Mastering Instructions in the IELTS Listening and Reading Tests

Mastering the art of following instructions is essential for success in both the IELTS Listening and Reading Tests. In this blog, I’ll guide you through key strategies to help you avoid losing out on valuable marks—regardless of how confident you are in your English language ability. Let’s ensure you’re fully prepared to maximise your score!

Know the question types

The IELTS Test uses different question formats like MULTIPLE CHOICE, MATCHING, and COMPLETION tasks. Read the instructions carefully for each question type to ensure you know exactly what is required. There may be up to 14 different question types in the Listening and Reading Tests, so make sure you are prepared for them all.

Pay attention to what you can write

Many of the questions in the Reading and Listening Tests ask you to choose letters or numbers (e.g., A B or C, i, ii, iii, iv, etc,). For instance, if you are asked to ‘choose two letters’ in a multi-choice question but you choose three, your answer will be marked as incorrect even if one or two of your choices are correct.

Pay attention to word limits

In the IELTS Reading and Listening sections, many questions require you to answer in a limited number of words. For example, the instructions may say "Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS." If the answer to the question is ‘green parking permit’ but you write ‘green permit for parking’ you would not get the mark as it exceeds the word limit. So make sure you’re familiar with all the possible instructions for completion tasks.

Pay attention to spelling and grammar

In both sections, spelling errors will result in you losing out on marks. The instructions for the Reading Test will say to use a word or words ‘from the passage’ so make sure you spell your answer exactly as it appears (you can copy/paste if you’re doing the test on computer!). Additionally, grammar matters; for sentence completion tasks, ensure the words you use fit grammatically – if they don’t, it’s an indication that you’ve written the wrong words.  However, there is some good news:  you can write your answers in all UPPER or lower case!

Finally, paying close attention to instructions can make a difference in your IELTS score. Be precise, follow word limits, and manage your time effectively. Success lies not only in understanding English but in mastering the details and requirements of the test itself.

Good luck with your test!