In this post, we'll explore key language items and skills that are being tested in the Linguaskill General Listening test by Cambridge English. This will give us the basic foundation needed to prep for the test.
The Cambridge Linguaskill General Listening test is a fully online, computer-based, and adaptive English test. With a total test time of 60 minutes, the test is to be completed by answering anywhere between 10-20 questions, or until you have answered sufficient questions for Linguaskill to determine your level.
| question type | difficulty level | number of questions |
|---|---|---|
| One-question multiple choice Candidates listen to a short audio recording and answer a multiple-choice question with three options. |
Easy | Variable |
| Two-question multiple choice Candidates listen to a recording and answer two multiple-choice questions based on it. The questions are in the same order as the information they hear in the recording. |
Medium | Variable |
| Five-question multiple choice Candidates listen to a longer recording and answer five multiple-choice questions based on it. The questions are in the same order as the information they hear in the recording. |
Medium to Hard | Variable |
| Sentence completion Candidates listen to a recording with one speaker and complete five sentences with no more than three words typed in each space. |
Medium to Hard | Variable |
| One-task multiple matching Candidates listen to five monologues from different speakers and answer a single question for each of them, choosing from eight options. |
Hard | Variable |
| Two-task multiple matching Candidates listen to three monologues from three different speakers and answer two questions for each of them, choosing from five options. |
Hard | Variable |
Liguaskill General Listening tests your understanding of spoken and written English across a wide array of general, everyday topics.
To do well in the test, you must have sufficient vocabulary skills to understand the topics that are being spoken and what opinions, expressions, and ideas the speakers in the test are trying to express.
Make sure to read our test guides on these specific language skills:
You can also find these guides in the navigation menu, under Linguaskill General Core Skills.
