The questions
Asked in this order, in one sitting.
- Do you use headphones?
- What kind of headphones do you use?
- When do you use them?
- When would you avoid using them?
How to answer it
This question has come back: candidates reported it on 27 July 2026, 5 September 2026. Questions that repeat across sittings are the ones worth rehearsing properly.
The fourth question is the one that separates candidates: it asks for a judgement about context, not a habit. Say where you take them off and why — crossing roads, at work, around people who would find it rude — and you have given a reason rather than a list.
What moves the band
- Object lexis: over-ear, noise-cancelling, wired, they're a bit tinny, they block everything out.
- 'When would you avoid' is hypothetical; answer with would, not do.
These are candidate recalls. These are questions reported by test-takers after their exams, not official or leaked IELTS material. Wording varies by test version, location and memory. Use them for timed practice — never as a prediction of what you will be asked.
Practise these next
Know the number. Now move it.
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