me write that down”, repeat and pause |
| 15/2/ 2020 | 1 word only | after Q4, end of 1st table | tourist info office about festival info | arts and media | - | name of ballet company “Sorry?” “The name is spelt…” |
| 15/3/ 2020 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of page | job agency about possible jobs | work | length of time - experience needed in years | - |
| 15/4/ 2020 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, end of 2nd section of 4 | customer satisfaction survey about train journeys | travel | cost of ticket in pounds and pence | name of town with R and TH “Can I just check the spelling?” |
| 14/1/ 2019 | 1 word and/ or a no | end of 1st section | police to report a theft* | social issues | money in pounds, ref no, date day and month | - |
| 14/2/ 2019 | 1 word and/ or a no | new page | doctor to register and get treatment | health, exercise | phone no, date of birth day and month, length of time ago | name of company “That’s…” |
| 14/3/ 2019 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of topic | hotel asking about conference facilities | work | cost in dollars x 2 | name of room “That’s spelled…” |
| 14/4/ 2019 | 1 word and/ or a no, match to 3 options (no extra choices)* | after Q7, new page | hotel events organiser about booking room for a function | food and drink, leisure, home | no of people
| - |
| 13/1 2018 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, end of 2nd section of 3 | tourist info centre about cookery class | leisure, food, travel | percent | name of cookery school no double letter “That’s spelled…” |
| 13/2 2018 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, end of 2nd section of 3 | cycling club about joining | leisure, sports | price, speed, time | sports wear company “That’s…” |
| 13/3 2018 | 1 word and or a no | after Q5, end of 2nd section of 4 | friend of friend about moving to a new town | home, travel, leisure | price, how often, time | - |
| 13/4 2018 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q7, end of 2nd section of 3 | friend of a friend about training | education | year, how often, | - |
| 12/5 2017 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q4, change of topic | tourist info about family excursion | travel | price | name of cycle rental company “I’ll make a note of that. How do you spell it?” |
| 12/6 2017 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of topic | box office about events during a festival | arts and media | date, time, | name of building “How do you spell the name?” |
| 12/7 2017 | 1 word only | after Q4, change of topic | library info before joining | arts and media | -* | -* |
| 12/8 2017 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, end of 1st section | about job as tour guide | sports, leisure, travel | dates | street name “Was that P papa or B bravo?” |
| 11/1 2016 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, change of topic | village hall about renting a room | finance, leisure, arts and media | price | room name “Sorry?” |
| 11/2 2016 | 1 word and/ or no | after Q5, random* | youth council to get info/ apply to be a councillor | education, leisure | time | street and postcode (no question) |
| 11/3 2016 | multiple choice*, 1 word only | after Q6, change of task and page and topic | tourist office about things to do | travel, leisure | - | - |
| 11/4 2016 | 1 word and/ or no, match to 3 options (no extra option)* | after Q7, change of task and page and sub- topic | box office about a festivals | arts and media | - | name of building “Sorry how do you spell that?” |
| 10/1 2015 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, change of page | travel agent about self-drive tours | travel | distance, price | road “Can you spell that?” |
| 10/2 2015 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of section | in the street feedback survey on transport | travel | - | postcode, family name “Can you spell that please?” “Is the postcode …?” |
| 10/3 2015 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q6, random * | preschool about enrolling | education | age, time | family name with double letter, name of road “That’s… normal words with normal spelling”* |
| 10/4 2015 | 1 word only | after Q6, random* | home owner to contractor about renovation | home | - | family name with double letter “Can you spell your surname please?” |
| 9/1 2013 | 3 word and/ or no | after Q4, change of sub- topic | asking about work in restaurant | work, food | price/ pay, time, date | family name, road with double letter “How do you spell it please?” “Got that.” |
| 9/2 2013 | 1 word and/ or no | after Q5, random* | uni office to get in halls | home, education | date, length of time in years | Bhatt with double family name “Could you spell your name please?” |
| 9/3 2013 | 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of page | travel agent to book holiday flat | travel | distance in metres, price in pounds, money in pounds | family name “That’s…” |
| 9/4 2013 | 1 word only, choose 2*, 2 word and/ or no | after Q6, change of page and task | maybe citizen’s advice bureau about finding a doctor | health | - | family name, health practice “That’s…”, “How do you spell that?” |
| 8/1 2011 | multiple choice*, 2 word and/ or a no | after Q2*, change of task and page | flatmates filling in form together chatting about future summer festival | leisure, arts and media | house number, phone number, price, percent | postcode |
| 8/2 2011 | 3 word and/ or a no, 1 word and/ or no | after Q3*, change of page and task | insurance company about a claim | finance | date, cost/ price | suburb name, no double letter “What was the suburb, sorry?” |
| 8/3 2011 | 1 word and/ or a no, choose 2* | after Q8*, change of page and task | estate agent for info on renting house | home | price in pounds, length of time, price in pounds | - |
| 8/4 2011 | 2 word and/ or a no | after Q4, random* | asking about job in hotel | work, food | date | family name “That’s…” |
| 7/1 2009 | 3 word, 1 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of page and task | tourist info in airport | travel | date, time, flight no, credit card no | family name “Is that spelt with…?” |
| 7/2 2009 | 3 word and/ or a no | after Q5, change of sub- topic | get motor insurance from company/ agent | travel, finance | house number, cost in dollars | Car name “Could you spell…, please?” |
| 7/3 2009 | 3 word and/ or a no, two word, 3 word and/ or no | after Q5, change of page and task | student job centre about getting a part-time job | work | ordinal number, time | family name “That’s…” |
| 7/4 2009 | 3 word and/ or a no, 2 word | after Q4, random*
| join homestay | travel, education | passport no, length of time, time | family name, first name “Could you spell your family name for me?” |
| 6/1 2007 | 3 word, 2 nos*, 1 word only | after Q4, change of page and task | staff and potential customer in sports club | sports, leisure | price in pounds, times | family name “Could you spell that please?” |
| 6/2 2007 | 2 word and/ or no, 2 word | after Q5, change of page | staff and parent about art and crafts workshop | education | age | name of a street “Could you spell that please?” |
| 6/3 2007 | 1 word and/ or no | after Q5, change of page | staff and future customer in bank about opening a bank account | finance | date, house no, length of time, phone no, money in account | - |
| 6/4 2007 | 2 word and/ or no | after Q5, 2nd of 4 sections | staff and future attendee of conference | work, home | price in pounds, hotel room, length of time, bus no | - |
| 5/1 2006 | 2 word and/ or no, choose 2, 3 word and/ or no | after Q4, change of page and task | travel agent and potential tourist | travel | no of people, date, price in dollars, percent, customer ref no | name of hotel |
| 5/2 2006 | 3 word and/ or no | after Q5, random* | library staff and potential user about joining | education | age, cost in pounds, length of time in hours, | family name “Could you spell that for me please?” |
| 5/3 2006 | 3 word and/ or no | after Q4, 2nd section | car buyer and salesman | advice, technology | engine size in litres, | family name with double letter, town name “Not quite. It begins with an A, not an O.” |
| 5/4 2006 | 3 word and/ or nos* | after Q5, random* | student asking agency about host family | home, travel | house number, time, cost in pounds, date “the… of…” | full name “Can you spell that please?” |
| 4/1 2005 | 3 word and/ or no, 3 word and/ or no | after Q4, change of page and task | student asking about trips in language school office | travel, education | no of people, date | town name “Where?” |
| 4/2 2005 | multiple choice, choose words for gaps, 3 word | after Q5, change of task | two friends discussing travel recommendations in café* | travel | -* | -* |
| 4/3 2005 | 3 word and/ or no, multiple choice, 1 word only | after Q4, new page | student in a language school office applying for homestay | home | length of time in years | -* |
| 4/4 2005 | 3 word and/ or no | after Q4, section break | two members of university staff having an informal meeting about a leaving do* | objects, food and drink | date, date | -* |
| 3/1 2002 | complete the notes below* | -* | estate agent about renting house | home | price in pounds, length of time in weeks | - “I’ll just spell that for you?” |
| 3/2 2002 | 3 word and/ or no, map* | -* | English school | education | time, | - |
| 3/3 2002 | 3 word and/ or no | after Q5, random* | plan Xmas party with coworker* | food | phone no, cost, date | name of shop “How do you spell that?” |
| 3/4 2002 | 3 word and/ or no, map*, 3 word and/ or no | -* | buying present for baby with co-worker* | shopping | weight with fraction, length in cm, price | - |
| 2/1 2000 | 1 word and/ or no, choose 3*, short answer* | after Q5, change of page and task | joining the video library | art and media | postcode, phone no, license no, cost, future time | - |
| 2/2 2000 | multiple choice*, 3 word | after Q6, change of page and task | home insurance | home, finance | cost in dollars, flat no | family name “That’s…” |
| 2/3 2000 | all multiple choice | after Q4, change of page | market research for new TV channel | art and media | - | - |
| 2/4 2000 | 3 word, 3 word and/ or no | after Q2*, change of topic and slight change of task | problems with flat | home | address with house no, date, times | - |
| 1/1 1996 | multiple choice with pictures*, 3 word | after Q5, change of task | reporting stolen briefcase | objects | time, address with house no, phone no, price | full name “Can you spell that?” |
| 1/2 1996 | 3 word | after Q5, at change of speaker* | survey on student life – 3 speakers* | education, home | - | - |
| 1/3 1996 | map multiple choice*, 3 word, multiple choice and short answer* | after Q4, at change of task and speakers | parking on campus- 3 speakers in 2 situations* | travel, education | address with house number, car license plate number, | full name, road name “How do you spell…?”, town name |
| 1/4 1996 | multiple choice with pictures*, 3 word, multiple choice with pictures | after Q5 and after Q10 (with 12 Qs)*, at change of task | register for a law course and find place – 3 speakers in 2 situations* | education, food | address with house number, ordinal number | full name “Can you spell that for me?”, road name “That’s…” |