How To Improve Your Listening Skills in English?| 🎧 English on the Go! | Beginner

TRANSCRIPT

Host Alex: Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of "English on the Go." I’m your host, Alex, and I’m really happy you’re joining us today. We’ve got another exciting topic to help you in your English-learning journey.

Host Alex: In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about improving your listening skills in English. Listening is one of the most important parts of learning a language. It helps you understand the people around you and improves your ability to communicate. So, we’ll explore some practical tips on how to boost your listening skills in English.

Host Alex: Before we get into the conversation, think about these questions:

What challenges do you face when listening to English?
How often do you practice listening to English in your daily life?

Characters:

Emma (a student working on improving her English listening skills)
David (Emma’s friend who speaks English well and shares tips)

Emma: Hi David, I’ve been struggling with listening to English. It’s hard to understand people when they talk fast. Do you have any tips on how I can get better at it?

David: Hi Emma! I know it can be tough, but don’t worry. One of the best ways to improve your listening skills is to listen regularly. The more you listen, the easier it becomes. Try listening to podcasts, music, or even watching TV shows in English.

Emma: I’ve tried that, but sometimes I feel lost when they speak too quickly. What should I do in that case?

David: That happens to everyone at first. One thing you can do is slow down the audio when you’re watching videos or listening to something. Most platforms have an option to reduce the speed. This gives you more time to process the words.

Emma: That’s a good idea. What about when I don’t understand a word or phrase?

David: Great question! If you hear a word you don’t understand, try to guess its meaning from the context. Also, make sure to keep a notebook with you. Write down new words, then look them up later and try to use them in your conversations.

Emma: I’ll definitely try that. Should I focus on understanding every word?

David: Not really. It’s okay if you don’t understand everything. The key is to focus on the main idea. Understanding the general meaning is more important than knowing every single word. Over time, you’ll start recognizing more words naturally.

Emma: That makes sense. I’ve also heard that active listening is important. What does that mean exactly?

David: Active listening means really concentrating on what the speaker is saying. You need to give your full attention. Don’t just hear the words—try to understand the meaning behind them.

Emma: Thanks, David! I feel more confident now. I’ll make sure to practice listening more often and not worry too much if I miss a word.

David: You’re welcome, Emma! Just keep practicing, and you’ll see improvement over time. Listening is a skill that takes time to develop, so be patient with yourself.

Host Alex: Let’s take a closer look at some of the vocabulary from today’s conversation.

Alex: First, we have "Regularly". It means something you do often or consistently. For example, “David suggests listening regularly to improve your skills.”

Alex: Next is "Slow down". This means to reduce the speed of something. For example, “Emma can slow down the audio to better understand the conversation.”

Alex: Another word is "Context". It refers to the surrounding information that helps you understand something. For instance, “If you don’t know a word, try to guess its meaning from the context.”

Alex: Then we have "Notebook". This is a small book used for writing notes. For example, “Emma uses a notebook to write down new English words.”

Alex: Finally, "Active listening". This means focusing on understanding the speaker’s message. For instance, “David advises Emma to practice active listening to improve her comprehension.”

Alex: Listen to the conversation again, and this time, try to identify these words as you listen.

Host Alex: Now, let’s see how well you understood the conversation:

What does David suggest Emma do to improve her listening skills?
How can slowing down the audio help with understanding English?
Why is it important to focus on the main idea of what you hear rather than every single word?

Host Alex: Now that we’ve finished, here are some questions for you to think about:

How often do you listen to English content?
What strategies will you start using to improve your listening skills?

Host Alex: That’s all for today’s episode. Remember, improving your listening skills takes practice, so try to include English listening activities in your daily routine. Thanks for tuning in, and see you next time on "English on the Go!"

# Vocabulary Summary

Word	Pronunciation	Type	Definition	Example
Regularly	ˈrɛɡjʊləli	Adverb	Often or consistently	“David suggests listening regularly to improve your skills.”
Slow down	sləʊ daʊn	Verb	To reduce the speed of something	“Emma can slow down the audio to better understand.”
Context	ˈkɒntɛkst	Noun	The surrounding information that helps with meaning	“Try to guess the meaning of the word from the context.”
Notebook	ˈnəʊtbʊk	Noun	A small book for writing notes	“Emma uses a notebook to write down new English words.”
Active listening	ˈæktɪv ˈlɪsənɪŋ	Noun	Focusing on understanding the speaker’s message	“David advises Emma to practice active listening.”

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EXERCISE

Exercise 1: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Listen to the podcast and fill in the blanks.

Emma: Hi David, I’ve been struggling with listening to __________. It’s hard to understand people when they talk fast.
David: Hi Emma! One of the best ways to improve your listening skills is to listen __________. The more you listen, the easier it becomes.
Emma: I’ve tried that, but sometimes I feel __________ when they speak too quickly.
David: One thing you can do is __________ the audio when you’re watching videos or listening to something.
Emma: What about when I don’t understand a __________ or phrase?
David: If you hear a word you don’t understand, try to guess its meaning from the __________.
Emma: Should I focus on understanding every __________?
David: It’s okay if you don’t understand everything. The key is to focus on the __________ idea.
Emma: I’ve heard that __________ listening is important. What does that mean exactly?
David: Active listening means really concentrating on what the speaker is __________.

Answer Key

1. listening

2. regularly

3. lost

4. slow

5. word

Exercise 2: True or False

Listen to the podcast and decide whether the statements are true or false.

David suggests listening to English content regularly to improve listening skills.
Emma should always understand every single word to improve her listening skills.
David recommends using a notebook to write down new words and look them up later.
Emma should not worry about understanding the main idea of a conversation.
Active listening involves just hearing the words without understanding the meaning.

Answer Key

1. True

2. False

3. True

4. False

5. False

Exercise 3: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words from the podcast with their correct meanings.

Word	Meaning
A. Regularly	1. To reduce the speed of something
B. Slow down	2. A small book used for writing notes
C. Context	3. Something done often or consistently
D. Notebook	4. Focusing on understanding the speaker’s message
E. Active listening	5. Surrounding information that helps you understand something

Answer Key

A-3, B-1, C-5, D-2, E-4

Exercise 4: Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions based on the details in the podcast.

What is one of the best ways to improve listening skills according to David?

What should Emma do if she finds the speed of the audio too fast?

How can Emma understand the meaning of a word she doesn’t know?

What should Emma focus on if she doesn’t understand every single word?

What does active listening involve according to David?

Answer Key

1. David suggests listening regularly to improve listening skills.

2. Emma should slow down the audio when the speed is too fast.

3. Emma can understand a word she doesn’t know by guessing its meaning from the context.

4. Emma should focus on understanding the main idea rather than every single word.

5. Active listening involves concentrating on the speaker’s message and understanding the meaning behind the words.

Exercise 5: Fill-in-the-Blanks on the Whole Conversation

Listen to the podcast and fill in the blanks.

Emma: Hi David, I’ve been struggling with __________ to English. It’s hard to understand people when they talk fast. Do you have any tips on how I can get better at it?
David: Hi Emma! I know it can be tough, but don’t worry. One of the best ways to improve your __________ skills is to listen regularly. The more you listen, the easier it becomes. Try listening to podcasts, music, or even watching TV shows in English.
Emma: I’ve tried that, but sometimes I feel __________ when they speak too quickly. What should I do in that case?
David: That happens to everyone at first. One thing you can do is __________ down the audio when you’re watching videos or listening to something. Most platforms have an option to reduce the speed. This gives you more time to process the words.
Emma: What about when I don’t understand a __________ or phrase?
David: Great question! If you hear a word you don’t understand, try to guess its meaning from the __________. Also, make sure to keep a notebook with you. Write down new words, then look them up later and try to use them in your conversations.
Emma: I’ll definitely try that. Should I focus on understanding every __________?
David: Not really. It’s okay if you don’t understand everything. The key is to focus on the main __________. Understanding the general meaning is more important than knowing every single word. Over time, you’ll start recognizing more words naturally.
Emma: That makes sense. I’ve also heard that __________ listening is important. What does that mean exactly?
David: Active listening means really concentrating on what the speaker is __________. You need to give your full attention. Don’t just hear the words—try to understand the meaning behind them.

Answer Key

1. listening

2. listening

3. lost

4. slow

5. word

6. context

7. word

8. idea

9. Active

10. saying