An option is correct only if the speaker finally chooses it. As you listen, give each option one of three labels: suggested, rejected or chosen.
This lesson is part of listening skills. It builds on following changes of mind and corrections, since a decision often follows a change.
How do I track the options?
Write the options from the question on your paper. Beside each one, put a question mark when it is suggested, a cross when it is rejected and a tick when it is chosen.
Only the tick answers the question.
Worked example: choosing a class outing
Question: “Where will the class go?” Options: A the zoo, B the museum, C the beach.
Script (read aloud): “Should we visit the zoo? Ali says the tickets are too expensive. The museum is cheaper, but it is closed on Mondays, and our trip is on Monday.”
“What about the beach? It is free and close to the school, so let’s go with that.”
| Option | What is said | Status |
|---|---|---|
| A zoo | Suggested, then “too expensive” | Rejected |
| B museum | Cheaper, but closed on Monday | Rejected |
| C beach | Free, close, “let’s go with that” | Chosen |
The answer is C the beach. The phrase “let’s go with that” is the signal, and the reasons rule out A and B.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is to choose the first option that matches a word you hear. The zoo is mentioned first, so it feels right.
| Step | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Choice | A, the first mentioned | C, the final decision |
| Evidence | The word “zoo” was heard | “let’s go with that” after the beach |
| Reason | None given | Free and close to school |
The fix is to wait for the decision phrase before you circle anything.
What if no decision phrase is heard?
Some speakers decide without a clear phrase. They simply state the plan: “So we will meet at the beach gate at nine.” That plan is the decision.
Listen for future plans, such as “we will”, “I’ll” and “the plan is”.
Check yourself
Script (read aloud): “I thought about the red bag, but it is too small. The blue bag is large, yet it is heavy. The green one is light and big enough, so I will take that.” Options: red, blue, green. Which bag does the speaker take?
Answer
Green. Red is rejected as too small, blue is rejected as heavy, and “I will take that” is the decision phrase for green.
What to study next
Try all four skills on the listening skills practice set. If you would like a teacher to play discussion clips with you, see online one-to-one English tuition.