How to avoid “silly” mistakes with telephone numbers in Part 1 IELTS listening

Part 1 of the IELTS Listening test is considered the easiest section. However, to achieve a band score of 6.5 or higher, it’s crucial to aim for a perfect score (10/10) in this section, as the difficulty increases in the later parts. Many candidates make avoidable mistakes in Part 1 due to a lack of preparation. This guide highlights strategies to eliminate these “silly” errors.

Understanding Telephone Numbers in IELTS Listening

One common challenge in Part 1 is understanding how telephone numbers are pronounced in English. Here are some key points to remember:

• “0” is Pronounced “Oh”
  While some may expect “zero,” the number 0 is almost always pronounced as “oh” in phone numbers.
• Handling Double Digits
  When a number repeats, it’s typically referred to as “double.” For example, 77 would be said as “double seven.”
• Grouping Numbers
  Numbers are usually spoken in small groups rather than individually. For instance, the number 13554684616 would be read as:
  “13-double 5 – 468 – 46 – 16.”

Tip: Practice listening to sample telephone number recordings to familiarize yourself with various ways numbers can be grouped and pronounced.