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Terry75 Posted 14 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
How can I improve my listening comprehension (advanced learner)
Hi,
It is my first post on this forum!
This is about my English comprehension and how to improve it.
I have spent more than 5 years in English speaking countries and my English is pretty good now. I understand most of what's going on around me. Also I have no trouble understanding most of TV dramas, movies, news etc. as long as I know the expressions used there, meaning I can dictate/tell what's been said though sometimes I don't know what it means.
However, I still have several problems.
*When there is background noise, or listening on the phone
*the beginning of a sentence, when the speaker talks to me all of a sudden and quickly
(e.g. a speaker says "when are you going again?" quickly and I can't tell if the speaker said "when" or "where")
*Unclear, little voice, a lot of reductions etc.
Yes, I know that sometimes native speakers have trouble understand what the other person said in these situations too.
(I get relieved when a native speaker says "What did you say?" to the speaker
)
However in a lot of cases native speakers understand it when I don't.(Of course it's fair, but...)
So There are times when I can't follow the conversation because of these reasons.
Say, I can't hear the conversation because of the background noise, but native speakers keep on going.
To just let you know I don't have that problem in my native language(Japanese) and my hearing itself has no issues (recently been checked up as well).
So I want to do something about it. But I don't know how to "improve" or "train." my English comprehension at this level.
Say, if I use a text book with a CD or something for listening comprehension, they are usually TOO easy for me.As I said I usually have no trouble understanding movies and etc(with standard American accents) when the voice is clear.I know most reduction pattens in English and using textbooks for this would be too boring and easy.
So I'm wondering what I can use or do to improve this. By the way I live with a native speaker and I go to school so I have enough "opportunity" to listen to natural English. But I want to do some intensive training or something like that.
Maybe listening to English with the little volume level on the speakers would help?
Does anyone have the same issues?
Do you have any ideas?
Thanks!
It is my first post on this forum!
This is about my English comprehension and how to improve it.
I have spent more than 5 years in English speaking countries and my English is pretty good now. I understand most of what's going on around me. Also I have no trouble understanding most of TV dramas, movies, news etc. as long as I know the expressions used there, meaning I can dictate/tell what's been said though sometimes I don't know what it means.
However, I still have several problems.
*When there is background noise, or listening on the phone
*the beginning of a sentence, when the speaker talks to me all of a sudden and quickly
(e.g. a speaker says "when are you going again?" quickly and I can't tell if the speaker said "when" or "where")
*Unclear, little voice, a lot of reductions etc.
Yes, I know that sometimes native speakers have trouble understand what the other person said in these situations too.
(I get relieved when a native speaker says "What did you say?" to the speaker
)However in a lot of cases native speakers understand it when I don't.(Of course it's fair, but...)
So There are times when I can't follow the conversation because of these reasons.
Say, I can't hear the conversation because of the background noise, but native speakers keep on going.
To just let you know I don't have that problem in my native language(Japanese) and my hearing itself has no issues (recently been checked up as well).
So I want to do something about it. But I don't know how to "improve" or "train." my English comprehension at this level.
Say, if I use a text book with a CD or something for listening comprehension, they are usually TOO easy for me.As I said I usually have no trouble understanding movies and etc(with standard American accents) when the voice is clear.I know most reduction pattens in English and using textbooks for this would be too boring and easy.
So I'm wondering what I can use or do to improve this. By the way I live with a native speaker and I go to school so I have enough "opportunity" to listen to natural English. But I want to do some intensive training or something like that.
Maybe listening to English with the little volume level on the speakers would help?
Does anyone have the same issues?
Do you have any ideas?
Thanks!
Top answer
Your English is excellent judging from your post :-) It's very common for native speakers not to hear properly when someone first says something. Nothing unusual about it. " and the person you're talking to will repeat it.
- Your English is excellent judging from your post :-) It's very common for native speakers not to hear properly when someone first says something.
- Nothing unusual about it.
- " and the person you're talking to will repeat it.
- Quite often, you won't hear the first word or two, but can guess what it was from the rest of the sentence.
- Native speakers will normally repeat any word they didn't hear properly.
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1 Answers
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Your English is excellent judging from your post :-)
It's very common for native speakers not to hear properly when someone first says something. Nothing unusual about it. Just say "Sorry?" and the person you're talking to will repeat it.
Quite often, you won't hear the first word or two, but can guess what it was from the rest of the sentence. Native speakers will normally re
It's very common for native speakers not to hear properly when someone first says something. Nothing unusual about it. Just say "Sorry?" and the person you're talking to will repeat it.
Quite often, you won't hear the first word or two, but can guess what it was from the rest of the sentence. Native speakers will normally re
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