Getting Around my Town – B1/B2 Listening
What’s transport like where you live?
In this B1/B2 English listening lesson, you will listen to Leo talking about transport in his town. Leo speaks slowly, with a soft, West Midlands (Birmingham) British accent.
After you have listened to Leo’s talk and completed the exercises, read the transcript at the end to check.
Listen and understand
Answer the questions about transport in Leo’s town. Check answers when you have finished all of the questions.
What is Leo’s overall attitude toward transportation in his town?
How does Leo feel about driving in his town?
What does Leo think about public transport like buses and trains?
Why does Leo usually prefer walking to work?
What does Leo say about walking when the weather is bad?
What problem does Leo mention about taking the bus?
What does Leo like most about taking the train?
What is the biggest drawback of train travel, according to Leo?
Train your ear
Listen and complete ONLY the missing words.
There are to get around
It’s easy, free, and relaxing
Walking in the fun
But to be honest, I don’t
Traffic is always so stressful
Dictation and transcript
Listen to the speaker again, and write what you hear. Then check your answers. Pause, replay or restart if you want to.
Words and phrases
Here are some useful words and expressions from the text about transport that you might want to learn and use.
Words
reliable (adj) – working well most of the time
rush hour (n) – the busy time when many people are travelling to or from work
a nightmare (n) – a very difficult or stressful situation
expensive (adj) – costing a lot of money
stressful (adj) – making you feel worried or tense
a downside (n) – a bad part of a situation
ridiculously (adv) – in a way that seems silly or too much
affordable (adj) – not too expensive; easy to pay for
in advance (adv) – before the time something happens
option (n) – a choice or possibility
Phrases
get around – travel within a place or area
to be honest – used before giving your real opinion
it depends on the day – it changes depending on the situation
a different story – a completely different situation
walking in the rain – going on foot when it’s raining
take twice as long – need double the time
public transport – buses, trains, or other shared transport
in a rush – needing to hurry
quite expensive – costing a bit too much
let’s face it – used when saying something true or obvious
get a lift (from someone) – have someone drive you somewhere
book in advance – buy or arrange something before the date
at the end of the day – after everything is considered; in the end
depends on where I’m going – changes depending on the destination
sit back and relax – rest and do nothing while travelling
a different story when it rains – a situation that changes when the weather is bad
Grammar from the transcript
Here are several English grammar patterns that appear in the speaker’s talk.
Comparative patterns
Comparatives and equatives are used to show difference or preference between two things.
- Driving’s definitely quicker than the bus
- not so long that I get tired
- ..it can take twice as long (as ..)
Conditionals (zero)
Leo uses zero conditional patterns to describe likely everyday outcomes if certain things happen:
- If it’s raining, then it’s a different story
- If the traffic’s bad, it can take twice as long
Comment clauses
These short clauses express an opinion or evaluation about what is being said.
- To be honest, it depends on the day
- But to be honest, I don’t use them much
- Let’s face it, traffic is always so stressful = We need to accept this issue
Develop your listening skills further with more A2, B1 and B2 English listening exercises and lessons!
