Cambridge IELTS 5 Listening Test 2
What each section of this test contains, the question types in it, and how to use it properly. Practise the full test free with the real audio, marked instantly.
Sections in this test
| Section | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 (Q1–10) | 10 | Form, note, table and sentence completion |
| Section 2 (Q11–20) | 8 | Multiple choice, Form, note, table and sentence completion, Multiple answers from a list |
| Section 3 (Q21–30) | 10 | Form, note, table and sentence completion |
| Section 4 (Q31–40) | 10 | Form, note, table and sentence completion |
The recording plays once only. You get time before each section to read the questions and, in the paper-based test, ten minutes at the end to transfer your answers — the computer-delivered test gives you two minutes instead, which is the single biggest adjustment for candidates switching format.
Question types in this test
| Question type | Questions | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Form, note, table and sentence completion | 32 | The single most common listening type. The answer is spoken once, in order, and spelling counts — names and addresses are usually spelled out for you, so write them as you hear them. |
| Multiple choice | 5 | Speakers frequently mention two options before rejecting one. The correction — 'actually', 'in the end', 'on second thoughts' — is where the answer lives. |
| Multiple answers from a list | 1 | Both or all correct choices must be given for the marks. The speakers rarely present them together, so keep listening after the first one. |
How to use this test
Play it once, straight through, with no pausing and no rewinding. Pausing produces a score you cannot repeat on test day and hides the real problem, which is usually losing your place rather than not understanding the words.
Afterwards, go back to each question you missed and listen to just that moment again — first without the transcript, then with it. Nearly every miss falls into one of three categories: you did not hear it, you heard it but wrote the wrong form of the word, or you had already fallen behind. Those three need completely different fixes, and you cannot tell which one you have without checking.
Spelling counts in Listening. A correctly heard answer spelled wrongly scores zero, which is why so many candidates score lower than they expect on Section 1.
Common questions
Does this test use the original audio?
Yes — the practice version plays the original recording for Cambridge IELTS 5 Listening Test 2 and follows the same timing as the real paper.
What band is my raw score out of 38?
On Listening, roughly 30 correct is Band 7, 35 is Band 8 and 39 is Band 9. Boundaries move slightly between tests; the practice app converts your score for you.
Can I see the transcript?
The transcript is available inside the practice app after you have submitted your answers, so you can check exactly where each answer was said. It is deliberately not shown before you take the test.