Listen and Choose a Response
Hearing what a speaker wants, not just the words.
10 minutes · A free lesson from Listening
You hear one short thing someone says — a question, a request, a comment — and choose the most natural reply.
Quick check: You hear: "Would you mind if I opened the window?" Which reply is best?
- Yes, I opened it.
- Not at all — go ahead.
- The window is on the left.
Show the answer
B: Not at all — go ahead. — "Would you mind…?" is answered with "Not at all" (= I don't mind).
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: What should you decide first?
- How many words the speaker used
- The function: a request, a check, a worry or an invitation
- Where the speaker is from
Show the answer
B: The function: a request, a check, a worry or an invitation — The right answer responds to the function.
Quick check: What do wrong answers often do?
- Repeat a word you heard without answering
- Answer the function exactly
- Use polite language
Show the answer
A: Repeat a word you heard without answering — A familiar word in an option is not a reason to choose it.
Quick check: You hear: “The library closes early on Fridays, doesn't it?” Which reply is best?
- “The library is very big.”
- “I read a book on Friday.”
- “Yes, at five, I think.”
Show the answer
C: “Yes, at five, I think.” — The speaker is checking a fact, so the reply confirms it.
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