Word of the Day: Listen
The word “listen” is used when a person pays attention to sound. This word is different from the verb “hear.” A person who hears something, could be expecting the sound or not. A person who listens is actively receiving and thinking about the sound.
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
listen
|
listened
|
listened
|
- Do you like to listen to the radio?
- What kind of music do you like to listen to? (The preposition “to” often appears after “listen.”)
- Bill has been listening to a lot of classical music lately.
- Some students don’t listen when the teacher is talking.
- It’s important to listen.
- Were you listening to me?
- I don’t think you were listening.
- Why don’t you listen?
- Vanessa believes she isn’t being listened to by her supervisor.
- Politicians listen to voters before an election.
- Voters are listened to by politicians before there’s an election. (passive voice)
- Are you listening?
- You weren’t even listening. (This sentence is in the past continuous tense.)
- Todd wasn’t listening when the teacher called his name.
- Listen up! I need your attention. (“Listen up” is kind of an expression.)
The word “listening” is a common gerund.
- I enjoy listening to music.
- Listening to people speak English is a good thing to do if you want to learn the language.
- Listening to the reverend’s sermon inspired parishioners to be kinder and more tolerant of others.
A person who listens is called a “listener.”
- Jennifer is a good listener. She always pays attention to her teachers.
- Listeners of the radio program heard a great performance by a talented musician.
- The announcer surprised his listeners with some very sad news.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with L page to see the list of all words starting with letter L. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
