Parts B and C: distractors and the speaker's view
Why the wrong options sound right, and how to hear the real answer.
12 minutes · A free lesson from Listening
The wrong options in Parts B and C are not random. Each one usually uses words you will hear, so recognising a word is never enough: the option must answer the question that was asked.
Signals to listen for
The speaker's own view
- In my experience…
- What concerns me most is…
- I'd argue that…
- The real problem is…
- To be honest…
Caution or limits
- I want to be careful not to overstate this.
- That's not to say that…
- A word of caution, though.
- We weren't able to measure that properly.
A change
- From Monday…
- We used to… Now…
- Instead of…, we now…
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: A speaker says, “We used to hand out a leaflet. Now we run group sessions.” What do they do now?
- Hand out a leaflet
- Run group sessions
- Both, equally
Show the answer
B: Run group sessions — Then-and-now is one of the commonest distractors.
Quick check: Which phrase usually introduces the speaker's own view?
- “Some people say…”
- “According to the leaflet…”
- “In my experience…”
Show the answer
C: “In my experience…” — Questions usually ask for the speaker's view, not someone else's.
Quick check: An option uses words you heard in the recording. What does that tell you?
- Nothing on its own: check that it answers the question
- It is certainly right
- It is certainly wrong
Show the answer
A: Nothing on its own: check that it answers the question — Wrong options are built from words you will hear.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now