Section 3 is where Listening scores drop. It is a conversation between two to four speakers — often students discussing an assignment with a tutor — and the answers are rarely the first thing you hear. Speakers suggest, change their minds, and correct each other. The section tests whether you can follow a discussion, not just catch words.
Use the reading time properly
Before the audio starts, underline the key words in each question and predict what kind of answer is coming: a name, a date, a reason? Predictions turn listening into checking — you are waiting for something specific instead of hoping to notice everything.
Expect the trap answers
The first option a speaker mentions is often rejected two sentences later: “We could meet on Tuesday… actually, Wednesday suits me better.” Write answers in pencil, lightly, and be ready to change them. The final decision is the answer; the journey is the distraction.
Follow the signposts
Speakers signal structure: “Firstly…”, “The main problem is…”, “On the other hand…”, “So, to sum up…”. When you hear a signpost, you know a new answer is close. If you lose your place, do not panic about the question you missed — rejoin at the next signpost. One lost answer is one mark; a panic spiral costs five.
Your weekly practice routine
- Do one Section 3 under exam conditions (play once, no pausing).
- Then listen again with the transcript and find the exact moment each answer was decided.
- Write down every trap that caught you. After a month, you will recognise them as they happen.