Listening Practice Sets: From Slow Clarity to Natural Speed

How to Use These Practice Sets (Three Speeds, One Message)

Each practice set below uses the same message in three versions: Clear/Slow (careful pronunciation), Normal (everyday speech), and Fast (more reductions and tighter linking). Your job is to train your ear to recognize the same meaning even when the sound changes.

Step-by-step routine (repeat for each set)

• Step 1 — Word recognition: Listen to the Clear/Slow version and write down key words (nouns, verbs, numbers, times).
• Step 2 — Phrase recognition: Listen to the Normal version and mark where words “stick together” (you may hear fewer word boundaries).
• Step 3 — Full meaning: Listen to the Fast version and answer the guided questions without trying to transcribe every word.
• Step 4 — Compare: Check the answer key and match your mistakes to a specific connected-speech feature (weak form, linking, reduction, assimilation, flap, etc.).

Tip: Use the scripts like a lab. Don’t “study” them first. Try listening first, then read to confirm.

Practice Set 1 — Scheduling: “Can you…” + weak forms + time phrases

Goal focus

• Weak forms in can you, to, at
• Time phrases compressing: at about, around
• Linking across word boundaries: send it, to me

Clear/Slow script

Can you send it to me by Friday? I need it at about three.

Natural connected-speech version (Normal)

Can you send it t’me by Friday? I need it at about three.

Natural connected-speech version (Fast)

Can ya send it t’me by Friday? I need it d’bout three.

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Tasks

A) Word recognition (Clear/Slow)

• Circle the deadline word: Friday / three / need
• Write the number you hear: ____

B) Phrase recognition (Normal)

• How many words do you hear in send it to me? Choose: 4 / 3 / 2
• Underline the part that sounds like one chunk: at about three

C) Full-sentence meaning (Fast)

• What is the request?
• When is it needed?
• Is the speaker asking or telling?

Practice Set 2 — Quick change of plan: “going to” + pronouns + “for a”

Goal focus

• Reduced going to (often heard as gonna)
• Pronoun reduction: you → ya in fast speech
• for a compressing into a single beat

Clear/Slow script

I am going to call you after lunch for a quick update.

Natural connected-speech version (Normal)

I’m gonna call you after lunch for a quick update.

Natural connected-speech version (Fast)

I’m gonna call ya after lunch fer a quick update.

Tasks

A) Word recognition (Clear/Slow)

• What action will happen? (verb): ________
• When will it happen? (time phrase): ________

B) Phrase recognition (Normal)

• Which phrase signals a plan/intention? Choose: I’m / gonna / after
• Mark the chunk boundaries with slashes: I’m gonna call you / after lunch / for a quick update

C) Full-sentence meaning (Fast)

• Who will contact whom?
• What is the purpose of the call?
• Is the update long or short?

Practice Set 3 — Problem + solution: “did you” + “want to” + “let me”

Goal focus

• did you compressing (often heard like didja)
• want to reducing (often heard like wanna)
• let me compressing (often heard like lemme)

Clear/Slow script

Did you want to meet today, or should I reschedule? Let me know.

Natural connected-speech version (Normal)

Did you wanna meet today, or should I reschedule? Let me know.

Natural connected-speech version (Fast)

Didja wanna meet today, or should I reschedule? Lemme know.

Tasks

A) Word recognition (Clear/Slow)

• Write the two options you hear (A/B): A) ________ B) ________

B) Phrase recognition (Normal)

• Which phrase sounds most “compressed”?
• Choose what you hear: did you / didja and want to / wanna

C) Full-sentence meaning (Fast)

• Is the speaker confirming a plan or canceling it?
• What does the speaker want the listener to do next?

Practice Set 4 — Directions: “turn” + “next to” + consonant clusters

Goal focus

• Linking in direction phrases: turn left at, next to
• Consonant clusters simplifying in fast speech (some sounds become less clear)
• Stress on key content words (street/place words stay clearer than function words)

Clear/Slow script

Turn left at the next light. It’s next to the bank.

Natural connected-speech version (Normal)

Turn left at the next light. It’s next to the bank.

Natural connected-speech version (Fast)

Turn left at the nex’ light. It’s nex(t) t’ the bank.

Tasks

A) Word recognition (Clear/Slow)

• Which direction? left / right
• Which landmark? bank / park

B) Phrase recognition (Normal)

• Underline the location phrase: next to the bank
• How many beats do you hear in at the next light? Choose: 4 / 3 / 2

C) Full-sentence meaning (Fast)

• What should you do first?
• Where is “it” located?

Practice Set 5 — Small talk: “kind of” + “a bit” + vague language

Goal focus

• Reduced kind of (often heard like kinda)
• Weak form in a and compression in a bit
• Meaning from tone + key adjectives (even if small words disappear)

Clear/Slow script

I’m kind of tired. I slept a bit, but not much.

Natural connected-speech version (Normal)

I’m kinda tired. I slept a bit, but not much.

Natural connected-speech version (Fast)

I’m kinda tired. I slept a bit, b’t not much.

Tasks

A) Word recognition (Clear/Slow)

• What feeling word do you hear? ________
• Did the speaker sleep a lot? yes / no

B) Phrase recognition (Normal)

• Choose what you hear: kind of / kinda
• Underline the contrast word: but

C) Full-sentence meaning (Fast)

• Why is the speaker tired?
• What is the main message: “I slept” or “I didn’t sleep enough”?

Answer Key + What Caused the Difficulty

Set 1 Answers

• A: Deadline = Friday. Number = three.
• B: Many learners hear send it to me as 3 or even 2 chunks because it to links and to weakens (often like t’).
• C: Request: Send it to me. Needed: by Friday, around 3:00. It’s an asking sentence (question form).
• Difficulty source: Weak forms (to, at) and compression in at about (fast version d’bout), plus linking in send it.

Set 2 Answers

• A: Action = call. Time phrase = after lunch.
• B: Plan/intention signal = gonna (reduced going to). Chunking: I’m gonna call you / after lunch / for a quick update.
• C: I will contact you. Purpose: a quick update. It’s short.
• Difficulty source: Reduction of going to → gonna; pronoun weakening you → ya; compression of for a (fast version written as fer a).

Set 3 Answers

• A: Option A = meet today. Option B = reschedule.
• B: Most compressed phrases: did you → didja, want to → wanna, let me → lemme.
• C: The speaker is confirming whether today still works and offering to change the plan. Next action: listener should reply/confirm (“let me know”).
• Difficulty source: Multiple reductions in one sentence create a “blur” at the start (Didja wanna…). Learners often miss the question structure because the function words are compressed.

Set 4 Answers

• A: Direction = left. Landmark = bank.
• B: Location phrase = next to the bank. Beats in at the next light: often heard as 3 in normal speech because at the compresses.
• C: First action: Turn left at the next light. Location: next to the bank.
• Difficulty source: Cluster simplification in next (fast version nex’) and linking across next to (may sound like one unit). Learners may search for a clear t that isn’t fully released.

Set 5 Answers

• A: Feeling word = tired. Slept a lot? No.
• B: You hear kinda. Contrast word = but.
• C: Reason: not enough sleep. Main message: I didn’t sleep enough (the second clause carries the key meaning).
• Difficulty source: Reduction kind of → kinda; compression of a bit; weakening of but (fast version b’t) can hide the contrast, so learners miss the “not much” meaning.

Optional Replay Drills (Quick, Focused)

Drill 1: “Same meaning” check

• Listen to Clear/Slow once, then Fast twice.
• Say (out loud) the meaning in your own words in one sentence.

Drill 2: Chunk shadowing

• Play the Normal version.
• Pause after each chunk (e.g., I’m gonna call ya) and repeat only that chunk, matching rhythm.

Drill 3: Feature hunt

• On the Fast version, identify one feature you hear (e.g., gonna, didja, dropped/released consonant in next).
• Write it as a pair: careful form → fast form (example: did you → didja).