Foundation level · Mixed accent · Free
IELTS Listening Academic Test 14
A full 4-part, 40-question listening test at band 5.0 difficulty, recorded with Mixed accent audio, taken under the real 30-minute computer-delivered timing and graded the moment you finish.
What is in this test?
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Band 5.0 (Foundation) |
| Accent | Mixed accent audio |
| Format | 4 parts · 40 questions · audio plays once |
| Timing | 30 minutes, computer-delivered interface |
| Grading | Instant, with standard raw-score-to-band conversion |
| Review | Per-question transcript locations after submission |
Like the real exam, the four sections climb from everyday conversation to an academic lecture, and the audio never repeats. Band 5.0 calibration means a candidate targeting band 5.0 should score about 16/40 here on a good day (the official conversion for band 5.0), and is ready for the next test at 18/40.
What do you hear in each part of Test 14?
| Part | What you hear | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Conversation | A customer books tickets at a theatre box office | Note completion |
| 2 · Talk | A volunteer guide introduces a heritage railway | Map labelling, multiple choice |
| 3 · Discussion | A tutor and a student plan an experiment on noise and concentration | Matching, multiple choice |
| 4 · Lecture | A lecture on demographic change | Note completion |
Parts 1 and 2 are set in everyday life and Parts 3 and 4 in education, as in the real test. Each part has ten questions, so the question types above tell you what to practise before you start.
How should you approach a band-5.0 listening test?
At band-5.0 difficulty the recordings speak slower and the answers sit close to the words you hear. Focus on the basics that decide most marks at this level: reading the questions in the pause before each section, writing while listening (never afterwards), and checking spelling and word limits before moving on. If you score below 25/40 here, drill form and note completion before moving up.
Why practice with a Mixed accent?
Mixed-accent tests switch speakers between sections, exactly like the real exam: a British receptionist in Section 1, an Australian lecturer in Section 4. The skill trained is fast recalibration: the first ten seconds of each new speaker is where mixed-accent tests take their marks.
Try a sample question first
Sentence completion. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
Audio: “Host: "Parking near the venue is, frankly, hopeless. Your best option is the shuttle bus from the station — it runs every ten minutes on event days."”
Question: Visitors are advised to use the ____ from the station.
Answer: shuttle bus. A band-5.0 mixed-accent test opens gently: the answer is verbatim. The skill being calibrated is accent adjustment, not paraphrase, and a new speaker starts each section.
This sample was written for this page; the 40 questions in the actual test are different.
How do I take this test?
- Create a free account (no card): the Free plan includes unlimited listening practice
- Open Listening and choose Academic Test 14
- Sit the full 30 minutes in one block, exactly as on test day
- Review every lost mark against the transcript, then drill that question type
Warm up one level down with Test 13 (band 8.0). When you clear 18/40 here, step up to Test 15 (band 5.5).
More tests at band 5.0: Test 9. More Mixed recordings: Test 18.
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