English listening practice: listen, write and understand

Give each listen a purpose

First, listen for the general meaning without writing. Listen again and write the words you catch, leaving gaps where necessary. On the third listen, focus on those gaps. Then compare with the transcript. Replaying a recording without a goal may help you memorise its sound without understanding the source of a mistake.

Separate listening from spelling

If you understood a word but spelled it incorrectly, review its written form. If you missed a short word such as a or in, listen to that part of the sentence again. Note the type of error and try a new sentence containing the same structure.

• My brother works in a hospital.
• The lesson starts at nine.
• Could you help me, please?

Connect listening and speaking

Once you understand a sentence, listen, pause and repeat it at a comfortable speed. Aim for clear words before copying speed. You can compare your own recording with the example. A speech recogniser producing the expected text is not proof of perfect pronunciation; it may recognise words despite differences in how they are spoken.

Practise on EXAM ZONE

In listen-and-write tasks, the browser reads an English sentence and you type what you hear. Voice quality and availability depend on your browser and device. Speaking tasks in exams require microphone permission and a supported browser; recognised words are sent for marking on submission, rather than a specialist pronunciation assessment. Combine synthetic speech practice with real speakers and varied contexts.