Spelling and pronunciation: A1 Listening Exercise with Audio

8 A1 Listening exercises on “Spelling and pronunciation”, with answers. Complete each task and check it straight away. Free, no account needed.

SkillListening
LevelA1 Beginner
Exercises8
Gaps33
Topic11 of 112

Before you start. 8 exercises · 3 audio tracks · 3:54. Play each track, answer as you listen, then check your answers.

Exercise 1. Complete the housework activities with the verbs below.

9 gaps
  • clean
  • cook
  • do (x2)
  • go
  • load / unload
  • set
  • tidy
  • wash
  • 1
    my bedroom
  • 2
    dinner
  • 3
    the dishes
  • 4
    the washing
  • 5
    to the supermarket
  • 6
    the table
  • 7
    the dishwasher
  • 8
    the house
  • 9
    the ironing

0 of 9 answered

Exercise 2. Read Listening Strategy 1. Look at the underlined letters in the words in the table. Put the words below in the correct group.

24 gaps

Listening Strategy 1

In English, you cannot always predict how a word sounds by looking at the spelling. Learning how words are pronounced will allow you to understand them when you hear them.

  • at      break      bus      can      cool      find      foot      France      good      in
  • jeans      June      know      month      mother      music      park      pool
  • print      right      run      so      steak      teach
SpellingSounds likeSounds like
ooschoollook
1
2		3
4
afathergrandson
5
6		7
8
iwifeItaly
9
10		11
12
ogoson
13
14		15
16
eaeatgreat
17
18		19
20
uuniversitymum
21
22		23
24

Exercise 3. Choose the word with the different vowel sound.

  • 1
    a book    b soon    c cook    d wood
  • 2
    a car    b cat    c bag    d am
  • 3
    a big    b sit    c child    d is
  • 4
    a one    b phone    c come    d love
  • 5
    a ruler    b student    c computer    d Sunday

Exercise 4. Read Listening Strategy 2. Choose the word you hear.

Audio
Audio

Listening Strategy 2

Some words sound similar, but have very different meanings. Being able to detect the small difference in pronunciation will help you to understand them when you hear them. Use the context to help you too.

  • 1
    a and b end
  • 2
    a match b much
  • 3
    a park b pack
  • 4
    a let b late
  • 5
    a eat b it

Exercise 5. Listen to a dialogue between a teenager and her mother. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?

Audio
Audio
  • 1
    Anna is happy to unload the dishwasher.
  • 2
    Anna’s brother loads the dishwasher every evening.
  • 3
    Anna thinks her brother isn’t tidy.
  • 4
    Anna’s mum wants her to cook dinner.
  • 5
    Anna’s mum can’t help Anna with maths.
  • 6
    Anna’s brother isn’t at home.

Exercise 6. Look at the pairs of words. Are the underlined sounds the same or different? Choose the correct answers.

SameDifferent
1pleaseclean
2unloadsupermarket 
3bedroomcook
4bathroommaths
5nicetired
6worriedclothes

Extra exercises

Exercise 7. Read the Strategy. Then read the exam task in exercise 8 and find the key words in the questions (A-G). Match A-G with the examples 1-7 below.

Strategy

Before you listen, find the key words in the questions and think about what the speakers might say about these things.

  • 1
    music, sport, cinema
  • 2
    how to cook, play the guitar, speak French
  • 3
    slowly, quickly, in a rush
  • 4
    teacher, doctor, journalist
  • 5
    Candy Crush, chess, Fallout 4
  • 6
    straight, wavy, curly
  • 7
    friendly, patient, sensible

Exercise 8. Listen to six people talking about who they are like in their family. Match speakers 1-6 with A-G. There is one extra sentence.

Audio
Audio
  • Speaker 1
  • Speaker 2
  • Speaker 3
  • Speaker 4
  • Speaker 5
  • Speaker 6
  • A
    enjoys playing the same game as someone else in their family.
  • B
    has the same hair as someone else in their family.
  • C
    moves like someone else in their family.
  • D
    has the same job as someone else in their family.
  • E
    looks like someone else in their family, but they have different interests.
  • F
    has a similar personality to someone else in their family.
  • G
    learns from someone else in their family.

View all Listening exercises

Listen to a recording and type it, one sentence at a time

How to Practice

  1. 1Read each question carefully
  2. 2Write your answer or select the correct option
  3. 3Click “Check answers” to mark your gaps, or “Show answers” to see the answer key
  4. 4Review any mistakes and try similar exercises
  5. 5Move to the next exercise when ready