Dictation Words for IELTS Listеning Exam

International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )

Raushan
Raushan Kumar
Assistant Manager Content
Updated on Oct 5, 2025 14:42 IST

Parcticing Dictation Words for IELTS is important for candidates preparation. Check out over 100 dictation words for IELTS vocabulary preparation of the IELTS Listening section. The IELTS Vocabulary carries about 25% weightage of the total exam and is often regarded as one of the most challenging tasks for test takers looking to take the IELTS test. 

IELTS dictation words

Dictation words for IELTS are part of the IELTS Listening section. This is same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The Listening section checks how well you understand main ideas, details, opinions, purpose, and attitude of speakers. It also sees how you follow the flow of ideas. In IELTS Listening, you listen to four recordings and answer 40 questions. First two recordings are about everyday life situations. The last two recordings are about education or training situations.

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Table of content
  • Challenges Faced by Indian Students in IELTS Listening
  • Dictation Words for IELTS: Spellings
  • Dictation Words for IELTS: Most Commonly Used Words in IELTS Listening
  • Common IELTS Dictation Words with Meanings
  • Difficult Dictation Words for IELTS
  • Dictation Words for IELTS – Right Strategy
  • Dictation Words for IELTS: Practice Resources
View More

Challenges Faced by Indian Students in IELTS Listening

The IELTS Listening Test is very important part of IELTS exam. It checks how much you can understand spoken English in different accents and situations. Many Indian students find it hard because of unfamiliar accents, fast speech, and some tricky questions.

Dictation Words for IELTS: Spellings

Using the correct spelling is important in the Listening Test. If the candidate gets his spelling incorrect the answer will be marked as wrong. Below we have provided words that can be tricky to spell in the IELTS Listening Section.

Example Incorrect Correct
Begin begining beginning
Benefit benefitial beneficial
Circumstance circumstancial circumstantial
Influence influencial influential
Maintain maintainance maintenance
Refer refered referred

Dictation Words for IELTS: Silent Letters in Consonant Clusters

Example Incorrect Correct
The silent (g) privilje privilege
The silent (nm) enviroment environment
The silent (sc) exite excite
The silent (xc) concious conscious

Dictation Words for IELTS: Most Commonly Used Words in IELTS Listening

To be able to score well in the IELTS Listening Section, the test taker must build on their vocabulary. And we can only build on our vocabulary by knowing and using as many words as possible. Candidates can also disable the ‘spell-check’ feature in Word and then practice their spellings. Once they have got their words down they can switch the ‘spell-check’ option back on to assess their spelling.

Dictation Words for IELTS: Commonly Misspelt Words

avenue beautiful believe
boring basically because
business commitment comparison
computer conscious controversy
customer disappear disadvantage
difficult disappear environment
exciting February foreign
friendly fuel fluctuate
highway hundred immediately
marriage million modern
musician murder necessary
neighbour nuclear obesity
opportunity original peak
percentage professor recover
realistic receive recover
restaurant rhythm software
solar separate skiing
solar software temporary
tendency topic thousand
unfortunately video visual arts
vocabulary Wednesday written work
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Dictation Words for IELTS: Sports

archery billiards bowls
caving chess climbing
darts embroidery gardening
golf ice skating orienteering
painting parachute photography
pottery scuba diving skateboarding
snorkeling spelunking stamp collection

Dictation Words for IELTS: Subjects

agriculture anthropology archaeology
architecture biology business management
chemistry economics geography
history humanities law
literature logic mathematics
performing arts philosophy physics
politics science statistics

Dictation Words for IELTS: Marketing 

business card catalogue collecting data
competition customer display
entertainment industry interview leadership
management manufacture mass media
merchandise newsletter poll
products profit margin questionnaire
recruitment research method special offer
statistic strategies survey
trainee training TV program

Dictation Words for IELTS: Education

accommodation advanced assessment
attendance bachelor's degree certificate
classroom college computer centre
computer laboratory compound commencement
course outline department dictionary
dining room dissertation diploma
facilities faculty feedback
foreign students full-time give a talk
group discussion guidelines handout
higher education homestay international
introductory knowledge laptop
leaflet library main hall
media room module overseas students
pencil placement test post-secondary
primary printer pupils
publication registrar's office research
resources room retention schedule
school reunion secondary specialist
staff stationery student advisor
student support services supervisor tasks
textbook topic tutor

Common IELTS Dictation Words with Meanings

Word

Meaning

Accommodation

A place where someone live or stay.

Controversy

A long public argument or debate.

Environment

The place or conditions where people, animals, or plants live.

Economics

Study about making, using, and moving money and wealth.

Psychology

Study of human mind and how it works.

Technology

Using science for practical things, mostly in industry.

Population

All people living in one place.

Globalization

When business start working in many countries or have worldwide effect.

Sustainable

Something can continue long time without harming nature.

Innovation

Making something new like new idea, method, or product.

Difficult Dictation Words for IELTS

Word

Meaning

Rendezvous

A meeting at fixed time and place.

Archaeology

Study of human history by digging and checking old things.

Discrimination

Treating people unfair because of their group.

Deforestation

Cutting trees from forests.

Biotechnology

Using living things to make new products.

Dictation Words for IELTS – Right Strategy

In this section, we are going to be discussing the right strategy to master the IELTS Listening section of the exam. 

  • A variation of voices and native-speaker pronunciations are used in the Listening test as IELTS is an international test.
  • To score well in the Listening section of the exam test takers would have to build on their dictation words for IELTS, build on their vocabulary and identify the common mistakes to avoid.
  • The IELTS Listening test is scored out of 40 and then regularised to a band score which ranges from Band 1 to Band 9

Dictation Words for IELTS: Practice Resources

Candidates wanting to prepare for the IELTS Listening Section can check out our IELTS Mock Tests and IELTS preparation material available on our website. Candidates can also look at coaching centres to assist them with their IELTS preparation. 

Test takers looking for assistance with university admissions should get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad counselling services for assistance with university admissions abroad. For any other queries, candidates can get in touch with us in the comments section below. 

Q:   What are the common dictation words for IELTS listening test?
A:

Some common dictation words for IELTS Listening Test come from many types:

  • General Words: accommodation, complaint, opportunity, disadvantage
  • Academic Words: hypothesis, environment, psychology, economics
  • Everyday Words: restaurant, customer, modern, beautiful

These words come many times in IELTS Listening. Practicing them can make your dictation skills better.

Q:   Which dictation words are commonly misspelled by IELTS candidates?
A:

Some frequently misspelled words in IELTS are:

  • Accommodation
  • Environment
  • Definitely
  • Maintenance
  • Rhythm
  • Psychology
  • Entrepreneur
Q:   How can I get 8.5 in IELTS?
A:

Getting 8.5 in IELTS is very hard. You need practice everyday. It is important to refer good IELTS preparation books like Target Band 7 to learn tips and tricks. Solving a good number of IELTS mock tests and old papers again and again will boost the preparation level. Ask teachers or friends to check your work. This help you improve English and get high band score.







About the Author
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Written by
Raushan Kumar
Assistant Manager Content
Raushan Kumar is a skilled writer and a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. He oversees various aspects of studying abroad, including educational opportunities, entrance exams, colleges, latest new Read Full Bio
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