Cambridge 20 Listening Test 3: 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 1-10 · Note completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER) | ||
| 1 | 239Also accepted: two hundred thirty-nine / two hundred and thirty-nine | |
| 2 | modern | |
| 3 | lamp | |
| 4 | Aaron | |
| 5 | damage | |
| 6 | electronic | |
| 7 | insurance | |
| 8 | SpaceAlso accepted: space | |
| 9 | app | |
| 10 | exchanges | |
| Questions 11-16 · Multiple choice | ||
| 11 | B | |
| 12 | A | |
| 13 | A | |
| 14 | C | |
| 15 | B | |
| 16 | C | |
| Questions 17-20 · Map labelling (A-G) | ||
| 17 | F | |
| 18 | A | |
| 19 | G | |
| 20 | E | |
| Questions 21-26 · Multiple choice | ||
| 21 | B | |
| 22 | A | |
| 23 | C | |
| 24 | A | |
| 25 | C | |
| 26 | B | |
| Questions 27-30 · Matching (A-F) | ||
| 27 | F | |
| 28 | E | |
| 29 | B | |
| 30 | D | |
| Questions 31-40 · Note completion (ONE WORD ONLY) | ||
| 31 | adaptation | |
| 32 | cognitive | |
| 33 | desks | |
| 34 | taps | |
| 35 | blue | |
| 36 | voice | |
| 37 | pregnant | |
| 38 | shoulders | |
| 39 | police | |
| 40 | temperature | |
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 20 Listening Test 3 online?
- Yes. Langujet has the full Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 3 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: Furniture rental companies, Bidcaster Archaeological Dig, Theatre programmes, Inclusive design. 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 20 Test 3 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 20, Test 3, 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.