Free IELTS Listening Practice Test 2
Already done our first Listening test? This one is completely different: four new recordings, 40 new questions and the same real exam timing. When you finish, we email you how many answers you got right, your estimated IELTS score and the correct answer, with the reason, for every question you got wrong. Your IELTS score goes from 0 to 9 in half steps (for example 6.5).
- 40 questions
- About 30 minutes
- British English voices
- IELTS score (0–9) by email
- Free
Before you start
Four recordings · 40 questions · about 30 minutes · British English speakers · free.
Use headphones in a quiet room. Write your answers as you listen. Spelling counts, and keep to the word limit in each instruction.
Part 1
A man phones a sports centre to book a course.
Questions 1–6
Complete the form below. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 7–10
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Course information
- Cost for local residents: £7
- First evening: arrive 8 minutes early for a safety talk
- Free parking behind the 9
- At reception, ask for the instructor, 10
Part 2
A warden talks to visitors at a nature reserve.
Questions 11–15
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
11What was the site used for just before it became a reserve?
12Why are visitors asked to keep to the paths at this time of year?
13What is new at the visitor centre this year?
14Dogs are allowed on the reserve
15According to Megan, people mainly come on the evening walks to
Questions 16–20
What does Megan say about each place on the reserve? Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to questions 16–20.
Comments
Part 3
Two students plan a presentation on urban beekeeping.
Questions 21–25
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
21Why did the students choose urban beekeeping as their topic?
22What problem do they have with their sources?
23Which fact do they decide to include near the start?
24Which problem do they decide to focus on?
25How will they end their presentation?
Questions 26–30
What will the students use for each section of their presentation? Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to questions 26–30.
Visual aids
Part 4
A lecture on how sleep affects memory.
Questions 31–40
Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Sleep and memory
Early research
- 1920s: people who slept after learning a list remembered more than people who stayed awake
- Old explanation: sleep only protected new memories from 31
How sleep builds memories
- The hippocampus is like a 32: quick to use, but with little space
- For long-term storage, memories move to the 33, mainly during deep sleep
- Experiments with 34: the same brain cells fired again, in the same order, during sleep
- Short bursts of electrical activity (sleep 35) help to strengthen new memories
- REM sleep: important for emotional memories and for solving 36
In practice
- Review material shortly before 37
- The smell of 38, released again during deep sleep, improved recall
- Older adults get much less 39 sleep, which may explain memory decline
- Light from screens delays the release of 40
What is in Listening Test 2
Like the real test, there are four parts, and each recording is played once only.
- Part 1: a man phones a sports centre to book a climbing course. Listen for names spelled aloud, dates, prices and times (questions 1–10).
- Part 2: a warden welcomes visitors to a nature reserve and explains what they can see and do (questions 11–20).
- Part 3: two university students plan a presentation on keeping bees in cities (questions 21–30).
- Part 4: a short lecture on how sleep affects memory (questions 31–40).
You can choose Exam mode (the recording plays straight through, as on test day) or Practice mode (you can pause and replay each part).
How to use a second practice test
Your first test showed you where you lose marks. Use this one to check that you have fixed those habits:
- Before each part, read the questions and guess what kind of answer is missing: a number, a name, a place, a plural noun?
- When a speaker changes their mind (“actually, let’s make that Thursday”), the second idea is usually the answer.
- Check the word limit for every group of questions, and check your spelling at the end of each part.
Your result uses the same table as Listening Practice Test 1, so you can compare the two scores. Every score is an estimate, not an official IELTS result. More help: IELTS Listening tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is Listening Test 2 different from Test 1?
Yes. All four recordings and all 40 questions are new. The format, timing and marking are the same, so you can compare your two scores.
Is it free?
Yes, completely. When you finish, you tell us your first name and email address, and we email you your result within a few minutes.
Where are the answers?
Press Check answers when you finish. We email you your number of correct answers, your estimated IELTS score, and the correct answer with the reason for every question you got wrong.
What accent do the speakers have?
British English. The real test also uses other accents, such as Australian and North American English.
Want feedback from a teacher?
Our live online IELTS classes cover all four skills, with timed practice and personalised feedback on your Writing and Speaking.
IELTS is a registered trademark of its owners. These free practice tests were written by Kensington English teachers; they are not official IELTS tests and are not endorsed by the test's owners.