🔢 IELTS Listening for Numbers, Dates, and Prices – Common Pitfalls

Numbers, dates, and prices appear frequently in IELTS Listening — especially in Sections 1 and 2. These are small details, but one mistake can cost you a point. If you find it hard to catch or write them accurately, you’re not alone. This article highlights the most common problems and how to overcome them with focused strategies.

📌 Why Numbers, Dates, and Prices Are Tricky

• They’re spoken quickly and only once
• They often include corrections (distractors)
• They may use unfamiliar formats (e.g., “twenty-fifth of July,” “forty-nine ninety-nine”)
• Different accents (UK, AUS) change pronunciation and rhythm

📆 Common Pitfalls and How to Fix Them

1. ❌ Mishearing Similar Numbers

Problem: Confusing 13 and 30, or 15 and 50.

Solution: Focus on stress — “thirTEEN” (stress on the second syllable) vs “THIRty” (stress on the first).

2. ❌ Not Catching Currency Details

Example: “It’s forty-nine ninety-nine.”

Write as: $49.99 — not “forty-nine” or “50.”

Tip: Listen to e-commerce websites, shopping channels, and travel booking recordings.

3. ❌ Writing Incorrect Date Formats

Spoken: “The twenty-third of April.”

Correct answer: 23 April (unless otherwise specified)

Tip: Don’t write “April 23rd” if the instruction says “use numbers and words.”

4. ❌ Missing Corrections

“That’s Wednesday the 16th — actually, no, the 17th.” ✅ Correct answer: 17th

5. ❌ Ignoring Word Limit Instructions

Example: “Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER.” If you add an extra word or symbol, your answer is wrong — even if the number is correct.

📋 Practice Listening Structures

• Phone numbers: 01928 644 321 → write 01928 644321
• Dates: “July twenty-ninth” → 29 July
• Prices: “One hundred and twenty-five pounds fifty” → £125.50
• Addresses: “Unit 4, 37 Baker Street” → 4/37 Baker Street

🎧 Accent Tips for Numbers and Prices

• 🇬🇧 UK: “nought” = zero, “double four” = 44
• 🇦🇺 Australia: flatter delivery; “five” may sound like “foive”
• 🇺🇸 US: clearer “r” in “forty,” “thirty” — but faster pace

📈 How to Practice Effectively

• 📺 Watch product demos and price announcements in English
• 🎧 Use spelling/number drills: phone numbers, serials, prices
• 📝 Dictation: pause and write each number you hear in a podcast or video
• 📅 Say your schedule aloud in English: “I have a meeting on the 13th at 9:30 a.m.”

✅ Final Advice

Numbers, dates, and prices may seem like small points — but they're crucial. With a bit of targeted practice and extra attention to corrections, formats, and pronunciation, you’ll be able to catch them quickly and write them confidently on test day.

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