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6 Simple Tips to Improve Listening Comprehension

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Listening comprehension can be challenging, especially in a language where speakers tend to “eat” syllables or parts of words – like in Spanish. The standard tip is to just "listen more," and, although that is true, you're also probably overwhelmed by all of your other IB coursework and don't have the time (or desire) to do that. Therefore, here are Six Simple tips to INSTANTLY improve your listening comprehension and boost those IB scores.


1 - Use your reading time to anticipate the topic of the listening

Spend your reading time trying to understand what the listenings are about. Read the questions carefully and take note of key words. These are usually concepts (“la sostenibilidad”) or question words. Try to make sense of every question, using the previous one to help you. But, remember, you don’t have to understand everything. Your goal here is to understand the main idea of what you will be listening to and anticipate what it’ll be about and what information (numbers, true/false, people's names) you have to look out for.

2 - Listen to understand

Seems obvious, but, dedicate your first listen to actually understanding the topic. At this point, taking notes is not the priority, but you can take them if you find it helpful. However, the point of this first listen is to understand the general idea of the topic… If you actually understand it, you can more easily find the information you need! Jot down a few key words or important information (like numbers) to revisit on the second listening.


3 - Pay attention to shortened words or spoken changes

As you listen, remember that, while still largely resembling its written counterpart, spoken Spanish is slightly different. Speakers tend to join words together or shorten them altogether, or both!


For example, when a word ends in a vowel and the following word starts with a vowel, that is pronounced as one syllable. E.g: “Fui a Alaska” is pronounced as “Fuialaska.” Llovió ayer is pronounced as “Llovioayer.” Be on the lookout for these and pay attention to “blocks” of meaning.


Similarly, in some accents and in colloquial speech, -ado and -ada at the end of a word tend to be shortened to -ao and á. Cansado becomes cansao, cansada becomes cansá. This allows speakers to speak more quickly… but, remember, these are the same words, even if they’re shortened. So you must write their proper versions “cansado” and “cansada”.


If this topic interests you, let me know and I'll make a more detailed guide to it!


4 - Take a few quick notes, write the words you understand

Very simple (but underrated) tip: write down what you understand and what you hear. These notes will help you answer the questions, especially if they ask about what was mentioned/not mentioned in the listening. However, don’t write in full sentences! These quick notes are for YOU. Save the proper grammar and spelling for actually answering the questions.


5 - Use your previous answers to help you

As you are answering the questions, you may become stuck. Stay calm; you will figure it out. Use your previous answers - or answers that you know are correct - to help you. If possible, use the multiple choice answers to guide you, since your answer provides you with information that is 100% correct (if you got it right, that is, which you probably did). Make sure your answers make sense in relation to each other. For example, if you said that it was false that Maria worked for two hours in the office, yet then answered that she had an office job, something is not making sense there…


6 - Check your work

Remember to reread what you wrote, making sure your answers make sense with each other (as in the previous tip). Use your best grammar and spelling, trying to replicate the exact words that were spoken in the oral, but without writing too much!


Let me know if you found it useful!


¡Buena suerte!


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Jaden Choi
Jaden Choi
30 dec 2023

biggest fan

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Jaden Choi
Jaden Choi
30 dec 2023

Awesome!!!!!!!

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