Understanding oral English · A2/B1

Ten sentences out of context

Ten short sentences heard out of context. Who is speaking? What about? Catch every word!

Click ▶ and listen. What is the situation?Clique sur ▶ et écoute. Quelle est la situation ?

Why sentences out of context? In a film, in the street or on the phone, you often catch a sentence without knowing what came before. Here, there is no picture and no story to help you: only your ears. Listen several times, guess the situation, then catch every word, even the small ones you hardly hear.
  • This is
  • Someone
  • Someone thinks a man
  • Someone says
  • Someone talks about
  • Someone
  • Someone says the situation
  • Someone
  • Someone asks about
  • A man disappeared:

Next: the meaning →

Listen again. What does it mean exactly?Écoute encore. Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire exactement ?

Next: the words →

Drag each English word next to its French translation.Fais glisser chaque mot anglais en face de sa traduction.

  1. combien de temps
  2. partir
  3. supposer, présumer
  4. recommander, conseiller
  5. un corps
  6. intéressé(e)
  7. il y a (dans le passé)
  8. dès que possible
  9. sûr(e)
  10. un attentat à la bombe, un bombardement
  11. la même chose
  12. mourir
  13. rester, séjourner
  14. un peu

Next: the small words →

Listen and write the missing words.Écoute et écris les mots qui manquent.

The small words are said very fast and very weakly. Listen for them!
would → /wəd/ · would have → « would've » /ˈwʊdəv/ · have to → /ˈhæftə/ · a, of, than → /ə/, /əv/, /ðən/ · he'd been = he had been
(a number) people died (2 words) bombing.
I (1 word) recommend it.
I'm sure he (2 words) interested.
It was (2 words) year ago.
I (2 words) be in Los Angeles (4 words) the week.
You should leave, (3 words) possible.
It's (3 words) complicated (1 word) that.
You (3 words) the same.
How long (2 words) stay?
We assumed (2 words) killed in an accident, but we never found his body.

Next: dictation →

Listen and write the whole sentence.Écoute et écris la phrase entière.

(7 words).
(4 words).
(6 words).
(6 words).
(12 words).
(7 words).
(7 words).
(6 words).
(5 words)?
(14 words).

Next: say it →

Say it like the speakers.Dis-le comme les personnes que tu entends.

Click ▶ to hear a sentence, or 🐢 to hear it more slowly. Then:

  1. Listen and repeat after the speaker.
  2. Read the sentence and say it at the same time as the speaker (this is called « shadowing »): same speed, same music, same small words.
  3. Record yourself on your phone and compare!

Forty-three people died in the bombing.

I wouldn't recommend it.

I'm sure he would be interested.

It was about a year ago.

I have to be in Los Angeles at the end of the week.

You should leave, as soon as possible.

It's a bit more complicated than that.

You would have done the same.

How long would you stay?

We assumed he'd been killed in an accident, but we never found his body.

Next: your turn →

Your turn: imagine the situation (on paper).À toi : imagine la situation (sur une feuille).

On a sheet of paper, choose three sentences. For each one, imagine the situation: who is speaking, to whom, where? Write a short dialogue (4 to 6 lines) in which the sentence is said.

Example: — We're going to Rome for a week. Do you know a nice hotel? — Well, there's the Hotel Roma, but I wouldn't recommend it: it's noisy and dirty!

Then act out your dialogues with a partner.

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Instructions:Consignes :