Lindsay McMahon
"The English Adventurer"
Jessica Beck
"Director of IELTS Training"

Do you get nervous during the IELTS Listening test?

Are you afraid that you will lose control during the Listening test and you won’t understand anything?

Are you worried about the different accents on the test?

Today we have a fun solution for your problem!

The trick is to get into a TV series.

You’ll have fun with it and you’ll forget that you’re practicing your English. By the time you get to the test you will be comfortable with different English accents.

You can find great series and other resources on Netflix.

Should you use subtitles when you watch these series?

Yes, you can turn on the subtitles for the first couple of episodes until you have gotten used to the accent.

After you have gotten used to it you can turn off the subtitles.

TV Series:

#1) Almighty Johnsons

This is a fun TV series that is made in New Zealand.

You can read more about it here.

#2) Downtown Abbey

This is a popular British TV show.

It’s a great chance for you to get used to the British accent.

Learn more about it here.

#3) Dr. Who

This is also a British series. Learn about it here.

Jessica loves this one. Check it out!

#4) Call the Midwife

#5) Sherlock

Podcasts:

#6) Real Life Radio

This is a great podcast where you will hear the Australian accent. The guys who run this show are fun and you will finish every episode feeling motivated and ready to learn more.

Get more information here.

#7) Luke’s English Podcast

You will hear the British accent on this show.

Luke has fun and entertaining episodes where he talks about a variety of topics.

#8) Ron at English Funcast

Ron is a comedian and his podcasts are fun! He explains jokes and tells funny stories. He is from Canada so you will get to hear some small pronunciation differences between the American and the Canadian accent.

Get more listening resources here.

How to handle the Listening test:

In addition to practicing your general fluency and listening skills, you also need to do Listening test practice.

When it comes to test practice and the actual test, don’t take notes during the test.

When you have time to look at questions, underline the key words (names, numbers, verbs).

Next, predict answers. What do you need in the blank? Are you listening for a noun or for an adjective?

When they start speaking, follow along with your pen and fill in the answer as soon as you hear it.

You will have time to go back and check your answers.

By the time you get to the actual IELTS exam, you should be comfortable with hearing different types of accents.

Make sure that your study plan includes balanced practice which allows you to improve both your general fluency and also your test strategies.

Listening practice can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your IELTS study plan so grab some great resources and get started!

What other listening resources do you know?

Let us know in the comments below.

  • Badges (1)
  • Badges-1 (1)
  • Badges-2 (1)
  • US_ListenOn_AmazonMusic_button_black_RGB_5X
  • App-Store-Button
  • google-play-badge
  • Badges (1)
  • Badges-1 (1)
  • Badges-2 (1)
  • US_ListenOn_AmazonMusic_button_black_RGB_5X