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Numbers/Names/Dates (Beginner Drills) - (Listening)

Train your ear to catch numbers, names, and dates with confidence. This beginner guide shows how IELTS style recordings present digits, spelling, and time. Learn common traps, accent tips, and step by step drills you can reuse daily. Includes ready made mini scripts, answer keys, and checklists for accuracy. Designed for premium learners who want clear structure, simple language, and practice that builds speed and accuracy fast.

4 Minute Read
Last Updated 3 months ago

Why these items matter

In IELTS Listening, simple data carries marks: house numbers, phone numbers, spelling of names, prices, times, and booking dates. Most errors come from missed letters, swapped digits, or unfamiliar date formats. Mastering these early raises your band quickly.

What you must recognize

  • Digits: 0 to 9, teens, tens, and large numbers
  • Fractions and decimals: one half, three quarters, 2.5
  • Ordinals: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
  • Dates: 14 February 2026, February 14 2026, 14/02/2026
  • Times: 9 o’clock, 9 fifteen, 9 forty five, 9 pm, 21 00
  • Spelling of names: A for Adam, Z for Zed, double letters
  • Addresses and codes: Flat 3B, Postcode BR6 1AA, ID 7 9 4 C

Accent smart tips

  • T and D can blend: forty can sound like fordy.
  • Numbers in pairs: phone numbers are often spoken two at a time.
  • Zero can be zero, oh, nought.
  • Z is zed in UK and zee in US.
  • Dates: the British say the fourteenth of February; the US says February fourteenth.

Common traps and fixes

  • 13 vs 30: stress at the end for thirTEEN, at the start for THIRty.
  • 15 vs 50, 18 vs 80: same rule.
  • teen + ty mix ups: write a tiny T or Y cue above the word while listening.
  • Double letters: teacher may say double S. If unsure, write ss.
  • Dictated names: confirm with capitals, e.g., Rahman, R A H M A N.

Quick reference: date formats

  • UK/IELTS forms: 14/02/2026, 14 February 2026, 14th February 2026
  • US form: 02/14/2026, February 14 2026
    Always copy the format used in the paper or as you hear it.

10 daily micro drills

  1. Digits chain: Play or read random digits slowly: 7 2 9 4 6. Write them once only.
  2. Pairs: 52 93 04 67 88.
  3. Times: 9 15, 13 30, quarter to five. Convert to 12 or 24 hour.
  4. Money: 12.50, 1,275, 0.99. Write currency symbol correctly.
  5. Dates: hear 03 11 2025 and write 3 November 2025.
  6. Ordinals: the 21st of June, the 3rd of April.
  7. Spelling: M O N I R U L. Add commas between letters.
  8. Double letters: address: 44 Bell Lane.
  9. Codes: ticket ID BR6 1AA, flight BG 371.
  10. Corrections: listen again and mark why errors happened.

Ready made mini scripts + answers

Use these as self dictations. Read them aloud or ask a friend to read.

Script A: Hotel booking
“Good evening. The name is Farhana, that is F A R H A N A. I need a room for two nights from the 3rd to the 5th of May. My phone is 0 1 7 1 9 4 2 6 8 3. The total is one hundred thirty five point ninety.”

Answer cues

  • Name: Farhana
  • Nights: 2
  • Dates: 3–5 May
  • Phone: 0171942683
  • Amount: 135.90

Script B: Class registration
“Student ID 7 9 4 C. Address Flat 3B, 22 King Street. Class starts at quarter past nine on 14 February 2026.”

Answer cues

  • ID: 794C
  • Address: Flat 3B, 22 King Street
  • Time: 9:15
  • Date: 14 February 2026

Script C: Delivery
“Please send to House number 56, Road 10, Dhanmondi. Delivery on Monday the 18th, between 10 30 and 12 00. Contact 01812 33 44 55.”

Answer cues

  • House: 56, Road 10, Dhanmondi
  • Window: 10:30–12:00 Monday the 18th
  • Phone: 01812 334455

Marking checklist

  • I wrote every digit once and in the correct order.
  • I matched the date format of the task.
  • I used capitals for names and streets.
  • I added commas between spelled letters.
  • I converted spoken times correctly.
  • I reviewed typical traps: teen vs ty, zero vs oh, double letters.

Upgrade your ear: simple routines

  • Shadowing: repeat digits right after you hear them.
  • Pause and predict: if the speaker says my number is, expect slow pairs.
  • Write light: use small markers like / : , while listening, then clean in transfer time.
  • Repeat patterning: phone numbers often use patterns like 33 or 44. Hear the rhythm.

DIY practice sources

  • Transit announcements, voicemail prompts, weather reports, and customer service lines all include digits and times. Record short clips and transcribe for 2 minutes daily.

Printable drill set

Copy this list and dictate to yourself on alternate days.

  • Numbers: 608, 1,275, 0.75, 19.99, 40, 14
  • Names to spell: Nusrat Jahan, Arafat Hossain, Tanvir Ahmed
  • Dates: 03/11/2025, 21 March 2027, July 2 2026
  • Times: 07 45, 18 20, half past ten, ten to nine
  • Addresses: 9 Lake View Road, Flat 4C, Postcode BD2 5JT
  • Codes: BG 371, BR6 1AA, INV 2025 114

Transfer time strategy

  • Underline any digit you guessed.
  • Standardize formats quickly: 24 hour for times, long form for dates if space allows.
  • Check one last time for teen vs ty.

Final advice

Practice small and daily. Aim for 95 percent accuracy on digits before increasing speed. Keep a personal error list and rewrite the correct form three times after every session. Consistency wins the band.