Hyphenated Words in the IELTS Listening

by khan

Hello Sir,

I have been practicing the listening tests from the official IELTS book (IELTS upgrade from IELTS academic).

Well in section 4 of Practice test 7 the instructions tell us to write:

NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

The answer for one of the blanks is 65% and in the answer key also they have given as 65%.

As you can see its a number. Will this be the correct answer? As in the instructions they didn't mention about writing numbers.

We can't write sixty five percent also as it will count as up to 3 words.

Another blank answer is 25 pounds. I don't understand how can this be the correct answer as in the instructions it clearly mentioned we can use only words not numbers.

I have my IELTS test in two days, please help me with this doubt.

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Jan 05, 2017
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IELTS Listening Answer Key Problems
by: IELTS buddy

Hi khan,

Are they actual official Cambridge past test papers? From what you called them they did not sound like they were.

Normally they would allow you to write it either way, so for the first one, 65% would be fine.

I can't explain why it does not say 'NUMBER' as well in the instructions but maybe it is an error in the book?

But also don't forget numbers are hyphenated and hyphenated words count as one word in IELTS. So if you are in that situation and you want to follow the instruction and avoid actual numbers, 'sixty-five percent' is two words so fits ok.

The same goes for the second one - '25 pounds', twenty-five pounds' or '£25' would normally be fine, but if you are in the situation where you are asked for just two words, you could write the second one.

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Capitalisation and Hypens

by Camille Ablao
(Canada)

Hi,

This is an inquiry with regards how you are going to write answers in the answer sheet.

When I do practice exams in listening, I sometimes capitalize the first letter of my answer (because the answer is found in the beginning of the sentence, and it is not a proper noun), but looking at the key answers, it was not capitalized.

Will I be marked wrong for it? Does it mean proper nouns are the only accepted case for capitalizing the first letter of the word, not because it is the first word in the sentence?

How about if i did not put a hyphen in between 2 words that needs one? will they mark it wrong?

hope you will help me with my confusion. I will be taking my exam in 5 days.

thank you

mimi
ctdablao@gmail.com

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Aug 31, 2016
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Capitals and Hypens
by: IELTS buddy

Hi Camille,

It does not matter whether you use big or small letters.

For example "bAnglaDesH" would be ok.

As for hyphens, IELTS don't talk about that on their website so it's difficult to know for sure if they would allow it or not.

Sep 02, 2016
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re capitalisations and hyphens
by: mimi ablao

thsnk you... wish me luck. I'll be seating the exam tomorrow! good luck to those who are taking the exam with me. see you there :)

Sep 22, 2016
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Capital letter
by: Anonymous

According to british council's expert, we need to write the answer either all in capital or in lower letter format. Then how bAnglADesH would be correct?

Sep 25, 2016
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Letter
by: IELTS buddy

Who is the expert you are referring to?

Of course you are not going to write "bAnglaDesH". That was used to make the point that you could write:

Bangladesh
bangladesh
BANGLADESH

All those would be correct.

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