Turn up
Listen once, then type what you hear.
0:00
Read the transcript
You completed the real listening sample. Open the lesson to continue.
B1 English listening exercises
Follow a short everyday situation, then listen again for the words you missed. Start with a recording below or choose a B1 lesson from the library.
Try a short recording
The first dictation is free to try without an account. Choose an available accent, listen and type the words you hear.
Choose a starting lesson
Start with arrival and meeting phrases. Open Turn up for different meanings, Bump into for an unexpected meeting, or Head back for returning somewhere. These are starting suggestions, not a placement test.
Turn upA late guest can turn up at your door, lost keys can turn up under a sofa, and you can turn up the heating. Context separates arrival, discovery and a higher level.Bump intoIf you bump into an old friend, you meet unexpectedly. If you bump into a table, the surprise may hurt a little more.Head backYou have enjoyed the walk, but it is getting dark. Saying we should head back signals that it is time to start returning, not that you are already home.
What to focus on at B1
Listen for who is speaking, what happened and the main action. On the next replay, check small words around the verb. In turn up and bump into, the whole phrase carries the meaning.
After you check your answer
After checking your answer, explain the sentence in your own words. If most of it is unfamiliar, read the meaning first and return to the recording. If you understood it, replay once at normal speed before moving on.
Booking a hotel room
A guest books three nights and asks for one room feature. Which services are included, and when does free cancellation end?
Start listening
Bored or boring: Talk about your class
Start listening
Bother
Noise can bother you, a thought can bother you, and you may not bother to reply. The first two affect feelings; the last describes effort.
Start listening
Break up
A couple breaks up, a meeting breaks up, and a phone call starts breaking up. Only one involves a romantic relationship.
Start listening
Breathe when public speaking: Pause before each point
Start listening
Bring about
A small decision can produce a large result. Bring about connects the cause to the change that follows.
Start listening
Bring up
You can bring up a difficult topic, bring up a child, or bring up a file on a screen. Context tells you which action is happening.
Start listening
Bump into
If you bump into an old friend, you meet unexpectedly. If you bump into a table, the surprise may hurt a little more.
Start listening
Burn out
A worker, a campfire and a motor can all burn out, but each one reaches a different kind of end.
Start listening
Call off
You can call off a match before it starts, call off a search already in progress, or call a threatening dog off.
Start listening
Cancelling a subscription
The customer cancels renewal today but keeps access until the thirtieth. Does that mean another monthly payment is due?
Start listening
Catch up
Fall behind on a walk, at work or in a friendship, and catch up helps you close the gap in three different ways.
Start listening
Changed appointment time
A caller mentions Thursday, Monday morning and Monday afternoon. Only one is the new appointment. Can you track the change?
Start listening
Changed museum tour
The planned first gallery is closed, so the tour changes order and finishes in a different place. Which locations remain part of the route?
Start listening
Changing a plan
A friend cannot meet at the agreed time. Can you hear why the plan changes, identify the new time, and notice how the request stays polite?
Start listening
Changing a restaurant booking
The booking begins with four people at seven. By the end, both the number and time have changed, but the seating request has not.
Start listening
Checking a café order
A customer orders for two people, changes one ingredient, and mentions an allergy. Can you separate preference from essential safety information?
Start listening
Checking a hotel bill
Breakfast appears on the bill, parking does not, and a minibar charge belongs to another room. What remains in the final total?
Start listening
Chip away
A huge task may not disappear at once, but each small action can chip away at it.
Start listening
Choose between at night and in the night
Start listening
Choose she and I or her and me
Start listening
Choose the verb that fits the subject
Start listening
Choosing Between Onto and Unto
Start listening
Choosing an evening course
One course is cheaper and online; the other offers classroom practice but clashes with work. Which factor finally determines the choice?
Start listeningBefore you begin
Is this a CEFR level test?
No. These lessons are grouped by their catalogue level. Use the examples and recordings to judge what you need to practice; completing a lesson does not certify your level.
Can I slow down the recording?
Yes. Use the slower playback control when you need another listen, then return to normal speed when you can follow the sentence.
Is every activity free?
The first guided dictation in each lesson is available as a free sample. Other activities may require membership. The lesson shows what is available before you start.
