Keep the contrast
Listen for words such as but and although. Check how the words that follow change the message.
Focused listening library
B2 listening lesson library
Browse upper-intermediate lessons by topic, accent, and length. Practise connected speech, phrasal verbs, and implied meaning.
From the ground up
A company does not make a few changes to its service. It redesigns the basic rules, the technology, and every customer step. How can you emphasise the complete rebuild?
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Future Perfect Continuous: Measuring Ongoing Future Time
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Future perfect continuous: measuring ongoing time
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General Determiners: Choose the Right Noun
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Gerund or Participle: Tell Them Apart
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Get it out of your system
You keep thinking about an unfair decision. After telling a friend exactly how you feel, the frustration becomes easier to leave behind. What have you done?
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Give it a miss
Your friends invite you to a late film, but you are tired and have an early start. How can you casually say that you will not go this time?
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Give it your best shot
You are not sure you can answer every interview question, but you have prepared carefully and intend to do your best. How can you describe that effort?
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Go hand in hand
A growing shop receives more orders, but it also needs more customer support. The two changes repeatedly appear together. How can you describe their connection?
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Go off the rails
A previously reliable manager starts hiding expenses, ignoring every warning, and breaking company rules. How can you describe this serious change in behaviour?
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Go to your head
A colleague wins one award and immediately starts acting as if nobody else's advice matters. What can you say about the effect of that success?
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Go with the flow
Your friends change the plan several times, but none of the options matters much to you. You decide to accept their choice and enjoy the day. What are you doing?
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Grammatical Case in English: Types and Everyday Use
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Grammatical number: singular and plural forms
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Grey area
A company policy explains business travel but says nothing about combining a work trip with one personal day. The rule is not clearly allowed or forbidden. What is this situation?
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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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How this practice helps
Follow the main message and the details that change it: a contrast, a reason, or an expression that is not literal.
Use the examples to check meaning, then listen again for the exact wording.
Your level route
Practise with support, try a test, then review the words you missed.
Review exact wording
A missed word may change the grammar or only the detail. Compare your answer with the transcript to see which happened.
Compare available accents
Once the wording is familiar, choose another voice offered for that clip. Listen for what becomes harder or easier.
