Tips to Answer Multiple Choice Questions Effectively

 

IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Questions

In both the Reading and the Listening sections, one question type you may be required to answer is multiple choice questions, where you have to choose the correct answer from three or four given options.

There are two basic styles of multiple-choice questions:

1. Answering a short question

Example: What did the patient say about the doctor?

1. He was helpful
2. He couldn’t bother
3. He didn’t turn up
4. He was aggressive
5. Completing a sentence

Example: One of the most notable changes in our free time is that

1. we have shorter holidays
2. we get paid less for our holidays
3. people prefer to stay at home

 

Tips to Answer Multiple Choice Questions Effectively

Tip 1: highlight the differences

When the answers have similarities and differences, the first thing you can do is highlight the differences between the options. Also remember that in most questions, parallel expressions may be used to express the same information.

Tip 2: think of parallel expressions

In some multiple choice questions there are no real similarities. In this case, the second thing you can do is think of other ways the information may be expressed. You can highlight the keywords and the tense of the question to help you find the correct answer.

Tip 3: all options may be mentioned

It is common in the IELTS listening test to hear a reference to some or all of the options in the multiple-choice question, but only one answer will be correct. Be careful to think about what is being said, what is being contradicted (directly or indirectly), and what is not exactly being said.

Tip 4: be sure to match the whole meaning of the option

It is important to match the whole meaning of the option. Don’t just listen to the first part and ignore the rest of the sentence.

Writing Numbers as Answers

In the listening test, some answers may be in number form. Often, the instructions will indicate whether a number is required if it states NO MORE THAN (ONE/TWO/THREE) WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER. When transferring your answer, make sure you write it correctly as often an easy point is lost for making a simple mistake.

One thousand = 1000

Half a million = 500 000

One million = 1 000 000