IELTS Listening Practice Test 1 with Answers (Beginner PDF)
Welcome to your first IELTS Listening practice! This beginner-friendly test will help you understand the exam format, improve listening skills, and get used to tricky questions. Download the PDF and follow along. Remember, consistent practice is the key to achieving a high band score in IELTS listening.
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📌 About This Practice Test
This test follows the official IELTS Listening format. You will hear four sections of increasing difficulty. Each recording is played ONCE only. Write your answers on the question paper as you listen – you'll have 10 minutes at the end to transfer them to the answer sheet.
- ⏱️ Total time: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer)
- 📝 Questions: 40 total (10 per section)
- 🎯 Band score target: 5.0–6.0 (Beginner/Intermediate)
- 🔤 Answer types: Multiple choice, form completion, sentence completion, matching
🎧 Section 1: Conversation (2 people)
Topic: Enrolling at a gym · 10 questions
Questions 1–5: Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
WESTFIELD GYM – MEMBERSHIP FORM
Example: Name: Sarah Jones
1. Address: 14 ______ Road
2. Postcode: NW3 ______
3. Phone number: 07789 ______
4. Type of membership: ______
5. Start date: ______ June
Questions 6–10: Complete the notes.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
GYM FACILITIES
6. Swimming pool depth: ______ metres
7. Sauna hours: 6 am – ______ pm
8. Free classes: yoga and ______
9. Personal trainer costs: £______ per hour
10. Bring your own ______
🎧 Section 2: Monologue (1 person)
Topic: Guided tour of a museum · 10 questions
Questions 11–15: Label the map below.
Choose FIVE letters, A–G.
🗺️ Museum Floor Plan
11. Main Hall (opposite entrance) → ___
12. First room on the right → ___
13. End of corridor, left → ___
14. Next to café → ___
15. Upstairs → ___
Questions 16–20: Complete the sentences.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
16. The museum's most famous painting is called "The ______ Lady".
17. Photography is forbidden in the ______ gallery.
18. The café serves excellent ______ coffee.
19. Guided tours last approximately ______ minutes.
20. Students get a ______ discount with valid ID.
🎧 Section 3: Academic Discussion (2–4 people)
Topic: University project on renewable energy · 10 questions
Questions 21–26: Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
21. The students chose renewable energy because:
A. It's their professor's specialty
B. They both find it interesting
C. They already have data
22. For secondary research, they will use:
A. University library books
B. Online journals
C. Government websites
23. Their case study will focus on:
A. Solar power in schools
B. Wind farms in Scotland
C. Hydro power in Wales
24. The main challenge is:
A. Finding recent statistics
B. Contacting companies
C. Translating technical terms
25. Their supervisor recommended interviewing:
A. A local engineer
B. A government official
C. A university professor
26. The presentation will be in:
A. Week 8
B. Week 10
C. Week 12
Questions 27–30: Complete the table.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
| Task | Person responsible | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Literature review | Tom | 27. ______ March |
| 28. ______ questionnaire | Anna | April 5th |
| Interview transcription | Both | 29. April ______ |
| 30. ______ draft | Tom | May 1st |
🎧 Section 4: Lecture / Talk
Topic: History of chocolate · 10 questions
Questions 31–40: Complete the notes.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE
31. Originated in ______ America over 3,000 years ago.
32. Used as a ______ by Mayan and Aztec cultures.
33. First brought to Europe by Spanish ______ in the 16th century.
34. Sugar and ______ were added to make it sweeter.
35. First chocolate factory opened in ______ in 1728.
36. Inventions in the 19th century: milk chocolate and ______ chocolate.
37. Switzerland became famous for its high-______ chocolate.
38. World War II soldiers were given chocolate in their ______ rations.
39. Today, ______ is the largest consumer of chocolate per person.
40. Future challenge: sustainable ______ farming due to climate change.
✅ Answer Key & Transcript
Section 1
1. Park • 2. 4TP • 3. 3421 • 4. Premium • 5. 15th • 6. 1.5 • 7. 10 • 8. pilates • 9. 45 • 10. towel
Section 2
11. C • 12. A • 13. D • 14. B • 15. G • 16. Blue • 17. Roman • 18. organic • 19. 75 • 20. 20%
Section 3
21. B • 22. C • 23. B • 24. A • 25. A • 26. B • 27. 20th • 28. design • 29. 12th • 30. first
Section 4
31. Central • 32. currency • 33. explorers • 34. honey • 35. England • 36. white • 37. quality • 38. emergency • 39. Switzerland • 40. cocoa
📜 Transcript Access
The full transcript for all four sections is included in the PDF download above. Use it to check your mistakes and practice difficult sections again.
💡 Beginner Tips for IELTS Listening
🎯 Day 1 Takeaways
- Listen for keywords: Questions often use synonyms of words you hear.
- Watch spelling: Incorrect spelling = incorrect answer. Practice common words.
- Read ahead: Use the time before each section to preview questions.
- Answer exactly: Follow word limits (ONE WORD ONLY, NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS, etc.)
- Don't panic: If you miss one, move on. Focus on the next question.
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