Module 2 · Use of English Core · Lesson 07
Listening Part 1
Listening Part 1. 8 short extracts, one question each, played twice. Predict, spot the trap, confirm on the second listening.
Get talking · Section 1
5 minTell your partner one thing that happened to you yesterday in exactly 30 seconds. Notice — that's the length of one Listening Part 1 extract.
Question: 'What is the woman complaining about?' List 6 words you would expect to HEAR if the answer is 'noisy neighbours'. Compare with your partner.
When you last did a listening test, did you ever change a correct answer to a wrong one on the second listening? Why?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minThe predict-listen-confirm cycle
Every Part 1 extract follows the same 3-beat cycle. BEFORE the audio (15 seconds): read the QUESTION (not the options yet) and predict the kind of language you will hear. DURING the first listen: lock onto the question word (Why? How? Where?). Listen for the SPEAKER'S FEELING / OPINION, not the topic.
Examples
→ Question: 'How does the man feel about his new job?' → Listen for FEELING words: pleased / disappointed / relieved.
→ Question: 'What are the speakers mainly discussing?' → Listen for the OVERALL topic, not the example they give.
→ Question: 'Why didn't she go to the concert?' → Listen for the REAL reason — the speaker often gives a fake excuse first.
→ Trap: an option that quotes an exact word from the audio but in the wrong context.
→ Trap: an option that gives the OPINION OF THE OTHER speaker, not the one the question asks about.
Question 1.How many extracts in FCE Listening Part 1?
Question 2.How many times do you hear each extract?
Question 3.What should you do BEFORE the audio starts?
Question 4.A common distractor trap is…
Question 5.If the question asks 'How does she FEEL?', listen for…
Quick check 1.How long is each Part 1 extract?
Quick check 2.On the second listening you should…
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
to be over the moon
extremely happy: 'She was over the moon about the news.'
to be gutted
very disappointed (informal): 'I was gutted when the trip was cancelled.'
to be relieved
to feel calm after worry: 'I'm relieved it's over.'
to have mixed feelings
to feel two things at once: 'I have mixed feelings about moving.'
to put up with
to tolerate: 'I can't put up with the noise.'
to be in two minds
undecided: 'I'm in two minds about it.'
frankly
honestly (signals real opinion): 'Frankly, I wasn't impressed.'
to be honest
discourse marker signalling the real opinion: 'To be honest, I'd rather stay in.'
as a matter of fact
actually (often introduces the real answer after a fake one).
what I really mean is
self-correction marker — the next words are the answer.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minStress on attitude words
Say it aloud
- • I was actually quite RELIEVED. (stress on RELIEVED → answer = relieved, not happy)
- • It wasn't BAD, just… DISappointing. (stress shows attitude)
- • Honestly? I LOVED it. (stress on LOVED → strong positive)
- • I'm in TWO minds, really. (stress on TWO → answer = undecided)
- • It was, FRANKly, a waste of time. (stress on FRANK → real opinion coming)
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhy candidates lose marks on Part 1
Read the passageTap to openTap to hide
Part 1 is the part candidates feel most confident about and most often underperform on. The reason is almost always the same: they listen for keyword matches instead of meaning. An option says 'noisy neighbours'; the audio mentions 'noisy neighbours'; the candidate ticks it — only to discover later that the speaker said 'noisy neighbours USED to be the problem, but actually the real issue now is the traffic'. Reading the option felt like a match. Listening properly would have caught the 'used to be' and the 'actually'.
The second mistake is changing a correct answer on the second listening. Candidates panic when the second listening doesn't repeat the exact words they remember, and they switch to a distractor that uses more familiar words. The remedy is simple but counter-intuitive: trust your first read of meaning, and use the second listening to ELIMINATE the other options, not to re-answer from scratch.
The third mistake is forgetting that Part 1 asks about a SPECIFIC speaker or moment. 'How does the WOMAN feel?' is not 'how does the conversation go?'. 'WHY did she cancel?' is not 'what did she plan to do?'. Read the question wording slowly. The questions are written to lead you to the answer if you respect the exact words.
Question 1.The most common Part 1 mistake is…
Question 2.What should the second listening be used for?
Question 3.Why is 'How does the woman feel?' different from 'How does the conversation go?'?
Q1.Hearing the same words as an option always means it is the answer.
Q2.The second listening is best used to rule out distractors.
Q3.It is safe to change a confident answer on the second listening.
Q4.Part 1 questions usually focus on one speaker's attitude or reason.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minTwo students debrief a Part-1 task (about 2:00)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Drag the timeline to jump anywhere.
Show transcript
Sara:Extract 2 caught me. The question was 'Why is the man late?' and I ticked 'traffic'.
Leo:Same. But he said 'There was a lot of traffic, but actually I left late because my alarm didn't go off.'
Sara:'Actually' was the signal — and I missed it.
Leo:Same trap on extract 5. Question: 'How does the woman feel about the new job?' She said 'I was excited at first, but to be honest I'm a bit disappointed now.'
Sara:And 'excited' was option A — pure distractor.
Leo:Right. The answer was C, 'disappointed'. 'To be honest' was the signal.
Sara:I keep ticking the first option that matches a word from the audio. I need to wait for the whole sentence.
Leo:And for the signal phrases: 'actually', 'to be honest', 'in fact', 'mind you', 'what I really mean is'. They almost always introduce the real answer.
Sara:What's your routine now?
Leo:Predict before the audio, listen for meaning the first time, eliminate on the second. Sounds slow, but it's actually faster than guessing twice.
Question 1.Why did Sara's 'traffic' answer fail?
Question 2.Which signal phrase comes BEFORE the real attitude in extract 5?
Question 3.Leo's recommended routine is…
Question 4.Signal phrases include all EXCEPT…
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minListening Part 1 — the 3-beat cycle
Your task
Before audio: read the QUESTION only. Predict feeling / reason. During listen 1: catch meaning + signal phrases. During listen 2: ELIMINATE the two distractors.
Example
Question: 'Why is the man worried about the trip?' Options: A money, B weather, C accommodation. He says: 'The weather looks fine, the hotel is booked, but to be honest, I haven't budgeted properly.' Signal = 'to be honest' → answer = A (money).
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I was excited at first, but ___ I'm a bit disappointed now.
Question 2.The traffic was bad, but ___ I left late because my alarm didn't go off.
Question 3.It's not so much expensive ___ overpriced.
Question 4.What I ___ mean is, I'd rather stay in.
Question 5.I'm in two ___ about taking the job.
Question 6.Mind ___ , the food was excellent.
Q1.Signal phrase (2 words) for honest opinion: 'To be ___ , I didn't enjoy it.'
Q2.Idiom for very disappointed: 'I was completely ___ when they cancelled.'
Q3.Idiom for extremely happy: 'She was over the ___ .'
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Mini-task. Write 3 mini-dialogues (2 lines each) where the second speaker uses a SIGNAL PHRASE ('actually', 'to be honest', 'what I really mean is') to give an opinion that DIFFERS from the first speaker's expectation.
Show model answer
A: You loved the concert, right? B: Actually, to be honest, I was a bit bored. A: So you're moving to London? B: Well — what I really mean is, I might. A: Great weather today! B: Mmm, I don't mind it, but actually I prefer rain.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Roleplay
ROLEPLAY — Distractor trap interview. Student A asks 'How did you feel about [a recent event]?' Student B must answer in TWO sentences: the first gives a FAKE feeling, the second uses a signal phrase ('actually', 'to be honest', 'in fact') to reveal the REAL feeling. Swap. Trains both producing AND noticing signal phrases.
Useful phrases
- • Actually, to be honest, I was a bit gutted.
- • In fact, what I really mean is, I'd rather not have gone.
- • Mind you, the company was lovely.
- • It's not so much the food as the prices.
- • I'm in two minds about it, frankly.
- • I was over the moon — and then a bit relieved when it was over.
Teacher notes
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Two short extensions that train the predict and eliminate reflexes. ~16 min total
FCE Exam Practice · Section 11
20–30 minReal FCE tasks
Three authentic Part-1 short extracts. Each plays twice in the real exam. Read the question, predict, then 'play' the script in your head and answer. Target time: 6 minutes total.
Extract 1
Extract 1 — You hear a woman talking about a recent holiday.
Extract 1
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Show transcript
Woman: Everyone keeps asking if I had a good time, and on paper, yes — the hotel was lovely, the food was excellent, the weather behaved itself. But actually, to be honest, I came back more tired than when I left. There was just so much to do every day. Next time I want a holiday where the most exciting decision is which book to read by the pool.
How does the woman feel about her holiday?
Extract 2
Extract 2 — You hear two friends discussing a film.
Extract 2
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Man: So — what did you think?
Woman: Honestly? The acting was brilliant, the photography was stunning, but the story… I don't know. It just didn't go anywhere. I kept waiting for something to happen, and then the credits rolled. Mind you, I'd still recommend it for the visuals alone.
What is the woman's main criticism of the film?
Extract 3
Extract 3 — You hear a student talking about an exam.
Extract 3
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Student: When I came out, I was honestly convinced I'd failed. The Use of English part went badly, I rushed the writing, and I forgot half the linkers I'd memorised. So when I got the email, I just stared at it. A pass — by quite a margin, actually. What I really mean is, my preparation was probably better than I'd given myself credit for.
How does the student feel about the result?
Homework · Section 12
Take-homeTake it home
Listening for attitude — read & answer
Read the transcript aloud (or ask a partner to). Then answer the questions.
Transcript (read aloud)
INTERVIEWER: So, Sam, how did the move to Lisbon go? SAM: Yeah, in theory it was fantastic — new job, new city, great weather. To be honest, though, the first three months were a real struggle. I mean, my Portuguese was, well, let's say 'creative', and I underestimated how lonely it can feel when you don't have your usual coffee mates around. INTERVIEWER: So you regret it? SAM: No, actually — quite the opposite. Things have really picked up since I joined a local running club. If anything, I'd say I'm happier now than I've been in years.
Questions
- 1) What is Sam's overall feeling about the move? A) regretful B) ultimately positive C) neutral
- 2) Which phrase signals that Sam is about to be honest about a negative point?
- 3) Which phrase signals a turning point / contrast?
- 4) How does Sam describe his Portuguese, and why is the phrasing important?
Feeling idioms — match to the situation
Match each idiom (1–10) to the best situation (A–J).
Items
- 1) over the moon
- 2) gutted
- 3) in two minds
- 4) fed up
- 5) relieved
- 6) thrilled
- 7) let down
- 8) frustrated
- 9) on cloud nine
- 10) at the end of my tether
Meanings
- A) Your team just lost in the final.
- B) Your printer has jammed for the third time today.
- C) You just got a promotion you didn't expect.
- D) The test results came back negative.
- E) Your friend cancelled on you again.
- F) You can't decide whether to take the job in Berlin.
- G) You've just got engaged.
- H) Your housemate has left dishes in the sink for the tenth day.
- I) You won front-row concert tickets.
- J) Your alarm hasn't gone off and you're already 40 minutes late.
Listening Part 1 — short extract (one item)
Read the extract aloud or in pairs. Choose A, B or C.
Transcript (read aloud)
You hear two friends talking about a film they have just seen. MAN: So? What did you make of it? WOMAN: Honestly? I really wanted to love it. The cinematography was stunning, and the soundtrack… wow. But the story? It just sort of… didn't go anywhere. I came out feeling a bit cheated, to be honest. MAN: Yeah, I see what you mean. Beautiful but empty.
- The woman feels the film was:
- A) brilliant in every respect
- B) visually impressive but disappointing overall
- C) badly made from start to finish
30-second attitude monologue
Record yourself answering the question below. Use ≥ 2 signal phrases.
Target 25–35 seconds. Use at least TWO of: actually · to be honest · in fact · if anything · the thing is · in theory.
Recap · Section 13
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- FCE Listening Part 1: 8 short extracts (~30 sec); heard TWICE; one MCQ each.
- Predict-listen-confirm: predict before, meaning on listen 1, eliminate on listen 2.
- Distractors quote exact words from the audio in the wrong context — beware keyword matching.
- Signal phrases ('actually', 'to be honest', 'in fact', 'mind you') almost always precede the real answer.
- Trust your first reading of meaning; only switch if you can NAME the new reason aloud.