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.
Project handover
The research is finished, the slides are not, and two colleagues own different next actions. Who must do what, and by when?
Start listening
Project status update
A colleague reports three tasks, but each has a different status. Which task is finished, which is blocked, and what happens next?
Start listening
Proper Adjectives: Rules and Examples
Start listening
Prose or poetry: telling them apart
Start listening
Public speaking nerves: Four recovery steps
Start listening
Pull out
A company may pull out of a deal, a parent may pull a child out of a team, and a car may pull out into the road. The grammar shows who chooses to leave.
Start listening
Punctuation Marks: Rules and Everyday Examples
Start listening
Put behind
A mistake may still be part of your history, but it does not have to control your next decision. You can learn from it and put it behind you.
Start listening
Put off
Rain can put off a picnic until Friday, while an unpleasant smell can put you off your lunch. One meaning changes the time; the other changes how you feel.
Start listening
Put on
Before guests arrive, you might put on a clean shirt, put the lights on and put on some music. The object tells you which action happens.
Start listening
Put out
You can put out a candle, a company can put out a statement, and a late request can put someone out. The object changes the meaning.
Start listening
Put up with
A neighbour's music may be annoying, but you might accept it for one evening. If you continue accepting the annoyance, you put up with it.
Start listening
Reasons to Learn English: Practical Personal Goals
Start listening
Redelivered parcel
The parcel has visited one address, could go to a depot, and may reach a neighbour. Where will it actually be left tomorrow?
Start listening
Reflexive Pronouns: Choose the Right Form
Start listening
Reflexive Pronouns: Rules and Examples
Start listening
Relative pronouns: choose the right word
Start listening
Renewing library items
A borrower has two books and one DVD, but only two items receive new due dates. What blocks the other renewal?
Start listening
Repair inspection fee and quote
The technician mentions £35 and up to £120, but only one amount is definitely charged. Which cost needs permission first?
Start listening
Reporting a home repair
A tenant reports water near an electrical fitting. Which detail makes the repair urgent, and what should happen before the contractor arrives?
Start listening
Rescheduled interview voicemail
An employer changes both the day and format of an interview, then asks for confirmation. Which original details no longer apply?
Start listening
Resume experience lines: write clear bullet points
Start listening
Returning an online order
A customer can return a faulty item even without its original box, but several other conditions still apply. Which requirements remain?
Start listening
Returning faulty headphones
The headphones work on one side, the paper receipt is missing, and the customer considers two remedies. Which solution is agreed?
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.
