Singing your praises
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B2 English listening practice
Work on expressions whose meaning is not obvious from the individual words. Listen for the situation, then check the exact wording and the speaker's attitude.
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 Singing your praises for approval, Play safe for cautious decisions, or Backlog for work that has built up. Each lesson gives you a different situation to listen for.
Singing your praisesHave you ever chosen a course because several people could not stop talking about how good the teacher was?Play safeTraffic is unpredictable, so you take an earlier train to avoid missing your flight. Which expression describes this cautious choice?BacklogYou answer five old emails, but twelve more are still waiting. What do you call the work that has built up behind you?
What to focus on at B2
Separate what happened from how the speaker feels about it. Praise may be enthusiastic, caution may be sensible or excessive, and a backlog may explain pressure at work. Use the surrounding sentence to decide.
After you check your answer
When the exact words are clear, ask what would change if one phrase were replaced. Compare the lesson's examples, then replay without reading. Being able to explain the difference is more useful than remembering one score.
Hand in your notice
You have accepted another job, but your contract requires four more weeks of work. What do you give your employer to formally begin the leaving process?
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Hands full
You are caring for a sick child while finishing two urgent reports. A colleague asks whether you can lead another project. How can you explain that you are already too busy?
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Have a word
A mistake in a report needs discussing, but you do not want to raise it in front of the whole team. How can you ask the writer for a short private conversation?
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Head start
You receive the reading list a month before everyone else and finish two books before the course begins. What kind of advantage do you have?
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Hit and miss
A bus arrives exactly on time some mornings and twenty minutes late on others. You cannot plan around it with confidence. How can you describe the service?
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Holistic meaning: connect the parts
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How to Build Credibility: Practical Speech Tips
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In one go
A report usually takes you three short sessions, but today you read the entire document without stopping. How can you describe completing it as one continuous action?
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In the loop
A project changes while you are away, but your colleague sends every update. Which phrase shows that you remain informed and included?
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In the running
Three candidates remain after the final interview, and any one of them could get the job. How can you describe their continuing chance?
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In your element
Your quiet friend becomes lively and confident while organising a complex event. Which phrase shows that this activity suits her perfectly?
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Inevitable meaning: unavoidable results explained
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Insane Meaning: Choose the Right Word
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Irony meaning: what makes situations ironic
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It goes without saying
Everyone understands that a borrowed camera must be returned safely, but you still want to emphasise it politely. Which expression introduces that obvious expectation?
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Jerk Meaning: Movement and Slang
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Jump the gun
A company announces a product before the final safety test is complete. Which idiom criticises acting before the right moment?
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Keep an eye out
Your parcel could arrive at any moment while you are in another room. What can you ask a friend to do?
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Loquacious: Meaning and Daily Usage
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Might as well
The bus will not arrive for an hour, and walking takes twenty minutes. How can you casually suggest the most logical choice?
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Mixed conditionals
A decision you made years ago still shapes your life today. How can one conditional sentence move between those two times?
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Mundane Meaning: Ordinary Daily Tasks
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Non-Finite Verbs: Forms and Everyday Uses
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Obsolete meaning: no longer in use
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.
