2.1.5 Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple Choice questions are a very common question type in the Listening test. There may be Multiple Choice questions in all four sections. However, the questions and answers become increasingly difficult as you move from Section 1 to 4. For example, in Sections 1 and 2, the answer choices may be basic facts such as costs or dates, whereas in Section 3 and 4 the answer choices are likely to be more complex, such as people’s opinions and attitudes.

In the IELTS Listening test, there are Standard Multiple Choice questions and Modified Multiple Choice questions.

Standard Multiple-Choice questions

This question asks you to choose the correct answer from a list of three or four choices. Usually, you need to choose:

• a suitable ending for a sentence
• an answer to a question.

Occasionally, the answer choices are pictures or diagrams.

Listen for the correct answer, and then circle the correct letter in your Question Booklet in the paper-based test or select your answer in the computer-delivered test.

Let’s look at two examples. Both are from a university lecture to media students.

Example 1 – one answer for one question

In this question type, the instructions state Choose the correct letter, A, B or C. This means that you should choose only one letter for Question 1.

Example 2 – two answers for one question

In this example the key word is TWO in the instructions and repeated in the question.

You should choose two letters. At the end of the test, you should write (in the paper-based test)two letters next to Question 2. In the computer-based test, you would select 2 letters. To get a mark for this question, both letters must be correct.

Modified Multiple Choice questions

In Modified Multiple Choice questions, the answer choices are provided. However, the list of answer choices is used for more than one question (usually three).

Example 1 – One list of answers for more than one question

Answers

The above example requires three answers – one answer for each question – chosen from the list of five answer choices A – E. Note the answers can be written in any order.

Example 2 – More questions than answer choices

In some Modified Multiple Choice questions, there are more questions than answer choices. Therefore, you will need to use some letters more than once.

Let’s look at the following example.

In this example, there are four Questions, 6-9, but only three answer choices: A, B and C.

Modified Multiple Choice Questions

In Modified Multiple Choice questions, the answer choices are provided. However, the list of answer choices is used for more than one question (usually three).

Example 1 – One list of answers for more than one question

Answers

The above example requires three answers – one answer for each question – chosen from the list of five answer choices A – E. Note the answers can be written in any order.

Example 2 – More questions than answer choices

In some Modified Multiple Choice questions, there are more questions than answer choices. Therefore, you will need to use some letters more than once.

Let’s look at the following example.

In this example, there are four Questions, 6-9, but only three answer choices: A, B and C.

Example 3 – Matching Modified Multiple Choice Questions

There is a lot of information to read and understand in Matching Modified Multiple Choice questions and answer choices. For this reason, candidates often find them more difficult than Standard Multiple Choice questions. Let’s look at an example.