ENGLISH LISTENING TIPS
- From the beginning hook in interlocutor´s accent and rhythm.
- Catch the speech by segments, as compressed words. Try to seize by phrases.
- Get confidence: Suppose interacting with a friend.
STYLE TYPES DETAILS
RHYTM
Series of sounds
that are repeated
periodically in a
certain interval of
time and the way in
which these occur
and alternate, the
sounds different in
intensity (strong
and weak) or
duration (long and
short).
- COMPASS. This is the particular way in which various pulses are
organized into groups, generating a contrast between their weak
and strong, accentuated and atonic parts.
- ACCENT. It is a certain emphasis that is given to a certain pulse,
and that coincides with its main discharge of energy.
English spoken is like full diphthongs [eg. comma-(koume)]
- Unclear: like boozy, laughing, weak, thin, thick voice, flaccid,
husky, under voice.
- Informally pronounced, as sb. Drunk.
- Spoken accented or stressed each word with a minimal pause in
the middle of words.
- Very Native pronunciation
- Clear: like happy, formal, kind.
- TEMPO. The speed or frequency at which the repetitions occur is
thus known, so it is usually measured through beats per minute.
- PULSE. This is the name given to each of the units of the set of
repetitions that make up the rhythm, which can be regular or
irregular, accelerated or slowed down.
- Quick Spoken (1 syllable each word) 350 words/minute.
- Slow and formally pronounced (normal 2, 3 syllables)
- ENGLISH:
- SPANISH:

METHOD
Some features of spoken English:
ASPECT CONCEPT EXAMPLE TIPS
STRESS
1. STRESSED
WORDS
- Usual stressed words are: nouns,
adjectives, verbs, adverbs. They carry
the meaning.
- Strong words (Stressed words) 90%.
- I´d like to get a ticket to London.…………...LIKE/TICKET/LONDON.
- Can I pay by cash?…………… PAY/CASH
- Focusing in stressed words we can guess
other words.
- Short verbs like GET could be less
stressed than the other verbs.
2. UNSTRESSED
WORDS
- Usual unstressed words: pronouns,
(modal) auxiliaries, prepositions,
conjunctions.
- Weak forms (unstressed words) could
be 10%.
- Who do I give it to? ………..TO (is stressed)
- I do like pizza …………DO (is stressed)
- Schwa sounds usually take weak forms.
CONNECTED
SPEECH
3. CONTRACTIO
NS
- Reduced words - He should have ………………….. He should´ve (ji_shud_f)
- I would have …………………… I would´ve/I´d´ve (ay_de_ef)
- British English usually don’t employ
contractions.
4. CHUNKS - Compress words. Drop sound (vowel,
consonant) making words together.
- Link words and add new sound.
- Shall we go? ……………….. shwe go?
- That is fine ………………….sfine.
- Have a good day ………………….hav_a_goo_day
- I should´ve …………………….i shud_of
- They are native spoken and Idiomatic
expressions.
- Join or connect words all together.
DRUNK
• Notice that
English is as
always spoken
by sb. drunk.
SEGMENT
• Join words in
small clauses
and phrases.
ECHO
• Display words
mentally what
they are saying
(good for
distraction).

Notice:
- English has around 19 vowel sounds when Spanish only has 5.
- Many English phrases or sentences are stressed at the start and at the finish words. The middle words are usually said more quickly and they are not on the beat
since they are not as important.
- If you want to develop your listening skill, you must practice and practice listening. Sometimes no necessary to review dictionary or audio transcripts, because
your amazing brain has the ability to learn the meanings of new words from context, this is how such you learned your native language.
- Sometimes, large words are necessary to be attended carefully: such nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs, others are predictable.
- Link words. Natives don’t speak fast, they just connect all the words together like one sentence in one big word, they omit some syllabus, they add some new
sounds and this is the way how it sounds, e.g. [C+V] I am in an airport; [C+C] that time, red dress, look cool, cheese sandwich, etc. exception: ch, j initial
consonants sounds (e.g. orange juice).
- Scientific studies prove that learning 15-20 minutes every day is much better than trying to memorize hundreds of new words and grammar rules in one day.
- At once, you won’t understand everything, even if you become very good at English. realistically, even if you are extremely hard working and studying English for
years, you are never going to stop learning. If there is some misunderstand word just ask people to slow down or repeat what they said.
Tips for English listening:
1. Use accurate materials according to your level (where you are able to understand at less of 70%).
2. Choose topics you like or are really interesting for you (you will kill two birds in one shoot) having funny, concentrating, learning new things at the time new
language.
3. Try not to understand by each word, do it by phrases or sentences. Generally, contents words: Nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, numbers, auxiliary negative
forms are well emphasized in English, different the function words: articles, prepositions, conjunctions, pronouns, auxiliary words are not stressed in English.
E.g. I want you to help me find out who did it.
4. Don’t afraid, go through and take it seriously.
5. Deduce the event by context. If at the sentence there is an unknown word, don’t stop. It´s still possible to understand the meaning of the phrase.
6. You can practice Active listening: e.g. If you are watching an English Tv show or film, reproduce it at first without subtitles to enable your understanding; then play
again the video but now with English caption to understand better; after that, watch the English video with your native language caption for even better
understanding; don’t forget to find out the meaning of any unknown word or phrase with a dictionary, later writing down them in a vocabulary notebook. After a
while, listen again the movie to test your understanding, likewise, look up the vocabulary notes.

7. Practice Passive listening (white noise): Play a podcast, audiobook, English series, etc. in the background while you are doing any other activities, you might think
that you’re not learning anything, but the true is that your brain is registering everything.
8. Repeat and memorize parts of the podcast and practice speaking them out loud (it will set in the deep of memory).
9. Practice reading (pronunciation) and listening at the same time: this by watching English videos or Spotify music with English subtitles. This way will make it
easier to understand everything and will help you to remember more.
10. Experiment with different English accents. But of course start with one easier as the USA English.
11. Improve your vocabulary. if I don’t know a word, how is it possible I might understand the listening part? obviously I can’t. Many times it’s not the case that He is
speaking fast or in a difficult accent, it’s just he is talking with some words that you don’t know. So learn new words, phrasal verbs, collocations, idioms (e.g. jelly
fish), transition phrases (e.g. would you like some……?). advice: learn about 5 new words/day.
12. Listen as you sleep. Practice your English while you sleep, specially vocabulary, this way might help your comprehension and pronunciation skills.
13. Listen to yourself. Use your own voice to practice your listening skills. It’s when I create imaginary conversations, ask myself questions and give myself answers
pretending to be another person. Will help your vocabulary and your English skills.
14. Try to describe, interpret any situation you´re living in English language, this technique helps a lot in fluency and vocabulary.
15. Use different audio speed. You can slow down to 75% and then speed up to 1.25 the same audio, just for practice. 200, 350 words/min.
16. Join a conversation group: on social networks or language interchange apps, it’s a great way to listen to a variety of English accents and voices. Advice: At start
might be good with a non-native English speaker.
17. Get challenging English materials to improve your skill continually. with new words or phrases but you still understand the main idea. That is the best kind of
English material to listen to.
18. Listen to speakers who don’t speak clear enough or to experts at any field, further, try and follow different accents as well, Australian, Indus, Philippine, Chinese,
Canadian, New Zealander, British, Ireland, Belgium, South African, etc.
19. Use different materials: Tv show, podcast episode, euro news or another news sites, radio stations, video you tube, audiobook, music, dialogues, an assimil course,
ling Q in audio version and transcription format. Apps: duolingo, British council, freeright, test programs, etc.
20. Enrich your vocabulary with your quotidian activities: SINGLE WORDS: All different fields. CHUNK WORDS: Phrasal verbs, prepositional phrases, idioms, probers,
slangs (modismo), transitive phrases, indicatives, contractions, reductions, common speech phrases, etc.
21. Turn on English. Simulate a full English world, turn on your cell phone, Tv, mp3, pc, news, entertainment, people, your speaking, reading, writing, apps, mind, etc.
in English.
22. Be Consistent. Every single day practice: yourself, with someone else, online, with a private teacher. Focus on your weakness, work out on them then you’ll see
that you have improved a lot.