Listening practice
Listen to everyday conversations and announcements and practise catching numbers, names and key words.
In this lesson you will
- Listen for key words, not every word
- Catch numbers, times and spelling
- Understand simple announcements
Learn
Before you listen, read the questions. Guess what kind of information you need: a time? a place? a price?
Listen for stressed words. Speakers stress the important words: The TRAIN to LEEDS leaves at SIX FIFTEEN.
Numbers: be careful with thirteen / thirty, fourteen / forty. In -teen numbers the stress is at the end (thirTEEN*); in -ty* numbers it’s at the start (*THIRty*).
Replay if you need to — then check the transcript and read along to connect sounds and spelling.
Examples
- thirTEEN (13) vs THIRty (30)
- “Platform FOUR” — the stressed word is the information.
- “That’s G-R-E-Y” — letters when spelling a name.
Vocabulary
platform
the place in a station where you get on a train
announcement
information said to many people, e.g. at a station
delayed
late
gate
the door to your plane at an airport
key word
an important word
In real life
Where you hear English announcements: stations, airports, shops, schools.
Practice
Which number has stress at the END?
Listening: Three short recordings
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Announcer: The eleven fifteen train to Manchester is delayed by twenty minutes. The train will leave from platform six.
Receptionist: Good morning, Riverside Dental. How can I help?
Patient: Hi, I’d like an appointment, please. My name’s Anna Kowalski.
Receptionist: Can you spell your surname?
Patient: K-O-W-A-L-S-K-I.
Receptionist: Thank you. Is Thursday at three thirty OK?
Patient: Yes, perfect.
Shop: Attention, shoppers! All T-shirts are half price today. That’s just five pounds each. The shop closes at nine o’clock.
1.What time is the Manchester train?
2.How many minutes late is the train? (number)
3.Which platform?
4.Spell the patient’s surname.
5.When is the appointment?
6.How much is a T-shirt today?
7.The shop closes at nine o’clock.
Speaking
Make your own announcement for a station or a shop, including a time, a number and a place. Read it clearly, stressing the key words.
Writing
Listen again and write down five key words from each recording. Then write one sentence summarising each recording.
Lesson quiz
Which is 30?
Review
Key points
- Read the questions first and predict.
- Listen for stressed key words.
- -teen vs -ty stress.
- Replay and read the transcript.
What you learned
- ✓ I can understand simple announcements.
- ✓ I can catch times, numbers and spelling.
- ✓ I have strategies for listening.