LanguageCert General Listening
In short
LanguageCert General Listening is 30 questions in about 35 minutes, in four parts: unfinished conversations, complete conversations, note completion from an informational talk, and a two-speaker discussion. Every recording is played twice, and the settings are everyday and work-related.
The recordings in General Listening sound like the English you'd hear at work or out and about: a manager welcoming new staff, a conversation in a shop, a radio interview with a city planner. It's the version of the exam used for UK work routes (as General SELT) and for jobs and everyday life.
You hear each part twice, so you don't need to catch everything first time. The real skill is knowing what to listen for, which is why the reading time before Parts 3 and 4 matters so much.
Format, part by part
About 35 minutes for 30 questions. Every part is played twice.
Part 1: Unfinished conversations (7 questions)
Seven short exchanges between two people in everyday or work situations. Each stops before the end and you choose the best reply from three.
How to approach it: Listen for the two different voices and the mood. Colloquial phrases and a change in tone often decide the answer.
Part 2: Complete conversations (10 questions)
Five conversations in formal and informal settings, two questions each, on purpose, relationship, feelings and opinions.
How to approach it: Work out who the speakers are and where they are in the first few seconds. That context rules out options.
Part 3: Note completion (7 gaps)
An informational talk on a topical or work-related theme, such as a staff induction or a podcast. You complete notes with one to three words. You get 30 seconds to read them first.
How to approach it: The exact words are in the recording. Write what you hear, and don't paraphrase.
Part 4: Discussion (6 questions)
A discussion between two speakers on a topical issue, for example a radio interview or a conference conversation. You get one minute to read the six questions; three options each.
How to approach it: It's dense with information, and you won't need all of it. Use the minute to underline what each question asks, then listen for those points only.
How it differs from LanguageCert Academic Listening
- Part 4 has two speakers here and three in Academic, which makes it easier to follow who thinks what.
- Settings are everyday and work-related (inductions, shops, radio interviews) rather than lectures and seminars.
- General takes about 35 minutes, Academic about 40.
- General reports A2 to C1; Academic reports B1 to C2.
Taking the other one? Read the LanguageCert Academic Listening guide
How it’s scored
Listening is marked by computer: one mark for each of the 30 answers, converted to the 0–100 scale.
30 marks
7 + 10 + 7 + 6 questions. Wrong answers cost nothing.
Exact words in Part 3
Write the words you hear, at most three per gap. Extra words earn nothing.
CEFR A2 to C1
20–39 is A2, 40–59 B1, 60–74 B2, and 75 or above C1.
For UK work visas the level applies to each skill. Skilled Worker needs B2 (60) in Listening as well as in Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Worked example: Part 3
Our own extract from a staff induction talk, and one line of the notes you'd complete.
The task
You hear: 'Your lockers are on the ground floor, next to the post room. You'll collect your locker key from reception on your first morning, and please return it there when you leave.' Notes: Collect locker key from: __________
Answer
reception
Why
- The note asks where you collect the key, and the speaker says 'from reception'. One word, exactly as heard.
- 'Post room' and 'ground floor' are distractors: they're about where the lockers are, not the key.
- 'The reception desk' or 'front desk' would risk the mark. Copy the word you hear rather than rephrasing it.
Common mistakes that cost marks
Paraphrasing in Part 3
LanguageCert's tips are clear: the exact words are in the recording, so just write what you hear.
Writing more than three words
You won't get extra marks, and you'll lose time for the next gap.
Mixing up the two voices
In Parts 1 and 2 the questions often depend on which speaker said something. Note who's who at the start.
Trying to catch everything in Part 4
The discussion is dense and some of it is irrelevant. Listen for what the questions ask.
Not using the second hearing
Even if you're sure, listen again to check. The second hearing is where most careless mistakes get caught.
Picking the option that repeats what you heard
In Part 2, wrong options often reuse words from the conversation. If a speaker says 'I thought the hotel would be cheaper', an option saying 'the hotel was cheap' uses the same words but the opposite meaning.
On the day
- Taken on computer at a test centre, together with Reading and Writing.
- Answers come in the same order as the recording.
- If you don't know an answer, make your best guess. There's no penalty.
- Official results arrive in 5 working days.
- The practice papers describe Listening as about 30 minutes and the handbook as 35. Plan for 35.
- Good practice material: local radio interviews, workplace training videos and podcasts on everyday topics, all closer to this paper than lectures are.
Try a practice task
A real practice task in the exam’s format. Sign up to answer the questions and see them marked instantly.
Short conversations
You will hear seven short conversations. You will hear each conversation twice. Choose the reply (a, b or c) that best continues each conversation.
FAQ
How long is LanguageCert General Listening?
About 35 minutes for 30 questions in four parts.
Is LanguageCert General Listening played twice?
Yes. You hear every part twice.
How many words can I write in Part 3?
One to three words per gap, using the exact words from the recording.
What's the difference between General and Academic Listening?
General uses everyday and work settings and has two speakers in Part 4. Academic uses lectures and seminars and has three speakers in Part 4.
Why is Part 4 harder than it sounds?
It's dense with information, and LanguageCert says you may need to ignore some of it. Read the six questions in your one minute, then listen only for those points.
What happens if I miss an answer on the first hearing?
Move on and catch it on the second hearing. Every part is played twice, and answers come in the order you hear them.
What Listening score do I need for a UK work visa?
For Skilled Worker, B2, which is 60 or above, in all four skills through General SELT.
Related guides
Practise LanguageCert General Listening
One full practice test free, marked instantly. A plan opens every test, and Reading and Listening never use credits.
Sources
Checked against LanguageCert’s own handbooks and exam pages in October 2026.