L15: Distractors: when the speaker changes their mind

In IELTS Listening, the first answer you hear is often not the right one. The speaker says one thing, then changes it. "The meeting is on Monday. Oh no, sorry, Monday is a holiday. Let's do Tuesday." If you wrote Monday and stopped listening, you lost a mark. These traps are called distractors, and they're everywhere.

Why this matters

IELTS uses distractors on purpose. They test whether you really understand, or whether you're just catching words. In real life, people change their minds all the time. The test copies that. If you know the patterns, you can spot the trap before you fall in.

The five most common distractors

1. The correction

"It's 42 Park Road. No, sorry, 24. I always mix that up."

Answer: 24.

2. The change of plan

"We were going to meet at the café, but it's closed on Sundays, so let's meet at the library instead."

Answer: library.

3. The rejected option

"I thought about the train, but it's too expensive. I'll take the bus."

Answer: bus.

4. Past and present

"This room used to be the dining hall. Now it's used for exams."

If the question asks what the room is used for now, the answer is exams.

5. Normal versus this time

"Normally the class starts at nine, but this week it's at ten because of the holiday."

If the question is about this week, the answer is ten.

Signal words that warn you

When you hear these words, the answer might be about to change:

• actually
• sorry, I mean
• no, wait
• but, however
• instead
• on second thought
• unfortunately
• used to
• normally, usually

When you hear one, don't type yet. Wait for the speaker to finish the sentence.

A simple habit

Write your first answer lightly in your head, or on your rough paper. Keep listening for 3 to 5 seconds. If nothing changes, type it. If something changes, type the new answer.

But don't wait too long. Sometimes the next answer comes quickly. That's why your eyes should already be on the next question while you finish this one.

Try it yourself

1. "The deposit is 50 pounds. Oh, actually, for students it's only 30." (The caller is a student.) What's the deposit?
2. "We usually go to the beach, but this year we're trying the mountains." Where are they going this year?
3. "I was going to study medicine, but I switched to law in my second year." What does the person study now?

Honest note

Not every first answer is a trap. Sometimes the first thing you hear is correct. Don't become so suspicious that you change every answer. Just keep listening long enough to be sure.

Your task today

Take the transcript of a Part 1 or Part 2 you've already done. Find and underline every distractor. Count them. You'll be surprised how many there are.