You'll often see instructions like this in the listening test:
- Write one word only for each answer.
- Write one word and / or a number for each answer.
- Write no more than two words and / or a number for each answer.
- Write no more than three words for each answer.
1) The first instruction is easy: make sure you only write one word. If you write two words (e.g. "a pen"), your answer will be wrong.
2) The second instruction means that your answer can be any of the following: one word, one number, a word and a number (e.g. 12th September).
3) The third instruction means that your answer can be any of the following: one word, one number, a word and number, two words, two words and a number (e.g. 15 Bank Road). If you see this instruction, it is likely that one of the answers in that section will require two words or two words and a number.
4) The fourth instruction means that your answer can be any of the following: one word, two words, three words. If you see this instruction, it is likely that one of the answers in that section will require three words.
Note:
- Hyphenated words (e.g. hard-working) are counted as one word.
- You won't be tested on contracted words (e.g. doesn't).
Hi, Simon
So sorry to bother you under the tag of listening, but I do not know where to put it.
It about writing task 2. If the topic is like "People in modern societies are experimenting with both legal and illegal drugs. Discuss the causes and effects of this drug used by people in modern society, and give suggestions to reduce drug abuse"
Is it ok to focus on adolescents who misuse drug in this topic? Looking forward to your answer.THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Best regard
Posted by: Alice | September 12, 2017 at 10:11
Hi,Simon
For hyphenated words,will my answer be wrong if I lost the hyphen?
Looking forward your reply,thank you.
Posted by: Demon | September 12, 2017 at 11:27
Hi,Simon
For hyphenated words,will my answer be wrong if I lost the hyphen?
Looking forward to your reply,thank you.
Posted by: Demon | September 12, 2017 at 13:39
"The bar chart and pie chart give information about
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
why US residents travelled and what travel
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
problems they experienced in the year 2009."
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Here total word = 23.
Please inform the word count is right or wrong.
Posted by: kzi | September 13, 2017 at 02:33
Thanks Simon. I always had difficulty understanding how many words or numbers we need. VERY helpful. thanks so much.
Posted by: samsam | September 16, 2017 at 05:49
Alice,
Yes, it would be ok to do that. However, I don't really think that you would see that topic in an IELTS test. I've never seen a question that asks about drug use.
...
Demon,
If two words are allowed, it won't matter if you miss the hyphen. However, if you're only allowed to write one word, two words won't be accepted.
...
Yes, every word and number is included in the count.
...
No problem samsam!
Posted by: Simon | September 19, 2017 at 13:03
Hi Simon,
Can you please help me to clarify the following question?
It says " NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER"
In this case can I write one word and one number such as" over 200"
Or I can write only following combinations which are;
One word / Two word / one number.
The book I am referring is IELTS on Track, test practice Academic 2015
Stephen Slater, Donna Millen and Pat Tyrian.page 23
,
Posted by: Kumudu | October 06, 2017 at 13:46
Hi Simon
Word like "doesn't" count one or two words in the exam
Lana from Sudan
Posted by: Lana | October 12, 2017 at 10:57
I have a question about this:
If the answer for a no-more-than-three-words-question is ''beat jet lag'' which are the exact words the speaker says,
will the answers like ''overcome jet lag'' or ''handle jet lag'' or ''prevent jet lag'' be evaluated as wrong?
Must we use the exact words or the correct meaning is enough?
Posted by: Emiliya | December 13, 2017 at 12:53
Hi Simon,
In below past general training reading question
instruction is saying "https://www.ielts-mentor.com/reading-sample/gt-reading/87-general-training-reading-sample-19" but everywhere answers are given as" Course 1, Course 3, 21 hours".I find it so confusing as answers should be " Course names eg: Essay Writing / Twenty One Hours" . Am I wrong?
https://www.ielts-mentor.com/reading-sample/gt-reading/87-general-training-reading-sample-19
Posted by: Dipika | December 14, 2017 at 10:26
In below past general training reading question
https://www.ielts-mentor.com/reading-sample/gt-reading/87-general-training-reading-sample-19
instruction is saying "NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS" but everywhere answers are given as" Course 1, Course 3, 21 hours".I find it so confusing as answers should be " Course names eg: Essay Writing / Twenty One Hours" . Am I right?
Posted by: Dipika | December 14, 2017 at 10:29
Hi Simon,
One of the listening questions in test 3 of IELTS CAMBRIDGE 9 asks for the answer '5 to 12' whereas I answered it as '5-12'. The instruction is 'Write one word and/or numbers)' So in that case, shouldn't I use a hyphen? Does it make my answer wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by: osbg | December 14, 2017 at 15:02
Thank you Simon. I got really confused with this. Now, I understand it fully. My teacher was wrong about third example. thanks for clarifying it.
Posted by: saman | January 04, 2018 at 04:21
The instruction is not more than two words and or a number..
For example the answer is three people..
Can I write three people or 3 people, I believe both are correct, please clarify my doubt...
Posted by: Prafull | January 12, 2018 at 15:56
I have a quick question. In Cambridge Official Guide, it says “twenty five trees = one word and a number.” If this is the case, can “two hundred and fifty five” to be counted as a number?
Thank you.
Posted by: Sarah | May 15, 2018 at 14:04
I have written dawn and dusk three words but the requirement was only of two words....then is my answer correct?
Posted by: Navneet | July 09, 2018 at 09:02
Hi Simon,
Can you please help me to clarify the following question?
It says " NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER"
In this case can I write one word and one number such as" over 200"
Or I can write only following combinations which are;
One word / Two word / one number.
Posted by: Ghazal | August 08, 2018 at 09:35
Hi Simon,
One of the listening questions in test 3 of IELTS CAMBRIDGE 9 asks for the answer '5 to 12' whereas I answered it as '5-12'. The instruction is 'Write one word and/or numbers)' So in that case, shouldn't I use a hyphen? Does it make my answer wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by: bindia agrawal | August 12, 2018 at 08:48
Hi Simon,
In Reading if the comment contains NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
then can i use "AND" as a 3rd word
Example: Can i write the answer as Teaching and Research.
Posted by: Nilofer | February 06, 2019 at 02:44
Can i write a date eg 1970 or a value like £12.75 in a question that only says write no more than three words (no number specified)
Posted by: Ashir Ahmed | July 03, 2019 at 11:07
I want to ask that in listening, when filling the blank so speaker said 5 to 12 age group but i wrote 5-12 but in answer sheet it was written 5 to 12. which is is correct 5-12 or 5 to 12
Posted by: zeelaf | September 10, 2019 at 10:34
Hi sir,
I have a question related to "no more than 3 words" condition in listening.
That is, i have confusion in writing correcting write answer. For example, in Cambridge 1 test 2, the 2nd answer is "awful food" but my answer "food was awful" as in script. Is it a wrong or right answer. Similarly 3rd answer is " not friendly" i wrote "not very friendly". Please give me a response.
Thank you
Posted by: Annie Rejinold | December 07, 2019 at 15:01