Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Listening Test 2

• Each audio plays once. You CANNOT pause or rewind during the exam.
• Take notes on the question section as you listen.
• After audio ends, you have 10 minutes to review and finalize answers.

Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Listening Test 2 reads as a fairly standard Cambridge paper on the surface, but the question types it cycles through expose any weakness in your prediction routine. Section 1 features a service enquiry between two speakers; Section 2 moves into a talk about a new or refurbished building; Section 3 shifts into students discussing an experiment or laboratory study; and Section 4 closes with a lecture on bees and pollination.

Section 1 uses note completion; Section 2 uses multiple choice, completion and multi-answer multiple choice; Section 3 uses multiple choice plus flow-chart completion; Section 4 uses note completion. Section 1 contains the example answer that everyone treats as a freebie — read it carefully so you understand the format the examiner expects before question 2 starts.

During the previews, decide for each gap whether the answer will be a number, a person's name, a place, or a common noun, and write the hint above the line. Avoid panic-erasing during the audio — keep the booklet messy and tidy it during transfer. Re-read every plural ending before you commit to the answer sheet. Band 7 is mostly about not losing easy marks.

New to this skill? Read the Listening question types guide for tactics, scoring rules, and frequency analysis across Cambridge 10–20. Or browse all Listening practice tests.

Looking for written strategy? See the IELTS Blog for in-depth posts.