Micro-listenings: short English recordings
Choose a short recording and listen for the main message. Then replay it and work on the words you missed.
Stationery or Stationary: How to Choose
Start listening
Stative Verbs: Choosing the Correct Form
Start listening
Stubborn: meaning, tone, and alternatives
Start listening
Subordinating conjunctions: connect your ideas clearly
Start listening
Swapping a volunteer shift
Two volunteers discuss three time slots before agreeing on one swap. Which times belong to the final arrangement?
Start listening
Synonyms in Context: Choose the Best Word
Start listening
Synonyms in English: Choose the Right Word
Start listening
TOEFL Study Response: Explain What You Hear
Start listening
Tag Questions: Confirm Everyday Information
Start listening
Tell or Say: Choosing the Right Verb
Start listening
There was or there were: how to choose
Start listening
Till or Until: Choose the Right Word
Start listening
Took or have taken? Choose the form for your message
Start listening
Train platform change
A station announcement contains a destination, an original time, a delay, and a new platform. Which details describe the train now?
Start listening
Transferring a ticket
The ticket is transferable, but forwarding the email is not enough. What must the buyer change by five on Friday?
Start listening
Types of Verbs: Main Helping Linking
Start listening
Understand Idioms from Context: Clues in Daily Speech
Start listening
Understanding an indirect refusal
A colleague says your invitation sounds lovely, then mentions a family commitment and suggests another week. Did they accept or decline?
Start listening
Unless vs until: choose time or condition
Start listening
Unusual names
People with uncommon names repeat louder sound parts to clarify them socially or use short nicknames to make phone bookings faster.
Start listening
Up to or upto: Which Is Correct?
Start listening
Using Commas: Where Commas Belong
Start listening
Using Like and As for Clear English Comparisons
Start listening
Verbs followed by infinitives: choose the next verb
Start listeningSkills in this collection
What to practise
Choose a topic and level. The instruction beside each recording tells you whether to write all the words or fill the gaps.
Follow the message without stopping at every unfamiliar word. On a second listen, look for the details that explain what happened.
Separate understanding from exact wording. You can understand a message and still need another listen to write it accurately.
Why it is hard to hear
What to listen for
A longer clip asks you to remember more words at once. Use replay or the sentence controls when available, then work through one part at a time.
In a conversation, notice who is speaking and what each person is replying to. If a reply surprises you, listen to the sentence before it as well.
Start here
Suggested starting points
Choose a level that fits you. You can return to the full list at any time.
Level progression
From B1 to C2
Check the lesson count at each level before choosing where to start.
- A1 3 lessons
- A2 62 lessons
-
B1
294 lessons
Begin with familiar topics. Catch the main point before writing the details.
-
B2
109 lessons
Listen for reasons, changes of plan, and the words that connect ideas.
-
C1
No lessons yet
Notice how speakers qualify a statement or suggest something indirectly.
-
C2
No lessons yet
Compare exact wording with intended meaning, including tone and implication.
Accent note
Compare the available voices
Use the voice choices available for each clip. A longer recording may have fewer accent options than a short dictation; check the label before playing.
Questions learners ask
Before you start
Why use short recordings?
You can replay a difficult part and compare it with the transcript in a short session. Use longer listening material too when you want to practise following an extended message.
Do I type the whole recording?
Follow the instruction above the answer field. A dictation asks for the words you hear; a gap-fill asks only for the missing words.
Can I slow the audio down?
Choose 0.75× for slower playback. Once you can hear the difficult part, try it again at 1×.
What does the number in a lesson title mean?
It identifies the lesson in the original MicroEnglish collection. It is not a score or a language level; use the level label when choosing a lesson.
Other collections
Keep exploring
English idioms and listening practice
Read meanings and examples, then practise hearing idioms with dictation and word-by-word feedback.
Explore this collectionPhrasal verb listening practice
Study phrasal verbs in context. Check meaning and word order, then try a recorded sentence.
Explore this collectionGrammar listening practice
Read a grammar pattern and its examples, then listen for the form in a complete sentence.
Explore this collectionWord focus: meaning and use
Study a word in context. Compare meanings and common combinations, then practise listening.
Explore this collectionEnglish listening tips and advice
Practical guidance on replay, hints, transcripts, and reviewing the words you missed.
Explore this collectionEnglish slang: meaning and context
A collection for informal English, with attention to meaning, setting, and tone. Check the list for available lessons.
Explore this collection
