Listening and Speaking
Listening and Speaking
The Listening and Speaking domain checks whether you can follow spoken English at normal speed and respond appropriately. Questions may play a short dialogue, announcement, set of instructions, or talk, then ask for the main idea, a specific detail, a speaker's attitude, or the next action. Speaking conventions-turn-taking, polite requests, stress, and clear pronunciation-are also tested through practical items and oral tasks.
Core rules and concepts
- Listen for the purpose first: is the speaker informing, warning, inviting, apologising, or persuading?
- Note keywords, numbers, names, and sequence markers (first, then, after that, finally). Do not try to write every word.
- Meaning changes with stress and intonation. "I didn't say that" denies speaking; "I didn't say that" denies that those particular words were used.
- In conversation, a refusal is often indirect: "I'd love to, but I'm tied up" means no.
- For oral work, use complete sentences in formal turns, give reasons, and signal turn-taking with "Excuse me, may I add...?"
Worked example
You hear: "The library closes at four, but the computer room stays open until six on weekdays." Question: When can you use a computer on Tuesday? Reasoning: the library closing time is a distractor; "stays open until six" applies to the computer room, and "weekdays" includes Tuesday. Answer: until six.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing similar sounds: thirteen/thirty, ship/sheep, live/leave.
- Missing a negation ("not", "never", "hardly") or a changed condition ("except", "unless").
- Writing a full sentence when the instruction says "one word" or "a number".
- Ignoring the question focus and copying the first number heard.