2007 Compiled by Fidelis Chosa Kastuhandani, S.Pd.

39 Basic Listening Skills

 Notes:

1 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 38

 Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... 2

The Sounds of English ................................................................................................ 3
Some Pairs of Sounds ............................................................................................... 8
Some Sounds at the Ends of Words ............................................................................ 9
Nonreleased Final Consonant ...................................................................................... 10
Contraction ............................................................................................................... 12
Singular and Plural ..................................................................................................... 15
Stress and Intonation ................................................................................................. 16
Intonation Patterns .................................................................................................... 23
Practical Dialogues .................................................................................................... 26
Description ............................................................................................................... 31
Comparing Information .............................................................................................. 34
Information Transfer ................................................................................................... 36
Notes ....................................................................................................................... 38

37 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 2

 The Sounds of English Information Transfer

Groups of Sounds A secretary’s day

Group 1
p pen b baby Diary page
Time Activity
morning get up
7.30 – 7.50
leave home
9.30
11.00 –
t tin d door – lunch break
afternoon 3.30 –
finish work
6.30
dinner
evening

k key g girl

Table 1 Overseas students Table 2 Overseas students at university in 1980

in the UK, 1980-81 (undergraduate and postgraduate)
Total _______________ Total students ______________
Commonwealth* Universities with most students
t cherry d jam
Total _______________ London ___________
Malaysia _______ Leeds ___________
Hong Kong _______ ______________________ 1,130
___________ 5,468 ______________________ ___________
EEC UMIST ___________
f fan v van
Total _______________ Most popular subjects
France _______ Engineering and technology ___________
___________ 3,010 Social, administrative and business
Ireland _______ studies ___________
Foreign Countries ______________________ ___________
Total _______________ Note: *Commonwealth: an association of independent states,
which were formerly part of the British Empire (colonies and
Iran _______
dominions); established to encourage trade and friendly
___________ _______
relations among its members.
Switzerland _______

3 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 36

 4. Highland Traditions  thin  the feather
Traditionally, the Highland bagpipe has been associated with Highland
troops, who marched into battle playing the pipes. Today, bagpipe bands are
an important part of Highland Games, held annually in various places in
Scotland, Canada, and the Britain. The Games feature a number of other
activities, including sack races, Highland dancing, foot races, and a tug-o-war.
Highland dances are generally performed to music played on the bagpipe or
fiddle. Unlike most other folk dances, which feature easy-to-learn steps, the s sun z zoo
Highland movements are quite complex and have gained a reputation for their
grace and sophisticated. Girls begin perfecting their skills at any early age, and
both children and parents enter the dancing competitions at the games.
Competitions are held at the Games in several uniquely Scottish athletic
events that call for strength, stamina, and coordination. In the weight toss,
men compete to determine who can throw a heavy sphere shortest. For the
hammer toss, the thrower spins in place to gain angular momentum before  shoe  television
hurling the hammer for distance.

5. Ecosystem
In every ecosystem, living things are linked by the food they eat and
the energy they get from the food. These links taken together make the food
web. Food chains within these webs often involve predator and prey relation.
The grasslands of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania are home to a great
h hat m mouth
diversity of mammals, each dependent on the next for survival. Here, where
the climate is dry and the soil is poor, grass collects energy from the Sun and
kicks off each food chain. Plant eaters, like these gazelles, feed on the grass.
And in doing so, they help even more grass grow back on its place. The large
number of plant-eating animals that in the Serengeti provides food for many
predators. Each predator has its own techniques for eating prey. Reaching
speeds of more than 60 miles-per-hour, cheetahs are fast enough to run
n nose  ring
down gazelles. Lions aren't so fast and tend to sneak up on their prey with
little warning. Hyenas can bring down animals more than two times their
weight. One zebra yields plenty of food for a group. Most of the time, these
predators work alone. But in the end, they often compete with each other for
the catch. Hyenas and cheetahs are fierce competitors. Not only do they steal
each other's food, they also eat each other's cubs. In a pinch, these predators
become clever scavengers. Large predators need to eat less frequently than
other animals because their bodies use up energy at a much slower rate. l letter r rain
Anything they leave behind gets broken down and eventually returned to the
soil as nutrients for birds. The food chain always starts as photosynthesis and
ends in decay.

35 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 4

j yellow w window Comparing Information

In this part you will hear some short dialogues. You will be asked to compare the information
that you hear with similar information that you read, and to underline the changes that have
been made.

1. The Common Market

The European Economic Community (EEC), otherwise known as the Common
Group 2 Market, is a Western European economic association. It was set up by the
i: sheep  ship treaty of Rome in 1958, and originally consisted of six member countries:
Belgium, France, West Germany, Holland, Italy, and Luxembourg.
Britain, together with Ireland and Denmark, joined the Common
Market on 1 st January, 1973. Greece joined in 1980, thus making a total
membership of ten countries. Since then Spain and Portugal have also applied
for membership.

2. Greater Manchester
e pen æ man
Greater Manchester County is one of three major urban areas in the UK and
the largest in North West England. It has a population of over 2.7 million,
resident in an area of 500 square miles.
Traditional industries of the County have been coal mining and cotton
manufacture and the industrial structure has been transformed in the last
twenty years by the new industries of light engineering, transport and
warehousing, although old crafts and skills still remain.
: heart  clock
Greater Manchester is situated almost in the centre of the UK: 187
miles north of London and 213 miles south of Edinburgh. It is within 40
minutes journey by road of the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. London is only
2½ hours away by rail.

3. Pet Animals
Many British families keep pets at home. Pets are tame animals that are kept
: ball  book in the home for different reasons, but mainly to provide companionship and
amusement. The two main groups of people who like pets the most are
children and elderly people.
From looking after their pets, boys and girls can learn the meaning of
responsibility. This is particularly true if they are responsible for feeding the
pets and cleaning out their cages or boxes. Probably the most popular pets
are dogs and cats, but with children smaller animals are often more popular,
: boot ^ cup for example, rabbits, guinea pigs, white mice, and sometimes caged birds.
Elderly people prefer dogs and cats as pets. They are easier to look
after, and return affection. In particular, they provide companionship which can
be important for a person living alone.

5 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 34

5. A route map : girl  a camera
On your cassette you will hear a description on a local radio news broadcast of a plane’s flight
around the UK. The plan lands at several airports which are marked on the map below. While
you are listening to the flight description draw a line on the map to show the route that the
plane took. Put a cross X through any airport ▲ where the aeroplane lands. If you hear how
long the plane stops at any airport, write the time in figures next to the airport name on the
map. Look carefully at the map before you listen. The flight starts at Cardiff (South Wales).

Group 3
 tail  phone

a fine a house

 boy 
 beer

 chair  tour

33 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 6

Group 1: Listen to the following words and write them on the provided spaces.
handlebars/front wheel/rear wheel/chain and
1. ____________ 7. ____________ 13. ____________ 19. ____________ pedals/saddle/frame
(They are said at the beginning of the exercise on the
2. ____________ 8. ____________ 14. ____________ 20. ____________
cassette.)
3. ____________ 9. ____________ 15. ____________ 21. ____________
4. ____________ 10. ____________ 16. ____________ 22. ____________
5. ____________ 11. ____________ 17. ____________ 23. ____________ As you are listening to the cleaning procedures, write the words from the list above in the
correct boxes in the picture below. Write only those words; do not write other words that you
6. ____________ 12. ____________ 18. ____________ 24. ____________
will hear (it is not necessary to understand them). In the circle O above each box write the
number to indicate the order of cleaning that part. The first box and circle have been
Exercise 1: You will hear 10 pairs of words containing some of the above sounds. If the two completed as an example.
words are the same, put S and if they are different put D.

1. _________ 3. _________ 5. _________ 7. _________ 9. _________

2. _________ 4. _________ 6. _________ 8. _________ 10. _________

Group 2: Listen to the following words and write them on the provided spaces.

1. __________ 4. __________ 7. __________ 10. __________

2. __________ 5. __________ 8. __________ 11. __________
3. __________ 6. __________ 9. __________ 12. __________

Group 3: Listen to the following words and write them on the provided spaces.

1. _____________ 5. _____________
2. _____________ 6. _____________
3. _____________ 7. _____________
4. _____________ 8. _____________

Exercise 2: You will hear 10 pairs of words containing some of the above sounds. If the two
words are the same, put S and if they are different put D.

1. _________ 3. _________ 5. _________ 7. _________ 9. _________

2. _________ 4. _________ 6. _________ 8. _________ 10. _________

7 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 32

 Description Some Pairs of Sounds

In this part you will be listening to some dialogues and some descriptions. While you are Exercise 3: Look at the pairs of words below. Only one sound is different in each pair.
listening you will be asked to either draw some of the information that you hear or to write in (Phonetic symbols of the sounds that are different are given in the brackets after the words.)
parts of a picture, plan or map. After each pair of words one of the words is said again. When you hear that word, underline the
correct word. The first one is done as an example.
1. People
On your cassette you will hear Tessa (a woman) talking to her friend John (a man), on the Example: pie / buy (p / b)
phone. She is asking him to describe three friends as she is going to meet them at the railway 1. put/foot (p/f) 11. ____________ / ____________
station and needs to be able to recognize them. While you are listening to the dialogue try to 2. boat/vote (b/v)
12. ____________ / ____________
draw in the descriptions of the three men on the outline heads below. Under each head write 3. fan/van (f/v)
the height that you hear (in centimetres). 4. town/down (t/d) 13. ____________ / ____________
5. tin/thin (t/)
14. ____________ / ____________
Before you begin check that you understand the following words: 6. day/they (d/)
7. teeth/teethe (/) 15. ____________ / ____________
big 8. could/good (k/g)
straight moustache 16. ____________ / ____________
hair small beard 9. price/prize (s/z)
curly bald
pointed 10. see/she (s/) 17. ____________ / ____________
18. ____________ / ____________
For the next ten numbers, write the two
words and underline the correct words. 19. ____________ / ____________
20. ____________ / ____________

Exercise 4: Only one word is said from each of the following pairs of words. Underline the word
that you hear.

1. pat/bat 6. few/view
2. ten/den 7. came/game
3. sue/zoo 8. rich/ridge
4. beat/bit 9. bed/bat
5. match/march 10. lock/luck

Exercise 5: On your cassette you will hear some words. Each word is said only once. Write
below the words that you hear.

1. ____________ 6. ____________ 11. ____________ 16. ____________

2. A bicycle
You are going to listen to a description of the cleaning of a bicycle. Charles, a boy, always 2. ____________ 7. ____________ 12. ____________ 17. ____________
cleans the parts of his bike in the same order each time. The main parts are as follows (check 3. ____________ 8. ____________ 13. ____________ 18. ____________
that you understand them by looking at the small diagram).
4. ____________ 9. ____________ 14. ____________ 19. ____________
5. ____________ 10. ____________ 15. ____________ 20. ____________

31 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 8

 Some Sounds at the Ends of Words
Exercise 45: There are three dialogues on your cassette. While you are listening, write the
1. The letters ‘s’ or ‘es’ at the end of words can be pronounced in three ways: notes for the secretary, to include the name of the person, the day, and the time.
/s/, /z/, or /iz/. Look at the following examples. 1. 3.
Note for Professor Freeman Note for _____________________
books  dogs  glasses  _____________________________ _____________________________
  
a. stops /s/ b. sees /z/ c. loses /iz/ is coming to see you on is coming to see you on
Frank ' s 
 Bob' s
 George' s

_______________at_____________ _______________at_____________
2.
Exercise 6: Write the words that you hear in the correct column. Note for _____________________
_____________________________
No Group a - /s/ Group b - /z/ Group c - /iz/ is coming to see you on
1 _______________at_____________
2
3
4 Accommodation
5 Listen At a hotel
6 The following dialogue is on your cassette:
7 Visitor : Have you got a single room for one night, please?
8 Receptionist: Yes, Room 124 on the first floor.
9 Visitor : How much is it?
10 Receptionist: £12.50, including breakfast.

2. The letters ‘ed’ at the end of words can be pronounced in three ways: Exercise 46: You will hear dialogues between a person looking for a flat and the owner (or
/t/, /d/, or /id/. Look at the following examples. landlord) of the accommodation. As you are listening to the dialogue write notes on the
information in the spaces below.
looked  stored 
  started 
a. stopped /t/ b. showed /d/ c. /id/
added 
touched 
 robbed 


Exercise 7: Write the words that you hear in the correct column.

No Group a - /t/ Group b - /d/ Group c - /id/

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
9 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 30
Telephoning Nonreleased Final Consonants
Listen Is that 283 4465?
Yes. Can I help you?
One of the most basic problems in understanding English is non-
I’d like to speak to Mr. Jones, please.
(a) top p released final consonants. When the following consonants come
(b) late t at the end of a word,
Note Titles normally used for people are (c) back k p, t, k, b, d, g
Miss - for single women (d) rob b the sound is formed but not released. Closure is made but the
Mrs - for married women or Ms for either
(e) bad d release is not heard. This may make some words in sentences
Mr - for men (f) big g hard to hear. Native speakers can tell the difference among these
Dr - for Doctor
sounds from the closure.
(g) mop/mob If you compare (g), (h), and (i), you will see how difficult it is to
Exercise 44: Write in the spaces below the telephone numbers and names that you hear in (h) sat/sad tell the difference when these words are spoken in isolation.
each dialogue. The dialogue is between a caller on the phone and a secretary. (i) pick/pig
(j) He feels mad. You may have noticed that the vowel length is longer for words
1. Is that ___________________? * He feels mat. ending in b, d, and g. That can be a clue. Context will also help
Yes. Can I help you? you, as in (j).
I’d like to speak to ___________________, please.
2. Is that ___________________? * Not English.
Yes. Who do you want to speak to?
___________________, please. Exercise 8: Listen to the following pairs of words. Practice listening for the closure:
3. Is that ___________________?
Who do you wish to speak to? 1. may, mate 7. see, seed
___________________, please. 2. tried, try 8. slow, slope
3. leap, Lee 9. joke, Joe
The following are different from the above. A telephonist is answering the phone and 4. fake, Fay 10. saw, sawed
saying the name of the organization, and a caller is asking for an extension number. Write 5. way, weight 11. birthday, birth date
in the spaces below the names of the organization and the extension number. 6. play, played 12. state, stay
4. ________________________________
Extension ___________________, please Exercise 9: Listen to the following sentences. Notice the final sound:
5. ________________________________, can I help you?
Extension ___________________, please 1. She acts mad. 6. He made a mistake.
6. ________________________________ 2. The tape won’t stick. 7. Maybe I should.
Extension ___________________, please 3. A size ten is way too big. 8. I need to take a nap.
4. He has a broken foot. 9. What’s it about?
The following dialogue on the telephone is about finding out a phone number. 5. It’s store bought. 10. Let’s pay the tab.
Operator : Directory Enquiries – which town?
Enquirer : ____________________________ Exercise 10: Circle “yes” if you hear a final consonant and “no” it not:
Operator : Name?
Enquirer : ____________________________ 1. yes no
Operator : Initials, and the address? 2. yes no
Enquirer : ____________________________
Operator : The number is ________________ 3. yes no
4. yes no
5. yes no

29 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 10

 Money: price and costs
Exercise 11: Circle “yes” if you hear a final consonant and “no” it not: Listen a. How much does this cost, please? £3 exactly.
b. What’s the price of that dress, please? £17.99.
1. yes no
Note: British money has 100 pence (100p) = 1 pound (£1). £17.99 is seventeen pounds
2. yes no
and ninety-nine pence, often said ‘seventeen (pounds) ninety-nine.’ The word ‘pence’
3. yes no is often shortened to ‘p’, thus ’10 pence’ is often said ‘ten p’.
4. yes no
Exercise 42: On your cassette you will hear two people talking, one is asking questions about
5. yes no prices, the other is answering. Write some of the questions and the price (in figures) that is
given as the answer to each question.
Exercise 12: Circle the word you hear. Use context to help you choose:
No Questions Prices
1. sad sat 1 How much is that, please?
2. rip rib 2 How much are those shoes, please?
3 How much is the bill, please?
3. bag back 4 What’s the price of that second-hand car over there?
4. bad bat 5
6
5. lit lid
7
8
Exercise 13: Circle the word you hear. Use context to help you choose:
9
10
1. right ride
2. cap cab Exercise 43: On your cassette there is a dialogue between a customer and a shopkeeper. The
customer, John Bull, is asking the shopkeeper about writing the cheque. As you are listening
3. rope robe
to the dialogue write in the cheque below the amount of money in words and figures, and also
4. sag sack the date.
5. at add

Exercise 14: Fill in the blanks with the words you hear:

1. The party was ___________________!

2. We’ll take a ___________________.
3. Here’s my ___________________.
4. They just got ___________________.
5. She knows it by ___________________.

11 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 28

 Contractions
Exercise 39: On your cassette you will hear some announcements from railway stations and
airports. These announcements give information to travellers about trains and planes. For each Some words can be combined with another word and pronounced as one word.
announcement that you hear write in the box below the platform/flight number, time and
destination. Affirmatives
Trains
No Platform Number Time Destination Listen to the following examples of affirmative contractions:
1 am, is, are have, has
2 1. I am → I’m 9. I have → I’ve
3 2. you are → you’re he he ' s
4 3. he is → he’s 10. has →
5 she is → she’s she she' s
it is → it’s 11. they have → they’ve
Planes 4. we are → we’re
No Flight Number Time Destination 5. they are → they’re should, would, had
6 12. I should → I’d
7 shall, will 13. he would → he’d
8 6. I shall/will → I’ll she had → she’d
he he' ll 14. you → you’d
9
7. shall/will →
10 she she' ll
8. we shall/will → we’ll
Dates
Exercise 40: Write the questions and the answers you hear.
Exercise 15: Listen and write these short sentences
No Questions Answers
1 1. ________________________ 3. ________________________
2 2. ________________________ 4. ________________________
3
4 Negatives
5
Listen and write down the examples of negative contractions:
Some Numbers 1. ____________ 9. ____________ 17. ____________
Exercise 41: On your cassette there is an interview between a reporter from a local English
2. ____________ 10. ____________ 18. ____________
newspaper and a marathon runner, Jim, who has just finished running in the London marathon
race. While you are listening, fill in the table below. 3. ____________ 11. ____________ 19. ____________
Marathon race interview
4. ____________ 12. ____________ 20. ____________
Distance: miles _________________
kilometres _________________ 5. ____________ 13. ____________ 21. ____________
Number of runners _________________
6. ____________ 14. ____________ 22. ____________
Jim’s finishing position _________________
His position last year _________________ 7. ____________ 15. ____________ 23. ____________
Winner’s time _________________
8. ____________ 16. ____________
Jim’s time _________________
Record time _________________

27 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 12


Exercise 16: Listen and write these short sentences
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
Practical Dialogues
The Letters of Alphabet
3. ________________________ Exercise 37: In this exercise 10 letters are said once each, in a mixed order. Write them in the
4. ________________________ spaces below in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Exercise 17: Look at the ten pairs of sentences below. One sentence from each pair will be 1. _________ 3. _________ 5. _________ 7. _________ 9. _________
read – only once. Circle the sentence that you hear. 2. _________ 4. _________ 6. _________ 8. _________ 10. _________

1. a. He’s sitting on the floor. 6. a. She isn’t like her father. Some Common Abbreviations
b. She’s sitting on the floor. b. She doesn’t like her father. On your cassette, you will hear some common abbreviations. Write them below.

2. a. She walked every day. 7. a. They don’t want the books. 1. _________ 3. _________ 5. _________ 7. _________ 9. _________
b. She’s walked every day. b. They won’t want the books. 2. _________ 4. _________ 6. _________ 8. _________ 10. _________

3. a. He’ll finish it later. 8. a. It was a glass. Form-Filling: Personal Information

b. We’ll finish it later. b. It wasn’t a glass. On your cassette you will hear a secretary speaking to a student. She is asking him for
information in order to complete an application form for a course. Write the appropriate
4. a. He hadn’t received the money. 9. a. They can do it. information on the form below.
b. He hasn’t received the money. b. They can’t do it. Surname __________________________________
(in CAPITAL LETTERS)
5. a. I’ll buy it for you. 10. a. He isn’t washing up.
b. I’d buy it for you. b. He wasn’t washing up. First name __________________________________
Male/Female (underline as appropriate)
Exercise 18: Read these sentences and identify the correct meaning for ‘s’ and ‘d’.
Country __________________________________
1. He’s sitting on the floor.
Mother tongue __________________________________
2. She’s walked every day.
3. I’d buy it for you. Age __________________________________
4. They’d passed the exam.
5. We’d go to the market.
Time
Exercise 38: In the short dialogues that follow you will hear someone ask a question about the
Exercise 19: Write down S or D for each pair of sentences.
time. Write the time in figures.
1. _________ 2. _________ 3. _________ 4. _________ 5. _________
Example: Excuse me. What’s the time, please?
It’s 6.15.
Write those sentences below:
1. ____________ 4. ____________ 7. ____________
1. a. ____________________________________________
2. ____________ 5. ____________ 8. ____________
b. ____________________________________________
3. ____________ 6. ____________ 9. ____________
2. a. ____________________________________________
Time and Travel
b. ____________________________________________
For travel by train, plane or ship, the time is usually given by the 24-hour clock.
Example: 1.30 p.m. is 13.30 7.15 p.m. is 19.15
3.45 p.m. is 15.45 11.55 p.m. is 23.55
13 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 26
Exercise 35: Circle whether the meaning of the sentences you hear is certain or uncertain. 3. a. ____________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________
1. certain uncertain 4. certain uncertain
4. a. ____________________________________________
2. certain uncertain 5. certain uncertain
b. ____________________________________________
3. certain uncertain 6. certain uncertain
5. a. ____________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________
Exercise 36: Write down the sentences you hear, it will be either a statement or a question.
Exercise 20: Listen to the negative contractions in the following sentences.
1. ______________________________________________________
1. I wouldn’t mind going.
2. ______________________________________________________
2. He doesn’t approve of that.
3. ______________________________________________________ 3. Why don’t they just forget it?
4. I couldn’t agree with you more. (= I agree completely.)
4. ______________________________________________________
5. You won’t notice the difference.
5. ______________________________________________________ 6. Don’t be ridiculous.
7. He couldn’t have said that.
6. ______________________________________________________
8. The weather couldn’t be better. (= The weather is very nice.)
7. ______________________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________________
Exercise 21: Circle the word you hear.

1. was wasn’t
2. should shouldn’t
3. could couldn’t
4. were weren’t
5. is isn’t
6. want won’t
7. is isn’t
8. would wouldn’t
9. want won’t
10. could couldn’t

Exercise 22: Fill in the blanks with the words you hear.

1. They’ll be coming over, _____________ they?

2. You _____________ do better, right?
3. That _____________ mean I approve.
25 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 14
4. _____________ he want to come? Statements as Questions
 Not all questions begin with “wh” words or
5. We _____________ going to stay along.
a. I should do it? subject-verb inversion.
6. He _____________ plan on marrying, _____________ he? 
7. They _____________ have decided so quickly. b. You got there OK? A rising intonation at the end of a sentence
 will indicate that it is a question rather than a
8. _____________ that what he had planned? c. He doesn’t want to? statement.

9. You _____________ know until you try.
d. Done with it? Note that the auxiliary verb and subject can be
10. They _____________ going with us, are they?  dropped, as in d and e.
e. Like it at all?
Singular and Plural
Exercise 34: Listen to the following sentences and write them down. Indicate whether the
Listen to these sentences and fill in the blanks. intonation is rising or falling.

1. This _________________ is very difficult. 1. ______________________________________________________

2. These are the _________________ to the _________________. 2. ______________________________________________________

3. That _________________ _________________ singing. 3. ______________________________________________________

4. _________________ students _________________ studying. 4. ______________________________________________________

5. He asked for some _________________. 5. ______________________________________________________
6. She _________________ some _________________. 6. ______________________________________________________
7. The _________________ isn’t very good. 7. ______________________________________________________

8. There _________________ a lot of _________________ on the table. 8. ______________________________________________________

9. There’s a lot of _________________ in the _________________. Tag Questions

10. There _________________ a little _________________ in the dish. 
a. You got it, didn’t you?
11. There _________________ any water in the glass.
 The intonation of a tag question can change
12. There _________________ only a few _________________ there. You got it, didn’t you? the meaning. Rising intonation indicates
 uncertainty, while falling intonation indicates
13. He _________________ in the other room.
b. She isn’t ready, is she? certainty.
14. She _________________ in another _________________. 
She isn’t ready, is she?
15. The _________________ live in the _________________ street.

c. You got another E, did you?
(I expected you to get an E.) Tag questions can indicate sarcasm when
 both parts of the question are affirmative.
d. He’s finally finished, has he?
(I can’t believe he’s finished.)

15 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 24

 Intonation Patterns Stress and Intonation

Listen and decide: Do you hear a rising or falling intonation? 1. Short Stress Patterns
Type A : No. Stop. Where? Why? Good. The rhythm of spoken English consists of stressed (strong) and unstressed (weak)
Type B : Me? These? Two? His? Who? words or parts (syllables). The strong and weak syllable and words combine to form patterns.
Syllables or words which have a strong stress are marked – and those which are weak
Falling intonation marked •. The strong stress will often seem louder or longer; the weak stress will often seem
Write the sentences/questions you hear and put a mark () in the correct position. quite shorter.
1. ____________________________________________ Look at the two groups of words below. Notice the different stress patterns.
2. ____________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________ Group a Group b
4. ____________________________________________ – • • –
Find it They know
Can you conclude when to use falling intonation? Phone him It’s mine
Tell me We walked
Rising intonation Show me She’s nice
Write the sentences/questions you hear and put a mark () in the correct position. Write it It rained
1. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________ Exercise 23: You will hear the following words on your cassette. Write the words and above
3. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________ each word or syllable write the correct stress mark: – for a strong stress and • for a weak
4. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________ stress.
5. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________
– •
When do you have rising intonation? Example: Stop it

10. Intonation and Meaning 1. _______________ 5. _______________ 9. _______________

It is important to have the correct intonation. If the wrong intonation pattern is used it may 2. _______________ 6. _______________ 10. _______________
change the meaning. Example:
1. a. ______________________ meaning ______________________ 3. _______________ 7. _______________
b. ______________________ meaning ______________________ 4. _______________ 8. _______________
2. a. ______________________ meaning ______________________
b. ______________________ meaning ______________________ Exercise 24: Write the pairs of words that you hear. Put them in the correct column according
to the stress pattern.
Exercise 33: Each of the words will be said once, either with a rising or a falling intonation.
Write the words and decide on the general meaning of what you hear and tick the appropriate Group a Group b
column.

No Word Question/Exclamation Statement/Answer

1
2
3
4
5

23 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 16

2. Longer Stress Pattern The words listed below are very commonly used in spoken English. In fluent speech they
Notice the different patterns in the following examples on you cassette. nearly always have a weak stress as shown here.
• – • • • • – • • – • – • – •
1. She’s eaten it all. 3. He’s read all the books. 5. It’s time for dinner. 1 Article 2 Pronouns
2. He wanted her to. 4. I think that he’s good. 6. The plate is broken. 1 a // a book 1 me /m / help me
2 an /n/ an apple 2 he /h / he didn’t
Exercise 25: Write the sentences you hear and give the mark above each word. 3 the // or /
/ the teacher 3 her /(h)/ tell her
1. ________________________________________________________________ the animal 4 us /( )s/ show us
4 some /sm/ some money 5 them /m/ buy them
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________ 3 Conjunction 4 Prepositions
1 and /()n(d)/ fish and chips 1 at /t/ look at him
4. ________________________________________________________________
2 as /z/ hard as iron 2 for /f/ it’s for you
5. ________________________________________________________________ 3 but /bt/ strict but fair 3 from /frm/ it’s from us
4 than /n/ younger than him 4 of /v/ out of here
3. Noun Stress 5 that /t/ so that she could 5 to /t/ go to bed
a. Nouns with _____ syllables usually have the strong stress on the _____ syllable.
1. ___________ 5. ___________ 9. ___________ 13. ___________ 5 Auxiliary verbs
2. ___________ 6. ___________ 10. ___________ 14. ___________ 1 am /m/ I am tired. 7 had /(h)d/ They had paid.
2 was /wz/ She was there. 8 can /kn/ I can go.
3. ___________ 7. ___________ 11. ___________
3 were /w/ You were wrong. 9 must /ms(t)/ We must stop.
4. ___________ 8. ___________ 12, ___________ 4 shall / l/ We shall win. 10 do /d/ or /d/ Do you like it?
b. Nouns with _____ syllables usually have the strong stress on the _____ syllable. 5 have /(h)v/ They have gone 11 does /dz/ What does he want?
1. ___________ 3. ___________ 5. ___________ 6 has /(h)z/ He has finished.

2. ___________ 4. ___________ 6. ___________ Exercise 32: In the spaces in the following sentences write the weak forms (in full) that you
hear on the cassette.
Exercise 26: Listen to the list of 10 words and then write them in the correct group according
to the number on syllables they have. 1. She says ____________________ got one.
2. ___________ dog run out _____________ house.
No – • – • • 3. He _____________ older _____________ others.
1 4. There _____________ lot ______________ other school.
5. Give it _______________ soon ______________ possible.
2
3
4
5
6
7

17 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 22

7. Significant Stress No – • – • •
Significant stress in a sentence is on the word that is the most important for the speaker’s 8
meaning. The stress may be on almost any word and may indicate the speaker’s feelings,
emotions or attitudes. Read the following examples carefully. 9
10
Significant stress underlined Possible meaning
1. I don’t live in London. but he does
2. I don’t live in London. yes, you do! In English some words are stressed at the end:
3. I don’t live in London. but I work there • – • – • –
perhaps below about
4. I don’t live in London. I live in the suburbs.
5. I don’t live in London. I live in Brighton.
Some words are stressed in the middle:
• – • • • – •
Exercise 32: You will hear the same sentence for times. Each sentence has a different
beginning conversation
meaning. Underline the word in each sentence below that carries the significant stress.
But most words are stressed at the beginning:
1. Did Tony buy that black car?
2. Did Tony buy that black car?
1. ______________ 5. ______________ 9. ______________ 13.______________
3. Did Tony buy that black car?
4. Did Tony buy that black car? 2. ______________ 6. ______________ 10.______________ 14.______________
3. ______________ 7. ______________ 11.______________ 15.______________
Exercise 31: Write in the space next to each telephone number the single figure that is wrong.
Complete the rest. 4. ______________ 8. ______________ 12.______________

a. 273 3095 _____________ d. _____________ _____________ Exercise 27: Listen to the following words. Write them down and mark the stressed syllable.
b. 126 2812 _____________ e. _____________ _____________
c. 653 7285 _____________ f. _____________ _____________ 1. ___________________ 8. ___________________
2. ___________________ 9. ___________________
8. Weak Stress
Decide if the underlined word in each is spoken with a weak stress form or a strong stress form 3. ___________________ 10. ___________________
(for particular emphasis).
4. ___________________ 11. ___________________
1. He was late. 4. Where does he live?
2. She must go. 5. They have lost it. 5. ___________________ 12. ___________________
3. Look at her.
6. ___________________ 13. ___________________
7. ___________________ 14. ___________________

Exercise 28: Listen to the following words. Write them down and mark the stressed syllable.

1. ___________________ 6. ___________________
2. ___________________ 7. ___________________
3. ___________________ 8. ___________________
4. ___________________ 9. ___________________
5. ___________________ 10. ___________________

21 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 18

 5. Verb Stress
4. Variable Stress Verbs of two syllables. This may have the strong stress on the first or second syllable. The
a. The strong stress may be on the other syllable (i.e. not always the first one). stress will be on the syllable which contains the root of the verbs.
a b c
• – • • – •• • • – • Note: The root may be a word itself. Example: ‘hard’ in ‘harden’
suggestion majority possibility Or a root in other words. Example: ‘-ject’ in ‘project’ and ‘reject’
election publicity opportunity Or the other syllable is a common prefix or suffix. Example: ‘prefer’ and ‘dismiss’

Note: 1. In nouns ending in ‘-ion’, as in group a above, the strong stress falls on the Listen to the following words and find out the pattern.
syllable immediately before the suffix ‘-ion’. Pattern 1 _______________________ Pattern 2 _______________________
2. In nouns ending in ‘-ity’, as in groups b and c above, the strong stress falls on 1. _____________ 5. _____________ 1. _____________ 5. _____________
the syllable immediately before the suffix ‘-ity’. 2. _____________ 6. _____________ 2. _____________ 6. _____________
3. _____________ 7. _____________ 3. _____________ 7. _____________
b. When words of related meaning change their grammatical form, e.g. noun to adjective, the 4. _____________ 8. _____________ 4. _____________ 8. _____________
stress pattern may change.
a b Exercise 30: You will hear 10 verbs. Write them in the correct pattern column.
• – • • ••– •
1. economy economic No Verbs Pattern 1 Pattern 2
• – • • ••– • 1 advise
2. economist economics 2 promote
• – • • • • – •• 3 brighten
3. economize economical 4 believe
5 punish
Note: When the following suffixes are added to the end of nouns to form adjectives, the 6 translate
strong stress falls on the syllable immediately before them. 7 receive
‘-ic’, ‘-ical’ 8 shorten
‘-cial’, ‘-tial’ 9 excuse
‘-cient’, ‘-cious’, ‘-tious’
10 polish
Exercise 29: You will hear some more words on your cassette. Write those words in column b
6. Noun and Verb Stress
and mark the strong and weak stresses above them.
There are several words, mostly on two syllables, which have:
1. the main stress at the beginning when they are nouns (or adjectives).
a b
2. the main stress at the end when they are verbs. The spelling is the same in both
– • •
cases.
4. industry ____________
– • •
Listen and decide whether the main stress at the beginning or at the end.
5. politics ____________
1. What is that object?
– • • •
2. Do you object to the idea?
6. agriculture ____________
Exercise 31: Each word below will be said once only. Write the main stress mark above the
syllable that contains the strong stress in each word.

1. _________ 3. _________ 5. _________ 7. _________ 9. _________

2. _________ 4. _________ 6. _________ 8. _________ 10. _________

19 Basic Listening Skills Basic Listening Skills 20