IELTS Listening Tips: Section 1

Well begun is half done it is said. The same holds true for any test including your IELTS Listening tests. The benefits of cracking the first section hold far more significance than probably any other section. Not only can it give you a confidence boost for the remaining sections, but the section is also one of the relatively easier sections of the test.
Here are some simple but effective tips that must be a part of your IELTS Listening preparation to crack the first section allowing you to get off to a great start. 

Know the conversation backdrop.
The audio content in the first section plays out a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context. The conversation is usually a telephonic conversation. Knowing the backdrop of the conversation can help you predict the type of communication between the two individuals. 

Make note of essential information.
Look out for specific information shared in the communications. Things like numbers, dates, days of the week, names, etc. are all important as they can be part of the questions that follow. This smaller information is in fact usually more important that the conversational flow as they are part of note completion or form filling questions. 

Glance through all the 10 questions before answering.
Before listening to the conversation, it is a good idea to go through all the 10 questions before answering. This will help you in understanding the type of questions and blanks left in the questionnaire. Some answers in the section can be easy to predict and help you save time. Also checking the questions will help you understand if the answer is to be given in numeric form or otherwise.
For example, 33 and thirty-three are not the same and can be the difference between a wrong answer given quickly without reading the question.
 
The key lies in listening attentively.
A common tweaking done in the first section is to smartly change the obvious answer. So if you are not paying attention to the audio, chances of missing the tweak are high. 
For example, if two people are conversing and the first speaker asks when the other would be available. 'On Monday' may say the 2nd person but then can add, 'Oh but wait, I may be busy this Monday, how about Wednesday?' Unless you are listening attentively, chances of missing out on Wednesday over Monday are quite high.
Practice listening to everyday conversations around you can be a great lesson. Also, look out for well-designed IELTS Listening Section 1 Mock Tests. Attentive listening can be developed over a period of time. All it requires is practicing these mock tests and developing a little bit of patience. 

Cut out the silly mistakes.
Cutting out the silly mistakes can be a difference between getting a few wrong answers to bringing them to zero. For example, when answering a numeric question check whether the unit is to be written in the answer or not. $10 and 10 may look the same but can be the difference between a wrong answer owing to a silly mistake of adding a prefix not warranted in the question.