Micro-listening

#18 0

This clip is from an episode of the TED Radio Hour podcast, which looks in more detail at topics covered in popular TED Talks. This episode is about gratitude and kindness. For context, the speaker is talking about how people treated him after he failed during a game of baseball.

Medium

Sometimes we don't say to they they're something , we don't .

Easy

Sometimes we don't what to say to when they fail or they're with something , so we don't say .

About the sentence

…when they’re dealing with something…

To deal with something means to manage or handle something or someone. It is usually something difficult or unpleasant, e.g. Sarah is very good at dealing with difficult customers. In this example, the speaker is talking about managing or processing his feelings of failure.

Notice the verb pattern here: to deal with sb/sth.

Photo by Steven Spassov on Unsplash.

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#41 0

This clip is from an episode of The Allusionist, which is a wonderful podcast all about language.

The speaker is talking about his work as a hand engraver – cutting text or designs into objects (usually jewellery) by hand. The speaker has a London accent.

Difficult

And . .

Medium

And there's still for us it's it's . We're people do London.

Easy

And for us there's still out there for us it's it's a dying trade. We're the youngest people still do it London.

About the sentence

…it’s a dying trade…

If someone refers to a job or profession as a dying trade, then they are saying that it is disappearing due to a lack of demand or need for it.

Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash.

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#40 0

This clip is from an episode of The Allusionist, which is a wonderful podcast all about language.

The speaker is talking about the way that the word ‘please’ is sometimes used differently in British and American English.

Medium

I say please person I , shouldn't this?

Easy

Every I say please to American person I , maybe I shouldn't doing this?

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash.

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#39 0

This clip is from an episode of the Adam Buxton Podcast, which is a brilliant, funny and interesting conversational podcast. This episode features an interview with singer-songwriter John Grant.

John and Adam are discussing how they cope with long journeys.

Difficult

, , Eurostar Paris.

Medium

Well, I I'd long day , then I go straight Eurostar Paris.

Easy

Well, I mean I'd had a long day of interviews, then I was booked go straight to Eurostar in Paris.

About the sentence

…Well, I mean…

These are examples of fillers – words or phrases that we add to sentences while we think or organise our ideas. These are very common in natural spoken English, and an important listening skill is identifying and then ignoring fillers.

…I’d had a really long day…

Notice the weak/contracted pronunciation of the past perfect in this sentence: /aɪd hæd/ rather than /aɪ hæd hæd/.

Photo by Victor Lam on Unsplash.

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