Choose three expressions from one news story

Listen to a news story once to understand what it is about, without stopping the audio at every unfamiliar word. On your second listen, write down three expressions you would like to use or recognize elsewhere. Three is a practical number: it gives you room to record the context for each entry. If a text comes with the recording, use it after listening to find the exact wording. This way, your work on vocabulary and word combinations is based on what was actually said, rather than on an approximate memory of it.

Choose expressions that matter to the story, not necessarily the hardest words. In a story about transport, “a train service” may be more useful for your sheet than a proper name mentioned only once. Write down the whole expression and copy a short sentence containing it. That sentence will help you distinguish how the expression is used in the story from what you first thought it meant. A sheet with a few well-documented entries will be easier to review than a long list without context.

Check the meaning and note words that go together

Before looking in a dictionary, make a guess based on the sentence you heard: who is doing what, what is happening, and which meaning seems to fit? Then check the expression in a dictionary, looking at usage examples and words commonly used with it. Finally, return to the sentence from the news story: which of the suggested meanings fits this particular passage? If you cannot decide, put a question mark on your sheet instead of writing down an uncertain translation as a definite answer.

Set aside one line for a word combination, or collocation, that you can identify in your excerpt. For example, if you hear “heavy rain,” keep those two words together rather than noting only “heavy.” Each entry can fit into four lines: the expression you heard, the sentence from the story, its meaning in that sentence, and a word combination to remember. Check that the combination appears either in the excerpt or in a dictionary example. That way, you can keep track of what the story says and what you discovered while looking it up.

Write your own example, then listen again

Add your own sentence to each entry, separate from the sentence in the report. If your expression is “heavy rain,” you might write: “We stayed home because of heavy rain.” Check that your sentence uses the meaning and word combination you just noted. It does not need to be long: an example connected to a situation you know is enough to try using the expression yourself. Keep the original sentence alongside it so you can compare your use with the one in the story.

Later, play the same story again without looking at your sheet. Whenever you think you recognize an expression, make a simple note: “heard clearly,” “heard but unsure,” or “did not find it.” Then check the text, if one is available, to confirm what you heard. You can also listen for the same expression in another news story, without assuming it will appear there. The main value of this check is to show you which entries need another look or a clearer example on your sheet.

Try this during your next listening session

1. Choose one news story. Listen to it, then note three expressions you actually heard. Use the available text to confirm their exact wording.
2. For each expression, copy the original sentence. Suggest a meaning in context, then check it in a dictionary and note a relevant word combination.
3. Write your own sentence for each expression. Read it alongside the original to check that you are using the words in the same sense.
4. When you listen again later, hide your sheet and try to pick out the three expressions by ear. Then check what you identified and correct your notes if necessary.

Listen with Slow English FM

To try this vocabulary sheet with Slow English FM, listen to a news story on its free live radio in easy English, spoken at a measured pace. The live stream runs continuously, with music breaks; replays also let you return to a particular topic. Transcripts and synchronized text, when available, can help you confirm the expressions you noted. Scripts and voices are generated by AI from cited sources. Sign in to listen, then choose one news story as the starting point for your sheet.

Sources and writing

• A framework for planning a listening skills lesson
• Lexical notebooks or vocabulary cards?
• Using dictionaries
• Learning tips

Guide written with AI assistance and automatically checked against our editorial standards. The exercises are practice suggestions, with no guarantee of results.