Listening practice - mistake log IELTS Practice Set 19 listening test 1
1 Performance summary
Correct: 38/40
2 Recording 1
2.1 Q3 (you wrote INSECTS — correct answer DATA*)**
Where it appears in the recording: “They also collect and analyse data about the things they see.”
Why DATA is correct: the verbs collect and analyse naturally collocate with data (you collect/record data, not collect insects in this context).
Why you were tempted: earlier the speaker mentions birds and insects in the list of wildlife, and the science activity also involves plants and insects — it’s easy to grab a nearby noun instead of the object of the verb phrase.
How to avoid it: focus on the verb + object pair. When you hear collect / analyse, expect a non-count / abstract noun (data / information / evidence) rather than a concrete species name. Train yourself to listen one or two words after the verb phrase to catch the direct object.
2.2 Q7 DISCOVERY -> FREEDOM
Where it appears in the recording: “I would imagine they get a sense of freedom that might not be a normal part of their lives.”
Why FREEDOM is correct: the exact phrase is a sense of freedom.
Why you were tempted: the paragraph earlier uses explore and discover, so discovery feels topically relevant and was in your short-term memory.
How to avoid it: watch for fixed expressions such as a sense of ___. If the speaker uses a sense of …, the missing word is usually an abstract state (freedom, independence, belonging). Also, when you hear the pattern “I would imagine they get a sense of …”, slow down in your head and expect one concrete abstract noun — not a gerund or verbal noun derived from the previous sentence.
2.3 Q10 LEADER -> LEADERS
Where it appears in the recording: “There’s no charge for leaders and other adults - as many as you want to bring.”
Why LEADERS (plural) is correct: the phrase as many as you want makes clear the plural; the recording explicitly uses leaders.
Why you were tempted: hearing the single word leader in isolation (or reading the question fragment quickly) can look plausible, but it fails the grammar/number test.
How to avoid it: check number signals in the sentence (as many / each / every / a / the). If the context allows more than one, answer must be plural. For summary completion always re-read the sentence mentally with your candidate word: does it fit grammatically?
2.4 Quick practice drills (2 minutes)
Hear the verb “collect and analyse” → supply the noun that collocates (answer: data).
Hear the phrase “a sense of …” → think of abstract nouns that fit (freedom, pride, belonging). Practice choosing the one that fits the passage meaning.
Hear “as many as …” or “each” → force yourself to write plural vs singular appropriately (leaders ≠ leader
Look again at the original sentence from the recording:
“There’s no charge for leaders and other adults — as many as you want to bring.”
The word adults is plural, and it’s paired with leaders in the same structure.
In English, when two nouns are linked with and in a parallel list, they normally match in number and form.
If it were singular, the sentence would be odd: “no charge for leader and other adults” — imbalance.
So yes, ADULTS works as a plural signal for the missing word.
2.4.1 Strategy tip:
When filling blanks in IELTS sentence completion, always:
Look left and right of the blank for number cues (plural nouns, “as many as,” “other,” “these”).
Match your word form to those cues — IELTS often plants the singular/plural trap.