How do I know if an answer should be singular or plural in the Listening Test?
It can be difficult to hear whether the answer should be singular or plural in the Listening Test.
It is important to get this right as you will lose points if your answer is not grammatically correct.
Here are some things that can help you decide whether an answer is singular or plural.
- Before you listen:
Knowing the grammar rules can help you to predict whether an answer will be singular or plural.
E.g.
1. There are many ___________ available. (The word many tells us we must be listening for a plural noun)
2. There is a __________ in the middle of the park. (a tells us that a singular noun is required)
If you are not sure about the grammar rules, this article can help:
How can I stop making mistakes with singular, plural and uncountable nouns?
- While you are listening:
Try to write down the answer as you hear it. One reason it can be difficult to tell if a noun is singular plural is because of connected speech.
E.g. There are many 1. ___facilities___ such as a restaurant, playground and car park. (The two letter -s would be connected and sound like one)
This article has a lot of information about how understanding connected speech can help improve your listening:
Native speakers speak too fast. How can I practice catching what they say?
- After you listen:
Remember you will have time to check your answers after you listen, so make sure you go back and check to see if the answer you wrote fits grammatically.
E.g. You wrote:
They both have very different 1. __idea__ about this. (It may have sounded singular when you were listening, but when you are checking your answers you spot the words both and different, which tells you it must be plural so you change your answer to:
They both have very different 1. __ideas__ about this.
