Listening Strategies for Cambridge PET FCE IELTS

Listening strategies for Cambridge PET FCE IELTs Rob Novis 2015

What to do before listening

• Before you listen you always have some time to look at the questions.

• Underline the key words (verbs, nouns, adjectives) then think about possible synonyms.

• Activate Schemata: Try to make predictions based on your previous knowledge of the subject. Rob Novis 2015

DISTRACTORS Rob Novis 2015

There are many ways to distract listeners! •

Negative auxiliaries could sound like affermatives to some listeners.

• •

We aren't going to the cinema. We’re going to the cinema.

When the auxiliary is negative it is stressed. If you can hear the auxiliary it is probably negative!

Rob Novis 2015

Won’t vs Want What do you understand?

• We won't/want to do the shopping. • I want to be/won’t be working tonight.

• The soccer player won’t/wants to play in the match.

Rob Novis 2015

No and But •

Words like but, no or indecision. When someone says but it usually means that everything they said before that is not correct. “I want to come to the party, but I have a meeting.”

Rob Novis 2015

Several different figures (numbers)

• Be careful when they speak about more than one number.

• Which product did they buy 7 days ago? • I bought a product A3040FJ last week but it was the wrong size. Do you have the A304FB in stock? Rob Novis 2015

Be careful when they talk about more than one time.

• What time will the two friends meet?

A: Would you like to go to the cinema?

• B:Yes, I finish work at 5:30pm, then I could

take a bus at 5:45pm and we could meet at 6pm.

• A: Sounds great! Rob Novis 2015

Unless

• I won’t purchase the car unless it comes with insurance.

• Does the person want the car with insurance?

• Unless indicates if not so maybe the

opposite meaning could be understood Rob Novis 2015

listen for agreement • usually you can find the correct answer is when the two speakers agree about something. Rob Novis 2015