Loading question...
You are in free guest mode. Timed Practice Revision List Attempt History Progress Tracking Create a free account to unlock these tools
Prev Next
IELTS Practice Listening: Note/Summary Completion ID: #57103 Medium Easy Life
Instructions ›

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD for each answer.

You will hear a conversation about domestic cleaning services. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Hello, Easy Life Cleaning Services. Jacinda speaking. Oh, hello. I'm looking for a cleaning service for my apartment. Do you do domestic cleaning? Sure. Well, it's just a one-bedroom flat. Do you have a basic cleaning package? Yes. For a one-bedroom flat, we're probably looking at about two hours for a clean. So we'd do a thorough clean of all surfaces in each room and polish them where necessary. Does your apartment have carpets? No, I don't have any, but the floor would need cleaning. Of course. We do that in every room. And we do a thorough clean of the kitchen and bathroom. Oh, OK. Then we have some additional services, which you can request if you want. So, for example, we can clean your oven for you every week. Actually, I hardly ever use that, but can you do the fridge? Sure. Would you like that done every week? Yes, definitely. And would ironing clothes be an additional service you can do? Yes, of course. It wouldn't be much, just my shirts for work that week. That's fine. And we could also clean your microwave if you want. No, I wipe that out pretty regularly, so there's no need for that. We also offer additional services that you might want a bit less often, say every month. So for example, if the inside of your windows need cleaning, we could do that. Yes, that'd be good. I'm on the 15th floor, so the outside gets done regularly by specialists, but the inside does get a bit grubby. And we could arrange for your curtains to get cleaned if necessary. No, they're okay. But would you be able to do something about the balcony? It's quite small and I don't use it much, but it could do with a wash every month or so. Yes, we can get the pressure washer onto that. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10. Now, if you're interested, we do offer some other possibilities to do with general maintenance. For example, if you have a problem with water and you need a plumber in a hurry, we can put you in touch with a reliable one who can come out straight away. And the same thing if you need an electrician. Right, that's good to know. I've only just moved here, so I don't have any of those sorts of contacts. And I don't know if this is of interest to you, but we also offer a special vacuum cleaning system, which can improve the indoor air quality of your home by capturing up to 99% of all the dust in the air. So if you're troubled by allergies, this can make a big difference. Right. In fact, I don't have that sort of problem, but I'll bear it in mind. Now, can you tell me a bit about your cleaning staff? Of course. So all our cleaners are very carefully selected. When they apply to us, they have to undergo a security check with the police to make sure they don't have any sort of criminal background. And of course, they have to provide references as well. Then if we think they might be suitable for the job, we give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks, so it's very thorough, and at the end of it they have a test. If they pass that, we take them on, but we monitor them very carefully. We ask all our clients to complete a review of their performance after every visit and to e-mail it to us, so we can pick up any problems straight away and deal with them. Okay, well, that all sounds good. And will I always have the same cleaner? Yes, we do our best to organise it that way, and we usually manage it. Good, that's fine. Right, so I'd like to go ahead and get...
10 blanks 1 word max

Easy Life Cleaning Services

Basic cleaning package offered

  • Cleaning all surfaces
  • Cleaning the  throughout the apartment
  • Cleaning shower, sinks, toilet etc.

Additional services agreed

  • Every week

− Cleaning the 

− Ironing clothes –  only

  • Every month

− Cleaning all the  from the inside

− Washing down the 

Other possibilities

  • They can organise a plumber or an  if necessary.
  • A special cleaning service is available for customers who are allergic to 

Information on the cleaners

  • Before being hired, all cleaners have a background check carried out by the 
  • References are required.
  • All cleaners are given  for two weeks.
  • Customers send a  after each visit.
  • Usually, each customer has one regular cleaner.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Synonym match - summary says 'cleaning the ___ throughout the apartment' and the speaker talks about cleaning the floor in every room

Correct Answer: floor

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that even though there are no carpets, the floor would need cleaning. She then adds that they do this in every room, which matches 'throughout the apartment' in the notes.

Passage Reference: Does your apartment have carpets? No, I don't have any, but the floor would need cleaning. Of course. We do that in every room.

Common Mistake: Some students write carpets, but the speaker clearly says there are no carpets. This is a distractor trap because carpets are mentioned and rejected.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the floor would need cleaning' = Notes: 'Cleaning the floor throughout the apartment'

Tips: When you hear something corrected like 'no carpets, but...', the answer usually comes after the correction.

Key Vocabulary:

  • throughout = in every part
  • room = area of the home

Question Focus: Specific detail - weekly additional service

Correct Answer: fridge

Passage Reference: So, for example, we can clean your oven for you every week. Actually, I hardly ever use that, but can you do the fridge? Sure. Would you like that done every week? Yes, definitely.

Why this is correct: The customer asks can you do the fridge, and then agrees to have it done every week. This directly matches the weekly additional service.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write oven, but the speaker says she hardly ever uses it. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'do the fridge every week' = Notes: 'Cleaning the fridge'

Tips: Listen carefully to which service the customer agrees to, not just what is offered.

Key Vocabulary:

  • fridge = refrigerator
  • weekly = every week

Question Focus: Specific noun - limitation of service

Correct Answer: shirts

Passage Reference: It wouldn't be much, just my shirts for work that week.

Why this is correct: The customer explains that ironing would be just my shirts. This shows the service is limited to shirts only.

Common Mistake: Some students write clothes, but that is too general. This is a partial truth trap because clothes are mentioned, but the detail is shirts.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'just my shirts for work' = Notes: 'Ironing clothes - shirts only'

Tips: Pay attention to words like 'just' and 'only'. They signal the exact answer.

Key Vocabulary:

  • iron = press clothes
  • only = no others

Question Focus: Monthly service - inside only

Correct Answer: windows

Passage Reference: if the inside of your windows need cleaning, we could do that. Yes, that'd be good. I'm on the 15th floor, so the outside gets done regularly by specialists, but the inside does get a bit grubby.

Why this is correct: The speaker talks about cleaning the inside of your windows. This matches 'from the inside' in the notes.

Common Mistake: Some students write curtains, but the customer says they are okay. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'inside of your windows' = Notes: 'Cleaning all the windows from the inside'

Tips: When you hear contrasts like inside vs outside, note exactly which one is chosen.

Key Vocabulary:

  • inside = interior
  • grubby = dirty

Question Focus: Monthly service - outdoor area

Correct Answer: balcony

Passage Reference: would you be able to do something about the balcony? It's quite small and I don't use it much, but it could do with a wash every month or so.

Why this is correct: The customer asks if they can do something about the balcony and mentions washing it every month or so.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write windows again, but this line is about a different area. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'do something about the balcony' = Notes: 'Washing down the balcony'

Tips: Do not reuse an earlier answer unless the speaker clearly repeats it.

Key Vocabulary:

  • wash down = clean with water
  • balcony = outdoor platform

Question Focus: Matching profession

Correct Answer: electrician

Passage Reference: if you have a problem with water and you need a plumber in a hurry, we can put you in touch with a reliable one who can come out straight away. And the same thing if you need an electrician.

Why this is correct: The speaker says they can organise a plumber and also an electrician. The notes already include plumber, so the missing word is electrician.

Common Mistake: Some students write plumber, but that is already given. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the same thing if you need an electrician' = Notes: 'organise a plumber or an electrician'

Tips: If one item in a pair is given, listen for the second item.

Key Vocabulary:

  • organise = arrange
  • in a hurry = urgently

Question Focus: Cause of allergies

Correct Answer: dust

Passage Reference: capturing up to 99% of all the dust in the air.

Why this is correct: The vacuum system captures dust in the air, which helps people with allergies. So the allergy is to dust.

Common Mistake: Students may write allergies, but the gap asks what people are allergic to. This is a grammar trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'dust in the air' = Notes: 'customers who are allergic to dust'

Tips: Listen for cause and effect when allergies are mentioned.

Key Vocabulary:

  • capture = catch
  • air quality = how clean the air is

Question Focus: Who does the background check

Correct Answer: police

Passage Reference: they have to undergo a security check with the police to make sure they don't have any sort of criminal background.

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly says there is a security check with the police before hiring.

Common Mistake: Some students write security, but that is the type of check, not who does it. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'security check with the police' = Notes: 'background check carried out by the police'

Tips: Listen for who performs an action, not just what the action is.

Key Vocabulary:

  • background check = criminal check
  • undergo = go through

Question Focus: Preparation period

Correct Answer: training

Passage Reference: we give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks, so it's very thorough

Why this is correct: The speaker says cleaners are given training and that it lasts for two weeks.

Common Mistake: Some students write test, but the test comes after the training. This is a sequence trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'give them training for two weeks' = Notes: 'given training for two weeks'

Tips: Follow the order of events carefully. IELTS often tests sequence.

Key Vocabulary:

  • thorough = very detailed
  • suitable = right for the job

Question Focus: Customer feedback

Correct Answer: review

Passage Reference: We ask all our clients to complete a review of their performance after every visit and to e-mail it to us, so we can pick up any problems straight away and deal with them.

Why this is correct: Customers are asked to complete a review after every visit and e-mail it.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write email, but that is how it is sent, not what it is. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'complete a review' = Notes: 'Customers send a review'

Tips: Focus on the noun when actions like send, complete, or write are used.

Key Vocabulary:

  • review = feedback
  • monitor = check regularly

General Tips:

  • Note completion follows the order of the recording, so use the previous answer to predict when the next one is coming.
  • Always check the grammar around the gap. Articles like 'a' or 'the' tell you what form the answer needs.
  • Do not write a synonym. Copy the exact word you hear from the speaker.
  • Listen carefully when the speaker corrects themselves. The correct answer often comes after words like 'but' or 'actually'.
  • Stick strictly to the word limit. Even one extra word makes the answer wrong.

The rest of this explanation is for members. Sign in free to read why the other options are wrong, key words and tips.

Sign in to read the full explanation

With a free account: Retry and compare every attempt.
Be the first! No community answers here yet. Submit yours and help others learn.
Saving...