Cambridge 2 Listening Test 1: answers and online practice
The whole test on one page: all 40 answers with a self-marker that turns your score into a band, and the 4 parts with their explanations. Haven't sat it yet? Take it online first, then come back and mark it.
4 parts · 40 questions · about 30 minutes, the recording played once
The 4 parts in this test
Answer key and self-check
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the test yet.
| Q | Your answer | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Questions 1-5 · Form completion (ONE WORD OR A NUMBER) | ||
| 1 | Black | |
| 2 | 2085 | |
| 3 | 9456 1309Also accepted: 94561309 | |
| 4 | 2020BDAlso accepted: 2020 BD | |
| 5 | July | |
| Questions 6-8 · Multiple choice (choose THREE) | ||
| 6 | B and D and F(in either order) | |
| 7 | ||
| 8 | ||
| Questions 9-10 · Short answers (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 9 | $25Also accepted: 25 dollars / twenty-five dollars / $25 refundable / 25 | |
| 10 | next weekAlso accepted: in a week / in one week / the following week | |
| Questions 11-13 · Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 11 | route book | |
| 12 | 900 milesAlso accepted: nine hundred miles | |
| 13 | North AfricaAlso accepted: N Africa | |
| Questions 14-15 · Multiple choice | ||
| 14 | A | |
| 15 | C | |
| Questions 16-18 · Multiple choice (choose THREE) | ||
| 16 | B and C and E(in either order) | |
| 17 | ||
| 18 | ||
| Questions 19-20 · Multiple choice (choose TWO) | ||
| 19 | B and D(in either order) | |
| 20 | ||
| Questions 21-25 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 21 | FridayAlso accepted: on Friday | |
| 22 | Biology | |
| 23 | 57Also accepted: fifty-seven / 57 books | |
| 24 | 43Also accepted: forty-three / 43 books | |
| 25 | WednesdayAlso accepted: Wed | |
| Questions 26-30 · Short answers (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 26 | records lecturesAlso accepted: records them / she records them / uses a tape recorder / uses a recorder / uses a cassette recorder / recording | |
| 27 | skimmingAlso accepted: skims books / skims / skim reading / skims the book first / skim the book first / skims a book | |
| 28 | French RevolutionAlso accepted: The French Revolution | |
| 29 | Why study historyAlso accepted: Why study history? | |
| 30 | animal languageAlso accepted: language of animals / the language of animals | |
| Questions 31-35 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 31 | 4-month certificateAlso accepted: four-month certificate / 4 month certificate / four month certificate / 4-month certificate course | |
| 32 | current employmentAlso accepted: employment / job | |
| 33 | 1-year diplomaAlso accepted: one-year diploma / 1 year diploma / one year diploma | |
| 34 | noneAlso accepted: no qualifications / no prior qualifications | |
| 35 | 6-month certificateAlso accepted: six-month certificate / 6 month certificate / six month certificate | |
| Questions 36-40 · Matching (A-G) | ||
| 36 | C | |
| 37 | F | |
| 38 | B | |
| 39 | G | |
| 40 | D | |
Your score out of 40 as an IELTS Listening band
| Correct answers | Band |
|---|---|
| 39-40 | 9.0 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8.0 |
| 32-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-31 | 7.0 |
| 26-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-25 | 6.0 |
| 18-22 | 5.5 |
| 16-17 | 5.0 |
| 13-15 | 4.5 |
| 10-12 | 4.0 |
Listening scale (same for Academic and General Training). Cut-offs shift slightly between tests, so read it as an estimate.
Questions people ask about this test
- Can I take Cambridge 2 Listening Test 1 online?
- Yes. Langujet has the full Cambridge IELTS 2 Test 1 listening paper with the original recording: all four parts, played once, timed like the real exam and marked the moment you finish.
- What band is 30 out of 40 in IELTS Listening?
- About Band 7.0. On the Listening scale, 39-40 correct is Band 9.0, 37-38 correct is Band 8.5, 35-36 correct is Band 8.0, 32-34 correct is Band 7.5. The exact cut-offs move a little from test to test, so treat it as an estimate.
- Where are the explanations for each answer?
- Each part has its own page: Video Library Application Form, Expedition Across Attora Mountains, Starting University, Sports Careers Courses. They show the line in the recording that gives every answer and the distractors that catch people.
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 2 Test 1 listening paper with the real audio: all four parts, played once, marked the moment you finish. Already done it? Take it again and listen for the traps this page showed you.
Cambridge IELTS 2, Test 1, Listening. The recording, transcript and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. The answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full material, or sit the test on Langujet.