IELTS Listening: Short Answer Questions
IELTS Listening short answer practice — learn when to use short answers, word limits, and how to avoid over-answering.
Overview
Short answer questions ask you to answer a question directly — usually "What?", "Where?", "How many?", "When?", or "Why?" — with a limited word count. These are distinct from sentence completion in that answers must be direct responses to questions, not completions of half-sentences.
Sample Questions & Answers
Answer the questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
What is the main topic of the research project?
How many sites were included in the study?
When does the research team meet each week?
Where will the final results be published?
What equipment do participants need to bring?
Expert Tips
Short answers must directly respond to the question word: "what" = a noun/thing; "when" = a time; "where" = a place.
Do not write full sentences — "urban water quality" is sufficient; "The topic is urban water quality" exceeds the word limit.
Questions and answers follow the audio in order — use this to track your position.
Do not add information not given in the audio, even if it seems logical.
Plural vs singular matters: if the answer is "twelve sites", write "twelve" not "twelve sites" if the question already says "sites".
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