Focused listening library
Received Pronunciation listening
Find lessons from the original Received Pronunciation collection. The accent label beside each clip describes its current recording.
On the line
A failed presentation could cost a manager her position. Which phrase shows that her job faces a serious risk?
Start listening
Out of the ordinary
A normally quiet street is filled with musicians at sunrise. Which phrase describes this noticeable departure from the usual pattern?
Start listening
Play it by ear
Tomorrow's picnic depends on unpredictable weather, so you will decide after seeing the sky. Which phrase describes that flexible approach?
Start listening
Pull your weight
Four people share a project, and each completes a reasonable part instead of leaving the work to others. Which idiom describes that fair contribution?
Start listening
Put into perspective
A cost sounds enormous until you learn it is less than one percent of the total budget. Which phrase describes what that comparison does?
Start listening
Ring a bell
You recognise a person's name but cannot remember where you heard it. Which phrase expresses that incomplete feeling of recognition?
Start listening
Spur of the moment
You pass a theatre, see two available tickets, and immediately decide to attend. Which phrase describes that sudden unplanned decision?
Start listeningWhat you will find here
How this practice helps
This is the original Received Pronunciation collection. The name identifies the historical grouping, not a promise about every current voice.
Check the player’s accent label. Treat each recording as one speaker’s pronunciation, not a rule for how everyone should sound.
