What a short-answer question is: A short-answer question asks you to answer a question about a recording in a few words of English — not a sentence, not an essay.
What earns the mark is the correct, relevant detail the question asks for, NOT essay style or perfect grammar. In Paper 2 (Listening) you hear the clip twice, then write the exact detail.
The exam instruction you'll see: In the English Paper 2 Listening, this question type is introduced by an instruction like:
“Answer the following questions.”
What you have to do: Answer briefly with the information from the recording — a word or short phrase, exactly what's asked and nothing extra. Jot notes during playback; you won't get to replay on demand.
- short answer
- a reply of a few words — the exact detail, not a full sentence
- the question word (wh-)
- who / what / where / when / why / how — it tells you what kind of detail to give
- the detail
- the single piece of information the question is asking for
- key word(s)
- the one or two words you note down as the answer
- precise
- exactly to the point; only the detail asked for, nothing extra
- to skim a question
- to read it quickly before listening, to know what to listen for
A few words is enough: You do not need a full sentence. "By bus" scores just as well as "She goes to school by bus" — and it is faster and safer.
Give the exact detail the question asks for, then move on.
Three rules: Short answers come down to three rules. The point is the same in every recording: give the right detail, briefly, to the question actually asked.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| A few words | one word or a short phrase is enough — don't write long sentences |
| Answer what is asked | reply to exactly the question put, not a different detail |
| Don't copy long chunks | don't copy whole sentences from the recording; give only the detail asked for |
The two facts students forget: 1) A short, correct answer scores full marks — length adds nothing.
2) The mark is for the content, so don't lose it by over-writing or by copying a long, irrelevant chunk hoping the answer is buried inside.
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A method for every short answer: Don't try to write down everything you hear. Run the same five steps on each short-answer question and you'll capture the exact detail the examiner wants.
Nail the short answer
1
Read the question
Read it carefully — what exactly is it asking? A time? A place? A reason? The wh- word tells you. Pin it down before the audio plays.
2
Listen for that detail
On the recording, listen for that specific detail — ignore everything that isn't the answer to the question.
3
Note the key word(s)
Jot down the key word or words as you hear them — a quick note, not a full sentence.
4
Write a short, precise answer
Turn your note into a short, precise answer — a few words of English, exactly the detail asked for.
5
Check it answers the question
Read your answer back against the question — does it actually answer what was asked? If yes, move on.
Read Q → Listen → Note → Write short → Check
Shorter is safer: The shorter your answer, the less chance of including something wrong that cancels the mark. Give the detail, nothing more — and never leave a blank.
How listening is tested: In Paper 2 you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the question first, listen for the key idea, then write a few-word answer.
Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the question, then find the answer in the speaker's words.
Transcript — Lena's weekend: Hi, I'm Lena. On Saturday mornings I volunteer at the animal shelter, and in the afternoon I meet my friends to study at the library. On Sundays I prefer to stay at home: I read, I rest and in the evening I cook dinner with my family. My favourite dish is the lasagne my dad makes.
IB-style task — one short-answer question
One question, step by step
- The question — "What is Lena's favourite dish?"
- Find the signpost. Listen for the phrase "my favourite dish is…" — it flags the answer: "My favourite dish is the lasagne my dad makes."
- Write a few words — "Lasagne (the one her dad makes)". A few words score the mark; you do not need a full sentence.
Answer in a few words: Read the question, listen for that one detail — here, a food. Answer in a few words ("lasagne"), not a sentence. You hear the clip twice, so use the second play to confirm it.
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Where short-answer marks are lost: Short-answer marks are lost on technique, not on English. Compare what good candidates do with the traps everyone else falls into.
Good practice
- Answer the question that was ACTUALLY asked.
- Give a few precise words — exactly the detail required.
- Quote only the key word(s), not a long chunk.
- Always write something — never leave a blank.
Typical errors
- Answer a DIFFERENT question (e.g. give the place when a time is asked).
- Write far too much — a whole paragraph for one detail.
- Copy an irrelevant chunk of the recording and hope.
- Leave the answer blank because you missed it on the first listen.
Answer the question that was asked: Before you write, re-read the question. The most common lost mark is a correct fact that answers the wrong question.
And never leave a blank — you hear each clip twice, so use the second play to fill every gap.