Mastering IELTS Listening Part 4
Tackling the Academic Lecture
What is Listening Part 4?
Part 4 is the final and often most intense section of the IELTS Listening test. It consists of a monologue—typically an academic lecture or talk—delivered by a single speaker. You will listen for around 5 minutes without any breaks and answer 10 questions.
The topics are academic in nature, covering subjects from science and history to sociology and the arts. This section tests your ability to follow a sustained, structured piece of academic discourse, understand main ideas, and identify specific supporting details.
Key Challenges in Part 4
Academic Content
The topics can be unfamiliar and may involve specialized vocabulary. However, you are not expected to have prior knowledge of the subject.
One Continuous Talk
Unlike other sections, there are no pauses in the middle of Part 4. You must maintain concentration for the entire duration of the lecture.
Note/Summary Completion
The most common question type requires you to fill in gaps in a set of notes, a summary, or a flowchart, using words directly from the lecture.
Predicting the Answer
Success heavily depends on your ability to use the preparation time to read the gapped notes and predict the type of word needed for each blank.
Top Strategies for Part 4
- Master the Preparation Time: This is your most critical tool. Read the title and the notes to understand the lecture's topic and structure. For each gap, predict the type of word required (e.g., a noun, a number, a verb). Underline keywords around the gaps.
- Listen for Signposting Language: Lecturers use specific phrases to structure their talks. These "signposts" are your guide. Listen for words that introduce main points ("Firstly..."), add ideas ("Furthermore..."), give examples ("For instance..."), or conclude ("In summary...").
- Follow the Keywords: The questions follow the order of the lecture. Keep your eyes on the keywords for the current question, but also be ready to look ahead to the keywords for the next one. This prevents you from getting lost if the speaker moves on quickly.
- Write Exactly What You Hear: The answers are taken directly from the audio. Do not change the form of the word. Pay close attention to the word limit (e.g., "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS").
- Don't Panic if You Miss One: Because the recording doesn't stop, it's easy to lose your place if you dwell on a missed answer. If you miss a question, leave it blank, focus on the next keyword, and move on. You can try to guess the answer at the end.
Academic Vocabulary & Signposts
Introducing a Topic
- The focus of this lecture is...
- Today, we'll be examining...
- I'd like to begin by discussing...
Listing Points
- Firstly, ... Secondly, ... Finally...
- Another key aspect is...
- Furthermore / Moreover...
Cause and Effect
- This leads to...
- As a result...
- Consequently, ...
Concluding
- To sum up...
- In conclusion, we can see that...
- To recap the main points...
Interactive Practice Exercise
Sample Audio Script: The Behaviour of Bees
"Good morning. Today's lecture will focus on the fascinating social structure and behaviour of honeybees.
To begin, it's crucial to understand that a bee colony is a highly organised society. At the top, there is a single queen, whose primary role is reproduction. She lays thousands of eggs each day. The vast majority of the colony consists of female worker bees. These workers have a variety of tasks which change as they age. For the first few days of their lives, their main responsibility is cleaning the cells of the honeycomb.
After this initial phase, their duties become more complex. They begin to produce wax, which is the essential building material for the hive. They construct the hexagonal cells that are used for storing honey and pollen.
Another key role for worker bees is foraging. This is perhaps their most well-known activity. They fly out of the hive to collect nectar and pollen from flowers. This task is not random; they use a sophisticated form of communication to tell other bees where to find the best food sources. This is famously known as the 'waggle dance'. The angle and duration of the dance provides precise information about the direction and distance of the flowers. This ensures a very efficient collection of food for the entire colony.
Finally, a critical function is defence. Some older worker bees become guard bees. They position themselves at the hive entrance to protect it from intruders, such as wasps or other animals. This demonstrates their commitment to the survival of the colony as a whole.
To sum up, the division of labour in a bee colony is a remarkable example of natural cooperation..."
Lecture Notes: The Behaviour of Bees
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Roles of Worker Bees
• Youngest bees are responsible for (1) in the hive.
• Later, they start to produce (2) , which is used as a building material.
• Foraging bees collect nectar and pollen using a special type of (3) to share information.
• This communication is performed as a (4) .
• The dance shows the (5) of food sources.
• The main purpose of this system is to ensure an (6) of food.
• Older bees work in (7) , protecting the hive from intruders.