CatchThatScholarship
Free IELTS Listening Mock

IELTS Listening Practice Test 1

A full-length, free IELTS Listening practice test built around four realistic recordings: a travel enquiry about buses, trains and ferries; a college counselling service overview; a literature tutorial on the novel The Secret Garden; and an academic lecture on time perspectives. Answer all 40 questions and get your band score the moment you submit.

Sections4
Questions40
Time allowed40 minutes
FormatFill-in-the-blank, table completion, short answer
ResultInstant score + band conversion

What's in this test

Section 1 · Questions 1–10

Travel Enquiry

A conversation between a transport clerk and a customer working out the cheapest and fastest way to reach a train station — covering bus numbers, departure times, and a full table of bus, train and ferry fares.

Section 2 · Questions 11–20

St Ives College Counselling Services

A guidance counsellor explains which counsellor to see and when, plus a rundown of student workshops — from managing anxiety to staying motivated — and who each one is for.

Section 3 · Questions 21–30

Literature Tutorial: The Secret Garden

A tutor and two students discuss narrative technique, symbolism versus motif, and the central themes of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel ahead of an exam — useful practice for academic-style discussion questions.

Section 4 · Questions 31–40

Time Perspectives

A single-speaker academic lecture on the six psychological "time zones" people use to relate to their past, present and future, illustrated with research on habits, family dinners and video games.

Start the test

FAQ

What topics are covered in IELTS Listening Practice Test 1?

This test has four sections: a travel enquiry about buses, trains and ferry fares (Section 1); a college counselling service overview with workshop schedules (Section 2); a literature tutorial discussion on the novel The Secret Garden (Section 3); and an academic lecture on time perspectives and psychology (Section 4).

Is this IELTS Listening test free?

Yes. The full 40-question test, audio, instant scoring and band conversion are free with no signup required. Creating a free account lets you save progress and revisit your results later.

How is the IELTS Listening band score calculated?

Your raw score out of 40 is converted to a band score between 3.5 and 9.0 using the standard IELTS conversion scale, which this test applies automatically once you submit.

How long is the IELTS Listening test?

The real IELTS Listening test runs for 30 minutes of audio, plus 10 minutes to transfer answers on paper-based tests (this is built into the total time on computer-delivered IELTS). This practice test gives you 40 minutes to complete all four sections.

IELTS Listening · Test 1
40:00
0 / 40 answered
Questions 1–10

Section 1 — Travel Enquiry

A conversation between a transport clerk and a man asking for travel information.

Section 1 Audio
Listen once — audio does not repeat in the real test
1 Answered

What is the name of the train station nearest to the man's home?

2 Answered

Which bus number does the man take from Bayswater Shopping Centre to Central Street (Option 1)?

3 Answered

Which bus number goes directly from Central Street to the train station (Option 2)?

4 Answered

What time is the recommended (earlier, safer) bus the man decides to catch?

5 Answered

What time does the express train depart?

Questions 6–9  ·  Complete the fare table

JourneyCash fareWith Travel Link Card
Bus (one way)
6 $
7 $
Train to Harbour City (peak – outbound) $10.00 (same with card – peak hours)
Train return (off-peak) $10.00
8 $
Commuter ferry (one way) $4.50
9 $
10 Answered

How much does an afternoon sightseeing tour boat trip cost per person?

Questions 11–20

Section 2 — St Ives College Counselling

A guidance counsellor talks to students about counselling services.

Section 2 Audio
Listen once only
11 Answered

Which counsellor should first-time students and students who need appointments outside office hours see?

12 Answered

On which two days does Naomi Flynn offer early morning or late evening appointments?

13 Answered

Which counsellor runs the drop-in centre for students without prior appointments?

14 Answered

Which counsellor specialises in stress management and is recommended for students dealing with anxiety?

Questions 15–20  ·  Match each workshop to its target audience

QWorkshopPrimary target audience
15 Adjusting
16 Getting Organised
17 Communicating
18 Anxiety
19 Motivation
20 Answered

How long does each group workshop last?

Questions 21–30

Section 3 — Literature Tutorial: The Secret Garden

A tutor discusses the novel with two students before their exam.

Section 3 Audio
Listen once only
21 Answered

What are the names of the two protagonists? Give both names.

22 Answered

In which county / region of the United Kingdom is the uncle's house located?

23 Answered

What type of narrator is used in The Secret Garden?

24 Answered

The book was initially aimed at which audience?

25 Answered

The simple vocabulary and absence of ________ make the story easy to follow and suited for children.

26 Answered

What is the difference between a symbol and a motif, according to the tutor?

27 Answered

Name ONE of the two motifs identified in The Secret Garden.

28 Answered

What does the tutor say is the most significant theme in the novel?

29 Answered

How does the author link the characters' environment to their wellbeing?

30 Answered

The examiners do NOT want a plot summary. What should students focus on instead?

Questions 31–40

Section 4 — Time Perspectives

An academic talk on how people think about time.

Section 4 Audio
Listen once only
31 Answered

According to social psychologists, how many personal time zones are there?

Questions 32–37  ·  Complete the time zone descriptions

QTime ZoneKey characteristic
32 Past Positive
33 Past Negative
34 Present Hedonist
35 Present Fatalist
36 Future Active
37 Future Fatalistic
38 Answered

By age 21, how many hours have American boys typically spent playing video games?

39 Answered

Twenty years ago, 60% of Americans had sit-down family dinners. What percentage do so now?

40 Answered

The speaker says that conflicts between people are often not differences of personality, but differences in what?

Progress
Saved!