How to Get 7 Band Scores in IELTS Listening Using TED Talks

Scoring a band 7 in IELTS listening could be a challenging task. However, it is absolutely doable with the right approach and strategy. TED talks are often an overlooked resource for most students. It is a real-life conversation in diverse accents and engaging topics. Listening to TED talks boosts your test skills and makes your learning enjoyable and practical. So, in this article, you will read about how to use TED talks effectively as an IELTS listening practice test and ultimately ace the band 7 score.

Why Use TED Talks for IELTS Listening?

You are required to use diverse accents, real-world topics, and complex ideas to ace the IELTS listening. The TED Talks feature a variety of displays on diverse topics. It is the perfect resource to improve your listening skills. Besides, the following are the important factors that reflect the importance of TED talks:

1. Different Accents: Firstly, TED speakers come from all across the globe. It exposes you to the different accents, like British, American, Australian, etc, that are commonly used in the IELTS listening
2. Diverse Topics: Secondly, TED talks cover topics like technology, education, health and environment.
3. Vast Vocabulary: Thirdly, the complex language used in TED talks helps expand your vocabulary and familiarize you with scholarly and casual terms.
4. Active Listening Practice: Fourthly, by following tough ideas, you will improve your ability to listen for specific details and main ideas.
5. Real-Life Example: Lastly, TED talks reflect real-life conversations and prepare you for an authentic listening scenario.

How to Use TED Talks for IELTS Listening

Most of the time, students have access to resources but do not know how to utilize them effectively. Thus, the following are the ways to use TED talks for the listening section preparation:

Start with the Right Talks

Watch the TED talks that match the themes that are commonly asked in IELTS listening. You can follow the talks below on various topics:

1. Studies: Do schools kill creativity? by Ken Robinson
2. Technology: Connected, but alone? by Sherry Turkle
3. Environment: The case for optimism on climate change by AL Gore

Create Vocabulary

1. TED talks help focus on keywords and phrases that are relevant to IELTS topics.
2. Use apps, like Anki or Quizlet, to build and expand vocabulary.
3. Pay special attention to how words are used in the context and try to incorporate them into your daily conversation.

Practice Active Listening

1. Step 1: Try to watch the talk without subtitles to test your comprehension.
2. Step 2:Reply with subtitles to check for missed information.
3. Step 3: Summarize the TED talks in your own words to ensure full knowledge.

Mimic Test Environment

1. Play a TED talk segment and answer the IELTS-oriented questions. It includes multiple-choice and sentence completion.
2. Use authentic IELTS listening practice test materials to practice in a realistic test scenario.

How to Improve Vocabulary with TED Talks?

TED talks are the smarter way to build a good vocabulary. The following are smarter ways to improve vocabulary with the help of TED talks:

1. Learn how speakers use words in different contexts and thus improve your ability to infer the real message.
2. Pay special focus on how ideas are rephrased with the help of synonyms and paraphrasing.

Tips to Success in IELTS Listening

The following are the important tips to get success in the listening test of IELTS:

1. Use TED-Ed: Firstly, many TED talks come with lesson plans and detailed questions to help you practice.
2. Goals: Secondly, try to aim to watch one TED talk daily and focus on a variety of skills, like vocabulary and detail recognition.
3. Combines Study Resources: Lastly, add on IELTS-related listening materials for a well-rounded approach, along with TED talks.

Conclusion

To conclude, including TED talks as a part of your listening test preparation is a smart and engaging way to build your skills. It helps improve your vocabulary by getting familiar with different language accents. These TED talks give you everything you need to achieve a band score of 7 or even higher. Additionally, you need to include a mock test for other sections to achieve a good overall score, for instance, the IELTS reading passage, writing, and speaking. In case you need any help for test preparation, you can connect with experts at Gradding.com. So, they will provide comprehensive study material and other guidance till your results.