PAPER 4: Listening - General tips

PAPER 4: LISTENING (APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES) 30 questions in total to answer – 40 points in total

PAPER 4 LISTENING General Tips

General Tips 

- You will hear each part of each listening twice.

- It is very important that you give your full attention to the first time of each listening, so that you can understand the overall meaning, context and speaker’s/speakers’ perspective(s). So listen carefully the first time.

- Take notes always!

- Use the second listening to check and confirm information you pick up in the first listening, then add any information you failed to hear the first time.

- Write notes on the question paper itself, or take notes at the back of the question paper, while you are listening to help you remember some important details.

- Check for changes in the speakers tone or use of words (positive to negative).

- Read and re-read each question carefully and focus on it (underline it) to predict what each listening will be about. Explore your mind as quickly as possible and conjure up any ideas that you may expect to hear related to the question. This will help you to prepare and even help you to understand what you are going to hear. Try to connect to what each speaker says and expresses!

- Use the side, or back, of the question sheet if you wish to take notes. (Examining centres are not obliged to provide blank/rough paper for note taking during the listening exam which I think is a shame considering the fact that the FCE listening skill expects this ability from each candidate. I have asked but they say that none is given!)

- You will hear a ‘Buzz’ indicating that the listening is being repeated for its second time.

- Use CAPITAL letters when writing your ANSWERS to Part 2.

- Don’t leave any blanks – take a guess.

- As for writing any mistakes/errors: any trace of lead from your pencil, not rubbed out completely can be traced by the correcting machines which check your answers. So rub out, as best you can, any errors!

- If two answers are present in Part 1, Part 3 or Part 4, both answers will be count as zero. Rub out the one you do not want, and rub it out good!

- Answer all 30 questions.

- You don’t lose any points for incorrect answers.

- Don’t leave any blank spaces.

- Make a good educated guess at least!

N.B.: The remainder of your time is to read back over your work. Check grammar, spelling, and punctuation for Part 2.

REMEMBER: When filling in your answers on the answer sheet, make sure to fill in your answers in this order so as to maximise your overall results:

Part 2: 10 questions - 1 point each – 10 points awarded

Part 1: 8 questions - 1 point each – 8 points awarded

Part 3: 5 questions - 1 point each – 5 points awarded

Part 4: 7 questions - 1 point each – 7 points awarded

At the end of the test:

- There will be many clocks around the room for you to keep track of the time in the test.

- A whiteboard will indicate the start and finish times so you can keep track of the time during the test.

- Once Part 4 ends, you will be informed by the CD that you now have 5 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

- Once you have finished answering all the questions, you must quickly transfer your correct/checked answers to your answer sheet.

- When the five minute transfer time has ended, the recording will indicate same.

- Keep a close eye on your performance now and stick to what you have learnt during pre-testing.

- You will need at least 5 minutes to transfer all your answers to the answer sheet before you finish the test. 
- Once the five minute transfer time is up, the recording will indicate this with a chime/bell and you will hear:

          "That is the end of the test!"

- Follow the invigilators’ instructions and all pens down at this time.

- Once you have been instructed to finish, place your pens down quickly. If you fail to follow this instruction, you may be disqualified.