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TOP 3 Ways to Improve Your Listening Skills: Advanced English Lesson

Download my free e-book: "5 Steps To Becoming A Confident English Speaker" http://www.speakenglishwithvanessa.com/ebook

Read the full lesson summary

This lesson is for English learners who want a practical plan for understanding spoken English more accurately. Vanessa offers three methods: combine English audio with English subtitles, choose listening material that is understandable but still challenging, and practice dictation. The methods work for different levels and can be adapted to YouTube videos, TED Talks, television, or other audio with reliable captions or transcripts.

First, Vanessa recommends using English subtitles alongside English audio. Listening and reading together can help learners notice individual words and useful sentence patterns. She describes two possible sequences: watch once without subtitles to test what you can hear, then replay with captions; or, if the material feels too difficult, watch with captions first and later try again without them. Both approaches make subtitles an active learning tool rather than something to leave on automatically. She also distinguishes accurate captions from automatic captions, which may contain recognition errors. TED Talks are useful in her example because the transcript can be clicked to jump to a particular point in the video.

The second method is to select material where you understand roughly 70 percent. You should be able to follow the general context, even if some jokes, details, or expressions are unfamiliar. When the material is far above your current comprehension, it can be difficult to notice specific unknown words. If a native-speaker TV show is almost impossible to follow, choose an easier learner video first, then gradually move to more challenging content. The percentage is a practical estimate, not a test score; the goal is to find content that lets you understand the main ideas while still learning something new.

The third method is dictation: listen to a short passage and write exactly what you hear. This directs attention to every word, verb tense, and even punctuation. Vanessa suggests starting with one or two sentences, pausing and replaying as needed, and checking the result against accurate subtitles. Dictation can be demanding, so it does not need to be a daily exercise; occasional practice can show progress. Together, these strategies turn listening into a deliberate routine: choose suitable material, use captions to verify what you hear, and gradually increase the challenge as comprehension improves.

S2.1
Speak English With VanessaAmerican English08:33

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Transcript

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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00

Introducing three ways to improve listening

hi I'm Vanessa from speak englishwith vanessa. let's talk about three ways to improve your listening skills let's get started the first way to improve your listening skills is a little surprising I recommend using subtitles listening in English and reading the subtitles in English these two methods together

Try it: Choose one listening method and plan when you will try it with a short English video.

Phrase cheat sheet

All phrases at a glance

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12 phrases

Showing 12 of 12 phrases

subtitles in English

Introducing three ways to improve listening · expression

Written English text displayed while English speech is playing.

Tone and use: Neutral and descriptive. Use it when referring to on-screen text in the same language as the audio.

May not fit: Do not confuse subtitles with translated captions in another language.

Example“I watch documentaries with subtitles in English.”

test your ears

Introducing three ways to improve listening · expression

Check how much you can understand by listening without reading along.

Tone and use: Conversational and encouraging. Use it as a learning challenge before turning captions on.

May not fit: It is figurative; it does not refer to a medical hearing test.

Example“Try to test your ears before you look at the transcript.”

the opposite way

Combining English listening and reading · expression

Using the reverse order or method from the one just described.

Tone and use: Common conversational phrase. Use it to introduce a reversed sequence or contrasting approach.

May not fit: Make sure the earlier method is clear so the listener knows what is being reversed.

Example“I usually read first; today I’ll try it the opposite way.”

closed captions

Adapting subtitle order to the learner · expression

On-screen text that represents spoken words, often including accessibility captions.

Tone and use: Standard media term. Use it when referring to the CC feature on a video player.

May not fit: Different platforms may use captions for translated subtitles too; check the language setting.

Example“Turn on closed captions if you want to follow the dialogue.”

Auto captions

Using captions and transcripts to review · expression

Captions generated automatically by speech-recognition software.

Tone and use: Common interface label. Use it when identifying captions marked as automatic.

May not fit: Automatic captions can misrecognize words, so verify important language.

Example“The video’s auto captions misspelled the speaker’s name.”

accurate subtitles

Using captions and transcripts to review · expression

Subtitles that closely match what the speaker actually says.

Tone and use: Neutral and practical. Use it when choosing material to study or checking a dictation.

May not fit: Accuracy can vary; compare with the audio if a phrase seems unusual.

Example“I use accurate subtitles to check the sentences I write down.”

understand the general context

Using captions and transcripts to review · expression

Follow the overall situation or main idea without understanding every detail.

Tone and use: Neutral and useful for learning advice. Use it to describe broad comprehension of a story, conversation, or video.

May not fit: It does not mean you understood every word or joke.

Example“I understand the general context, but I missed the names.”

understand about 70%

Using captions and transcripts to review · expression

Comprehend most of the main ideas while some parts remain unclear.

Tone and use: Approximate, practical guideline. Use it as a rough way to choose appropriately challenging study material.

May not fit: It is not a precise measurement or a formal proficiency score.

Example“I understand about 70% of this podcast, so it feels challenging but manageable.”

pick up specific words

Checking whether subtitles are automatic or accurate · expression

Notice and understand particular words while listening.

Tone and use: Everyday phrasal-verb expression. Use pick up when you gradually notice details or learn words from context.

May not fit: It can also mean physically lift something, so context determines the sense.

Example“I picked up a few useful expressions from the interview.”

dictation

Estimating comprehension around 70 percent · expression

An exercise in which you write down words as you hear them spoken.

Tone and use: Standard learning term. Use it for focused listening practice that checks exact wording.

May not fit: It is more demanding than simply summarizing what you heard.

Example“We did a short dictation using a news clip.”

write exactly what they said

Estimating comprehension around 70 percent · expression

Record the speaker’s words as accurately as possible.

Tone and use: Clear instruction. Use it when an exercise requires verbatim listening rather than a summary.

May not fit: Do not paraphrase or correct the speaker if exact transcription is required.

Example“For this activity, write exactly what they said.”

good subtitles

Using dictation to attend to every word · expression

Subtitles reliable enough to verify the words in a video.

Tone and use: Informal, practical description. Use it when selecting a video for dictation or careful listening.

May not fit: “Good” is broad; explain whether you mean accurate, synchronized, or readable when needed.

Example“Choose a video with good subtitles before you start dictation.”

Knowledge check

Practice the phrases you heard

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Use it in a sentence · “subtitles in English”

You want to read the same language you hear. What should you choose?