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Oxford ELLT practice questions

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Question 1Listening

In the Oxford ELLT Listening section, what is the candidate expected to do while the audio plays?

  1. Discuss the recording with a partner before answering
  2. Answer questions after listening to each recording once Correct answer.
  3. Write a summary of the whole section at the end
  4. Read a full transcript provided before the audio begins

Explanation

The ELLT Listening section is a single-play test: you hear each recording once and answer the questions as you listen, so previewing the questions beforehand is the key strategy. No transcript is supplied and there is no partner interaction.

Question 2Listening

A candidate hears: 'The library closes at six on weekdays, but stays open until nine on Thursdays.' What time does the library close on Thursday?

  1. Six o'clock
  2. It does not close on Thursday
  3. Seven o'clock
  4. Nine o'clock Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker gives a general closing time of six for weekdays, then marks Thursday as an exception with the contrast word 'but', followed by 'until nine'. The exception overrides the general rule for that specific day.

Question 3Listening

A speaker says: 'I was going to take the train, but the strikes meant I had to drive instead.' How did the speaker actually travel?

  1. By bus
  2. By car Correct answer.
  3. On foot
  4. By train

Explanation

The structure 'was going to ... but ... had to ... instead' signals an original plan that was abandoned. The realised action is the one after 'had to', which here is driving.

Question 4Listening

In a lecture, a tutor says: 'First we'll look at the causes, then the effects, and finally some possible solutions.' What is the purpose of this language?

  1. To give an example
  2. To ask the audience a question
  3. To correct an earlier mistake
  4. To signal the structure of the talk Correct answer.

Explanation

Sequencing markers such as 'first', 'then' and 'finally' are signposting language that tells listeners how the talk is organised. Recognising these markers helps you predict where information will appear.

Question 5Listening

A student says: 'The seminar was supposed to start at ten, but the tutor was held up, so we didn't begin until half past.' When did the seminar begin?

  1. 10:30 Correct answer.
  2. 10:15
  3. 11:00
  4. 10:00

Explanation

'Supposed to start at ten' gives the planned time, while 'didn't begin until half past' gives the actual start. 'Not ... until' emphasises the delay, so the real starting time is 10:30.

Question 6Listening

Which feature is typical of a formal academic lecture rather than casual conversation in the ELLT Listening paper?

  1. Clear signposting and topic sentences Correct answer.
  2. Overlapping speech between many speakers
  3. Frequent use of contractions and slang
  4. Direct address with tag questions like 'right?'

Explanation

Academic monologues tend to be structured, with signposting and clear topic sentences that guide the listener. Informal features such as slang, tag questions and overlapping turns are typical of conversational recordings instead.

Question 7Listening

A speaker says: 'It's not that the scheme is unpopular; it's simply that nobody knows about it.' What is the speaker's main point?

  1. The scheme has been cancelled
  2. The scheme is too expensive
  3. The scheme suffers from poor publicity Correct answer.
  4. The scheme is widely disliked

Explanation

The 'not that ... it's simply that ...' construction rejects the first explanation and substitutes the second. The speaker therefore attributes the problem to a lack of awareness, that is, poor publicity.

Question 8Listening

In the ELLT Listening section, what should a candidate do if they miss an answer while the audio is playing?

  1. Move on and keep listening for the next answer Correct answer.
  2. Ask the invigilator to repeat the audio
  3. Stop listening and wait for the next recording
  4. Replay the recording using the controls

Explanation

Because the audio plays once and cannot be paused or repeated, dwelling on a missed item costs you later answers. The recommended approach is to abandon that question and re-focus on the next one.

Question 9Listening

A lecturer says: 'The results were, to put it mildly, disappointing.' What does the speaker imply about the results?

  1. They were extremely poor Correct answer.
  2. They were better than expected
  3. They were never published
  4. They were inconclusive

Explanation

'To put it mildly' is an understatement device: the speaker is softening a strongly negative judgement. The literal word 'disappointing' is therefore an understatement of very bad results.

Question 10Listening

Listen to the stress in this utterance: 'I didn't say SHE took the book.' What is the speaker most likely correcting?

  1. The claim that something was said
  2. The claim that the book was taken
  3. The claim that a book was taken at all
  4. The claim that the book was taken by her Correct answer.

Explanation

Contrastive stress on 'she' signals that this is the element being disputed, implying someone else took the book. The rest of the proposition is accepted.

Question 11Listening

A tutor says: 'You might want to reconsider your methodology before the deadline.' What is the function of this utterance?

  1. A polite but firm recommendation Correct answer.
  2. An offer of extra time
  3. A neutral statement of fact
  4. A compliment on the work

Explanation

'Might want to' is a hedging device that softens a directive, making advice sound less face-threatening while still carrying clear force. The reference to the deadline adds urgency, so it functions as firm advice.

Question 12Listening

A speaker says: 'The course has its ups and downs, but on balance I'd recommend it.' What is the speaker's overall evaluation?

  1. Entirely positive
  2. Entirely negative
  3. Mixed but ultimately favourable Correct answer.
  4. Completely neutral

Explanation

'Ups and downs' acknowledges both strengths and weaknesses, while 'but on balance I'd recommend it' gives the final verdict. The overall stance is therefore mixed yet positive.

Question 13Listening

In a recording, a student says: 'Sorry, could you run that last point by me again?' What is the student doing?

  1. Changing the subject
  2. Asking for clarification Correct answer.
  3. Ending the conversation
  4. Disagreeing with the tutor

Explanation

'Run that by me again' is an informal request to repeat or explain something. It is a clarification move, common in seminar discussions, not a challenge to the content.

Question 14Listening

A news report says: 'Fewer than one in five respondents backed the proposal.' What proportion supported it?

  1. More than 20 per cent
  2. Less than 20 per cent Correct answer.
  3. Exactly 20 per cent
  4. Around 50 per cent

Explanation

'One in five' equals 20 per cent, and 'fewer than' places the figure below that threshold. The correct reading is therefore under one fifth of respondents.

Question 15Listening

A lecturer says: 'This is where the argument starts to unravel.' What does 'unravel' convey here?

  1. The argument is repeated
  2. The argument is summarised
  3. The argument becomes clearer
  4. The argument begins to fail Correct answer.

Explanation

Used figuratively, 'unravel' means to fall apart or break down. In academic contexts it signals that a line of reasoning is losing coherence or collapsing under criticism.

Question 16Listening

During a seminar, one speaker says 'Absolutely' while another is still finishing a sentence. What does this overlapping turn most likely signal?

  1. Strong agreement and engagement Correct answer.
  2. The end of the discussion
  3. Confusion about the topic
  4. A request to slow down

Explanation

Short overlapping backchannels such as 'absolutely' or 'exactly' show active listening and emphatic agreement. They are cooperative moves rather than interruptions aimed at taking the floor.

Question 17Listening

A speaker says: 'Had we checked the figures earlier, we would have avoided the error.' What does the speaker mean?

  1. They will check the figures in future
  2. They did not check early and made an error Correct answer.
  3. The figures were correct all along
  4. They checked the figures and avoided the error

Explanation

This is a third conditional with inversion ('Had we checked' = 'If we had checked'). It describes a counterfactual past: the check did not happen early, and the error occurred as a result.

Question 18Listening

A guide says: 'The museum is a stone's throw from the station.' What information is being given?

  1. That the museum is very close Correct answer.
  2. That the station has moved
  3. That the museum is hard to find
  4. The exact distance in metres

Explanation

'A stone's throw' is an idiom meaning a very short distance. It gives an approximate sense of proximity rather than a precise measurement.

Question 19Listening

A lecturer says: 'Now, this brings me to my second point.' What is the main function of 'Now' in this position?

  1. To indicate a change of time
  2. To introduce a quotation
  3. To mark a transition to a new stage Correct answer.
  4. To express disagreement

Explanation

In lecture discourse, discourse marker 'now' at the start of an utterance typically signals a shift to the next stage of the talk. It manages the structure rather than referring to clock time.

Question 20Listening

A student says: 'I'm afraid I won't be able to make the tutorial on Friday.' What is the pragmatic force of 'I'm afraid' here?

  1. The student is asking a question
  2. The student is frightened
  3. The student is angry with the tutor
  4. The student is apologising for bad news Correct answer.

Explanation

'I'm afraid' functions as a politeness formula that softens unwelcome information, such as cancelling an arrangement. It signals regret, not literal fear.

Question 21Listening

A speaker says: 'The findings were not insignificant.' How should this be understood?

  1. The findings were meaningless
  2. The findings were negative
  3. The findings were fairly important Correct answer.
  4. The findings were completely absent

Explanation

Double negation with 'not insignificant' produces a hedged positive meaning: the results mattered, though the speaker avoids the stronger claim 'significant'. Litotes of this kind is common in academic speech.

Question 22Listening

A tutor says: 'Some would argue the policy has been a success; others are less convinced.' What is the tutor's stance?

  1. Presenting both sides without committing Correct answer.
  2. Dismissing both positions as wrong
  3. Clearly opposed to the policy
  4. Clearly supportive of the policy

Explanation

By attributing each view to others ('some would argue', 'others are less convinced'), the speaker reports positions without endorsing either. This balanced reporting is a common academic listening pattern.

Question 23Listening

A lecturer says: 'The data, such as they are, hardly support such a sweeping conclusion.' What does the speaker suggest about the data?

  1. The data are extensive and reliable
  2. The data have not yet been collected
  3. The data prove the conclusion
  4. The data are limited and the conclusion overstated Correct answer.

Explanation

'Such as they are' is a dismissive aside implying the data are inadequate, and 'hardly support' denies that they justify the conclusion. Together they signal scepticism about an overgeneral claim.

Question 24Listening

A speaker says: 'It's not so much a question of funding as of priorities.' What is being claimed?

  1. Priorities have already been agreed
  2. Both funding and priorities are irrelevant
  3. Priorities matter more than money here Correct answer.
  4. Funding is the only problem

Explanation

The 'not so much X as Y' construction downplays the first element and foregrounds the second. The speaker therefore shifts the emphasis from money to how resources are prioritised.

Question 25Listening

A recording contains: 'Well, I mean, it's, sort of, you know, quite difficult.' What does the density of fillers most likely indicate?

  1. Spontaneous informal speech planning Correct answer.
  2. A deliberately hostile tone
  3. A rehearsed formal presentation
  4. A written text being read aloud

Explanation

Fillers and vague hedges like 'sort of' and 'you know' are hallmarks of unplanned, spontaneous speech, where the speaker is buying time to plan. Scripted delivery or reading aloud typically reduces such markers.

Question 26Listening

In the ELLT Listening paper, a recording begins with a tutor saying: 'Right, before we start, just a quick word about the assignment.' What does 'Right' mainly signal here?

  1. The tutor is opening a new stage of talk Correct answer.
  2. The tutor is closing the discussion
  3. The tutor disagrees with a previous speaker
  4. The tutor is asking a direct question

Explanation

Discourse markers at the start of a turn often manage the structure of the interaction rather than carry content. 'Right' in this position marks a transition into a new topic or phase, here introducing the assignment announcement.

Question 27Listening

A recorded announcement says: 'The 9.15 service to Bristol will now depart from platform 4 instead of platform 2.' Which detail has changed?

  1. The platform number Correct answer.
  2. The destination
  3. The departure time
  4. The ticket price

Explanation

The announcement contrasts 'platform 4' with 'instead of platform 2', so the alteration concerns where the train leaves from. The time and destination are stated but not revised.

Question 28Listening

A student on a recording says: 'I was going to hand in the draft on Monday, but I've got a lab report due the same day.' What does the student imply about the draft?

  1. It may be delayed because of competing work Correct answer.
  2. It was rejected by the tutor
  3. It has already been submitted early
  4. It is no longer required

Explanation

The 'was going to' construction presents an earlier intention that is now in doubt. The clash with a lab report deadline explains why the Monday submission is at risk.

Question 29Listening

In a lecture recording, the speaker says: 'The second factor, and this is the one I want you to remember, is habitat loss.' Why does the speaker add the aside?

  1. To emphasise which point matters most Correct answer.
  2. To check that the recording equipment works
  3. To correct an earlier mistake
  4. To introduce a completely new topic

Explanation

Parenthetical asides such as 'this is the one I want you to remember' are used to flag importance and guide note-taking. The content itself stays within the same topic of habitat loss.

Question 30Listening

A speaker says: 'The survey covered 400 households, roughly a third of which responded.' Approximately how many households responded?

  1. About 400
  2. About 40
  3. About 130 Correct answer.
  4. About 300

Explanation

A third of 400 is approximately 133, so 'about 130' is the closest figure. The other numbers either repeat the sample size or misread the fraction.

Question 31Listening

A tutor says on a recording: 'Your literature review is solid, but the methodology section reads as though it was written in a hurry.' What is the tutor's main criticism?

  1. The sources are out of date
  2. The method is explained too hastily Correct answer.
  3. The topic is unsuitable
  4. The review is too long

Explanation

The concessive 'but' shifts evaluation onto the methodology, and 'written in a hurry' implies rushed, underdeveloped explanation. The literature review is explicitly praised as solid.

Question 32Listening

A guide on a walking tour says: 'If you look to your left, you'll see the old customs house, which predates the bridge by about fifty years.' What does the guide tell listeners about the customs house?

  1. It is older than the bridge Correct answer.
  2. It was built after the bridge
  3. It stands on the right-hand side
  4. It has been recently restored

Explanation

'Predates' means to exist or be built before something else, so the customs house is older than the bridge by roughly fifty years. The direction given is left, not right.

Question 33Listening

During a seminar recording, a student says: 'Sorry to interrupt, but doesn't that assume the sample was representative?' What is the student doing?

  1. Asking for the room number
  2. Summarising the tutor's argument
  3. Agreeing with the previous speaker
  4. Challenging an underlying assumption Correct answer.

Explanation

The negative question 'doesn't that assume...' politely probes a premise rather than stating agreement. This is a classic seminar move for questioning an assumption.

Question 34Listening

A recorded message says: 'Due to unforeseen circumstances, the workshop has been postponed until further notice.' What is the listener told about the workshop?

  1. It will run twice next week
  2. It has moved to a different building
  3. It will happen at a later, unconfirmed time Correct answer.
  4. It has been cancelled permanently

Explanation

'Postponed until further notice' means the event is delayed to an unspecified future date. It is not the same as cancellation, which would remove the event entirely.

Question 35Listening

A lecturer says: 'Some of you will have met this idea before; for those who haven't, I'll go over it briefly.' What is the lecturer doing?

  1. Refusing to explain the concept
  2. Testing the class with a quiz
  3. Apologising for a mistake
  4. Accommodating different levels of prior knowledge Correct answer.

Explanation

The lecturer acknowledges mixed prior knowledge and offers a brief recap for newcomers. This is an audience-awareness strategy common in lectures.

Question 36Listening

A student says: 'I'd have finished the essay if my laptop hadn't crashed.' What is the student explaining?

  1. Why the essay is complete
  2. Why the laptop was replaced
  3. Why the essay topic changed
  4. Why the essay is not finished Correct answer.

Explanation

The third conditional describes an unreal past result: the essay would have been finished but for the crash. The implication is that it remains incomplete.

Question 37Listening

In a recorded interview, the speaker says: 'The project was, shall we say, a learning experience.' What is the speaker doing?

  1. Using understatement to suggest it went badly Correct answer.
  2. Praising the project's success
  3. Asking the interviewer a question
  4. Describing a formal training course

Explanation

'Shall we say' hedges a euphemism, and 'a learning experience' is a well-known soft way of describing failure. The effect is understatement rather than praise.

Question 38Listening

A speaker in a recording says: 'The library's extended hours apply during term time only.' When can students use the library late?

  1. Throughout the whole year
  2. Only during exam weeks
  3. Only when term is running Correct answer.
  4. Never, since the policy ended

Explanation

'During term time only' restricts the extended opening to periods when teaching is taking place. Outside term, normal hours would apply.

Question 39Listening

A lecturer says: 'Contrary to what you might have read in the press, the study found no link between the two variables.' What is the lecturer correcting?

  1. The date of the original study
  2. The students' own research findings
  3. A misunderstanding spread by media reports Correct answer.
  4. A statistical error in the study

Explanation

'Contrary to what you might have read in the press' explicitly contrasts the study's finding with media coverage. The correction targets a popular misconception.

Question 40Listening

A student leaves a voicemail: 'Hi, it's Sam. I can't make the group meeting at three, but I'm free any time after five.' What does Sam want the group to know?

  1. Sam wants to cancel the project
  2. Sam is available later in the day Correct answer.
  3. Sam has left the group project
  4. Sam will attend at three

Explanation

Sam declines the three o'clock slot but offers availability from five onwards. The purpose is to rearrange, not to withdraw from the project.

Question 41Listening

A tutor says: 'You've got the right idea, but your examples don't quite land.' What does the tutor mean about the examples?

  1. They are copied from a source
  2. They are too few in number
  3. They fail to have the intended effect Correct answer.
  4. They are factually inaccurate

Explanation

'Don't quite land' is an idiom meaning something fails to achieve its intended impact or persuasiveness. The idea itself is accepted as correct.

Question 42Listening

In a lecture, the speaker says: 'I'll come back to the question of funding at the end.' What does this tell listeners?

  1. The lecture has already finished
  2. Funding is the least important topic
  3. Funding will not be discussed at all
  4. Funding will be revisited later in the talk Correct answer.

Explanation

'Come back to' signals that a topic is being deferred and will be returned to later. It is a common signposting device for managing lecture structure.

Question 43Listening

A speaker says: 'Not only did the trial reduce costs, it also cut waiting times by half.' Which two outcomes are reported?

  1. Higher costs and longer waits
  2. Lower costs and longer waits
  3. Lower costs and shorter waits Correct answer.
  4. Higher costs and shorter waits

Explanation

'Not only... it also...' links two positive results: reduced costs and waiting times halved. Both outcomes move in the favourable direction.

Question 44Listening

A student says in a recorded discussion: 'That's true up to a point, though I'd want to see more evidence.' How does the student respond to the previous claim?

  1. Irrelevant interruption
  2. Partial agreement with reservation Correct answer.
  3. Full agreement
  4. Complete rejection

Explanation

'Up to a point' concedes limited agreement while the following clause introduces doubt. The response is therefore qualified rather than wholehearted.

Question 45Listening

A recorded notice says: 'Passengers are reminded that luggage left unattended may be removed.' What might happen to unattended luggage?

  1. It will be delivered to the passenger's home
  2. It will be searched in the passenger's presence
  3. It will be stored free of charge
  4. It could be taken away by staff Correct answer.

Explanation

'May be removed' indicates a possible consequence: staff could take the luggage away. The modal 'may' expresses possibility rather than certainty.

Question 46Listening

A lecturer says: 'Had the sample been larger, the effect might have reached significance.' What does the lecturer suggest?

  1. The small sample may have hidden a real effect Correct answer.
  2. The study should be abandoned
  3. The effect was definitely significant
  4. The data were collected incorrectly

Explanation

The past unreal conditional proposes a counterfactual: with a larger sample, significance might have been achieved. This implies the small sample limited the result.

Question 47Listening

In a recording, a tutor says: 'Feel free to drop me an email if anything's unclear.' What is the tutor offering?

  1. A change of tutor
  2. A formal written assessment
  3. Further help by email Correct answer.
  4. A deadline extension

Explanation

'Feel free to' is an invitation, and the offer is specifically to contact the tutor by email about confusion. It is a supportive, informal offer of help.

Question 48Listening

A speaker says: 'The company's profits, which had been rising steadily, levelled off last quarter.' What happened to profits last quarter?

  1. They were not reported
  2. They fell sharply
  3. They stopped increasing Correct answer.
  4. They continued to rise

Explanation

'Levelled off' means to stop rising and become stable, so the growth halted. The relative clause confirms the earlier upward trend.

Question 49Listening

A lecturer says: 'Now, the sceptics among you will say this is simply correlation, not causation.' What is the lecturer anticipating?

  1. Agreement from the audience
  2. A methodological objection from the audience Correct answer.
  3. A question about the reading list
  4. A request to slow down

Explanation

By voicing the sceptics' objection, the lecturer pre-empts a methodological criticism about correlation versus causation. This is a rhetorical move to address counterarguments.

Question 50Listening

A student says: 'I only just scraped through the exam.' What does this mean?

  1. The student achieved a top grade
  2. The student passed with a very low mark Correct answer.
  3. The student failed the exam
  4. The student missed the exam

Explanation

'Scrape through' is an idiom meaning to pass narrowly or with difficulty. It implies a marginal pass rather than failure or high achievement.