Spelling, plurals and numbers in Listening
Spelling is marked, and it is marked strictly
- A correct answer spelled wrong scores zero. There is no half mark for nearly.
- Both standard spellings are accepted: organise / organize, centre / center, colour / color, programme / program. Pick one and be consistent.
- Useful words to practise under time pressure include: Wednesday, February, accommodation, restaurant, library, receipt, necessary, beginning.
- Practise writing them while listening to something else. Spelling under load is a different skill from spelling in a quiet room.
“Almost” is a lovely word, but it is not an accepted spelling.
The recording says 'organise'. You write 'organize'. What happens?
British and American spellings are both accepted. There are no half marks anywhere in Listening — an answer is right or it is not.
Plurals are worth a deliberate check
- If the recording says two tickets, then ticket is wrong.
- A quiet final -s can be easy to miss in connected speech, whatever your first language. Check both the recording and the grammar around the gap.
- Copy the grammar of the gap. The museum has three ______ needs a plural whether you heard the -s or not.
- A ______ is provided needs a singular. The words around the gap tell you.
- Check the singular or plural form of each completion answer in the time available for checking.
The recording says 'you will need two forms of identification'. The gap reads 'Bring two ______ of ID.' What do you write?
'Two' forces the plural. Copy the grammar of the gap even when you did not hear the -s clearly.
Numbers: contrasts worth practising
- -teen and -ty. Thirteen stresses the second syllable, thirty the first. Say them aloud until you hear the difference.
- Double. Double seven is 77. Oh is zero in a phone number.
- Dates may be spoken in several ways. Write an unambiguous form that fits the instructions; the twenty-first identifies day 21.
- Money: six pounds fifty is £6.50, not £650.
- Decimals: nought point five and zero point five are both 0.5.
- Digits are often quicker for numbers, but follow the particular question's instructions.
Which word puts the stress on the SECOND syllable?
In isolation, thirTEEN normally stresses the second syllable and THIRty the first. Practise the contrast in short sentences too.
The recording says 'six pounds fifty'. Write the amount in pence.
£6.50 — six pounds and fifty pence, which is 650 pence. Written as an amount of pounds it is 6.50, never 650.
Letters, when a name is spelled out
- A name may be spelled out in Part 1. Write each letter as it comes instead of trying to store the whole sequence in memory.
- Test which letter pairs you confuse, perhaps G/J, M/N, S/F, or the vowel letters E/I/A; the difficult pairs vary by listener.
- Double letters are said as double L, double S.
- Use conventional capitalisation for names and check the spelling against what was said.
What to do with the 10 minutes
- On paper, an extra 10 minutes is provided to transfer Listening answers. On computer, type answers during the test and use the checking time shown by the interface.
- Check spelling, plurals, word limits and question numbers; these are visible details you can still verify.
- Avoid changing an answer on a hunch. If you notice a definite spelling, grammar or numbering error, correct it.
- Make sure the number on the answer sheet matches the number of the question. A one-line slip costs every answer after it.
In a paper Listening test, which are useful transfer-time checks? Choose all that apply.
Check spelling, number forms and question alignment. Correct a definite error, but do not change an answer on a hunch.