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Section 1 is the easiest part of the Listening test, and candidates aiming for Band 7+ should target 10 out of 10 here. Losing marks in Section 1 puts unnecessary pressure on the harder sections. This lesson covers the specific strategies, common traps, and practice techniques that will help you achieve a perfect score in Section 1.
Section 1 is always a conversation between two people in an everyday, transactional context. One person is typically seeking information or a service, and the other is providing it.
| Scenario | Person A | Person B |
|---|---|---|
| Booking accommodation | A traveller | A hotel receptionist |
| Registering for a course | A student | An enrollment officer |
| Arranging a delivery | A customer | A delivery company representative |
| Making an appointment | A patient | A clinic receptionist |
| Reporting a problem | A tenant | A property manager |
| Joining a club or gym | A prospective member | A membership officer |
| Buying tickets | A customer | A box office attendant |
The questions almost always focus on factual, specific information:
You are given preparation time before Section 1 begins. Use every second of it.
| Step | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Read all 10 questions quickly | Know what information you need before the audio starts |
| 2 | Identify the type of answer needed | Is it a name? A number? A date? A place? |
| 3 | Underline key words in the questions | These help you follow the audio and know when the answer is coming |
| 4 | Predict possible answers | For gap-fills, think about what word type could fit (noun, adjective, day of the week) |
If the form has:
Name: ___________
Address: 47 ___________ Road
Phone: ___________
Preferred day: ___________
Before listening, you know:
Names and addresses in Section 1 are almost always spelled out in the recording. This is both helpful and dangerous — helpful because you hear the exact letters, dangerous because mishearing a single letter gives you the wrong answer.
| Trap | Example | How to Handle |
|---|---|---|
| Similar-sounding letters | B vs P, M vs N, S vs F | If uncertain, write the letter you think you heard and move on — check during transfer time |
| Double letters | "That's Barratt — B-A-double R-A-double T" | Listen for "double" — it means the letter is repeated |
| Unusual spellings | "Cholmondeley" (pronounced "Chumley") | Always write what is spelled, not what is pronounced |
| Corrections | "My surname is Thomson — T-H-O-M-S-O-N. Oh wait, sorry, it's Thompson with a P — T-H-O-M-P-S-O-N" | Write the corrected version |
Strategy for Band 7+: Practise spelling common English names, street names, and places. Many candidates at the Band 6 level lose marks not because they did not hear the spelling, but because they wrote the wrong letter. Train yourself to distinguish between B/P, M/N, S/F, G/J, A/E/I by listening to spelling dictation exercises.
Numbers are tested heavily in Section 1. You will encounter phone numbers, prices, dates, times, and reference numbers.
| Trap | What Happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Thirteen vs Thirty | The suffix "-teen" and "-ty" sound similar | "The price is £30" vs "The price is £13" — listen for the stress pattern: thirTEEN vs THIRty |
| Oh vs Zero | Both are used for the digit 0 | Phone numbers often use "oh": "oh-seven-seven..." = 077... |
| Corrected numbers | A number is given, then changed | "That's 9-8-5-2... no, sorry, 9-8-5-3" |
| Long numbers | Phone numbers or reference codes with many digits | Write digits as you hear them; do not try to remember a whole sequence |
| Currency | Multiple currencies may be mentioned | Listen for the specific currency symbol: "It's 150 dollars" vs "It costs 150 pounds" |
Write the following as you would hear them:
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