Upper-intermediate level · Australian accent · Free
IELTS Listening Academic Test 16
A full 4-section, 40-question listening test at band 6.5 difficulty, recorded with australian 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 6.5 (Upper-intermediate) |
| Accent | Australian accent audio |
| Format | 4 sections · 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 6.5 calibration means a candidate targeting band 6.5 should score about 30/40 here on a good day.
How should you approach a band-6.5 listening test?
Band-6.5 tests paraphrase systematically and speed up Section 3 academic discussions. Your job is prediction: in the pre-section pause, decide what kind of word each gap needs (a number? a noun? a day?). Prediction turns half-heard sentences into correct answers, and it is the habit that helps most at this level.
Why practice with a australian accent?
Australian English shifts several vowels ("today" can sound close to "to-die") and rises in intonation at statement ends, which candidates mishear as questions. It appears regularly in real IELTS recordings, and many candidates meet it for the first time in the exam room. This practice removes exactly that surprise.
Try a sample question first
Matching. Match each accommodation option to its feature (A–D).
Audio: “Advisor: "Halls are the cheapest but fill fast. The studio flats — pricier, but each has its own kitchen. Homestays include evening meals, which students either love or find restrictive."”
Question: Studio flats: (feature)
Answer: own kitchen (private kitchen). Three options, three features, delivered fast in an Australian accent. Matching rewards a two-column mental table; the price comments are deliberate noise.
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 16
- 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 15 (band 5.5). When you clear 32/40 here, step up to Test 17 (band 7.0).
Take Academic Test 16 free
Full exam timing, instant band score, transcript review. No card needed.
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