Jasurbek's blog | IELTS

1. Losing Focus During the Long Monologue
Part 4 contains a continuous talk, and many students lose concentration midway.
A momentary lapse in attention can cause students to miss several answers.

2. Inability to Predict Answers
Unlike earlier parts, Part 4 often includes more complex vocabulary and ideas.
Students who don’t analyze the question format and predict possible answers in advance may struggle to catch key words.

3. Struggling with Paraphrasing and Synonyms
The words in the questions are often paraphrased in the audio.
Students who rely on hearing the exact words from the question rather than synonyms often miss answers.

4. Poor Note-Taking Skills
Some students try to remember everything instead of taking quick notes.
Others write too much, leading to confusion or missing key details while writing.

5. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
Even if students identify the correct answer, spelling mistakes (especially in proper nouns, academic terms, or numbers) result in lost points.
Incorrect word forms (e.g., singular instead of plural) also lead to wrong answers.

6. Difficulty Understanding Accents
IELTS features different English accents, including British, Australian, and North American.
Students unfamiliar with certain pronunciations may misinterpret words or fail to recognize synonyms.

7. Overlooking Signal Words and Structure
Academic talks often have a structured flow, including introductions, explanations, and conclusions.
Students who don’t recognize discourse markers (e.g., “Now, let’s move on to…”, “To illustrate this…”, “A key point is…”) may fail to anticipate answers.

8. Writing Answers Too Soon
Some students write the first word they hear that seems relevant instead of waiting for confirmation.
IELTS often includes distractors (incorrect but related information) before the actual answer.

9. Panic and Anxiety
Due to the difficulty of this section, students may panic, leading to poor listening and rushed answers.
Lack of confidence in catching difficult vocabulary makes them second-guess correct answers.

10. Lack of Practice with Similar Content
IELTS Part 4 often features academic lectures on unfamiliar topics (e.g., history, biology, psychology).
Students who don’t practice listening to academic podcasts, TED Talks, or university lectures may struggle to follow the content.