Part 3: Listening for Information

What happens in Part 3

• You hear an explanation or interview of about two to three minutes.
• Questions focus on facts, steps in a process and reasons.

Tips for a higher score

• Structure your notes as a list: first, then, after that. The questions often follow the order of the talk.
• Pay attention to words like "but", "however" and "actually", which signal a correction.

Common mistakes

• Choosing an option that is true in general but was not said in the recording.

Step-by-step strategy for Part 3

1. Set up a T-chart with a numbered list. Use one column for the person asking and one for the person explaining. Most of your notes go in the explainer's column, as a numbered list of facts and steps.
2. Note the topic and the listener's goal. The first exchange tells you what is being explained and why the listener wants to know. That framing helps you judge which details matter.
   • I'd like to find out more about ...
   • Can you walk me through ...?
   • So how does it work?
   • What would I need to do?
3. Follow the sequence. Number each step or fact as you hear it. The questions usually follow the order of the recording, so a numbered list lets you move through them quickly.
   • First, ...
   • Once that's done, ...
   • After that, ...
   • The last step is ...
   • Before you do that, ...
4. Catch corrections, conditions and reasons. Mark corrections and exceptions with an arrow or a star. A rule that applies "only if" or "unless" is a favourite question, and so is the reason behind a step.
   • Actually, ...
   • But keep in mind ...
   • The only exception is ...
   • Unless you ...
   • The reason we do that is ...
5. Answer only what was said. Check each option against your notes, not against general knowledge. An option can be sensible and still be wrong if the speaker never said it.

Part 3 vocabulary and signal words

Part 3 sample tests (30 free practice tests)

Each test has the full text, every question and the answer key. Choose your answers and check them on the page.

• Asking About a Gym Membership Freeze Option
• Asking About a Library Printing Service
• Asking About a Lost and Found Policy at a Recreation Centre
• Asking About a Pet Boarding Service
• Asking About a Volunteer Opportunity at a Food Bank
• Asking About Getting a Library Card
• Asking About Submitting a Travel Insurance Claim
• Bustling Downtown Art Festival
• Busy Urban Farmers’ Market on a Weekend
• Children’s Playground on a Sunny Afternoon
• Colorful Autumn Park Full of Falling Leaves
• Composting in Multi-Unit Buildings

All 30 Part 3 sample tests · Full-length Listening practice tests (all parts, 38 questions)

Practice ideas for Part 3

1. A community centre employee explains how to sign up for a subsidized fitness program. Expect questions on eligibility, the order of steps and a document applicants often forget.
2. A manager describes the first week of a new warehouse job to a hire. Expect questions on training, the schedule and the reason for a safety rule.
3. A librarian explains how the library's equipment-lending service works. Expect questions on what can be borrowed, the loan period and what happens if an item is late.
4. A tenant asks a building manager about the new recycling system. Expect questions on how items are sorted, a common mistake and a change starting next month.
5. A volunteer coordinator describes a tree-planting event to a newcomer. Expect questions on what to bring, where to meet and why the start time was moved.

Listening Part 3 questions, answered

More CELPIP Listening

• Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving
• Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation
• Part 4: Listening to a News Item (next)
• Part 5: Listening to a Discussion
• Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints