English dictation exercises

Insane Meaning: Choose the Right Word

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Insidious meaning: slow hidden damage

6-second sample
American, British, Australian

Irony meaning: what makes situations ironic

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

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?

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Jerk Meaning: Movement and Slang

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Job interview English: Clear answers and pauses

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Jump the gun

A company announces a product before the final safety test is complete. Which idiom criticises acting before the right moment?

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

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?

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Lexical verbs: find the main verb

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Loquacious: Meaning and Daily Usage

6-second sample
American, British, Australian

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?

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

Mixed conditionals

A decision you made years ago still shapes your life today. How can one conditional sentence move between those two times?

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Mundane Meaning: Ordinary Daily Tasks

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

Non-Finite Verbs: Forms and Everyday Uses

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

Obsolete meaning: no longer in use

8-second sample
American, British, Australian

On the same page

Before work begins, everyone agrees about the goal, deadline, and responsibilities. Which phrase describes that shared understanding?

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

One-off

A company pays a special bonus this month but will not repeat it. Which British English expression shows that the payment happens only once?

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Paranoid: Meaning and Better Alternatives

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Play safe

Traffic is unpredictable, so you take an earlier train to avoid missing your flight. Which expression describes this cautious choice?

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

Procrastination meaning: Stop putting off tasks

3-second sample
American, British, Australian

Procurement: Buying for an Organization

4-second sample
American, British, Australian

Protagonist meaning: main character explained

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Reconciliation: Meanings and Practical Examples

5-second sample
American, British, Australian

Relative adverbs: choose with confidence

3-second sample
American, British, Australian