How to use the Listening Room
- Learn the key words for the episode (with audio).
- Listen once without the transcript. What did you understand?
- Listen again and read along. The current line lights up.
- Do the quiz, then shadow a few lines and talk about it.
New here? Start with the Beginner episodes and the Slow speed.
Episodes
Beginner episodes
- 1My daily routineabout 2 min · Mel and Josh talk about their mornings, work days and evenings, using simple everyday English.
- 2What did you do on the weekend?about 2 min · The most common Monday question in Australia. Mel and Josh talk about their weekends and practise the past tense.
- 9Going to the GPabout 2 min · Booking an appointment, talking to the receptionist and explaining your symptoms to the doctor.
- 10At the supermarketabout 2 min · Finding things, asking staff for help, specials and the self-serve checkout.
- 11Catching buses, trains and tramsabout 2 min · Tapping on and off, asking which platform, and what to do when your train is delayed.
- 21At the airportabout 2 min · Checking in, bag drop, security and what to say when your flight is delayed.
- 22Checking into a hotelabout 2 min · Checking in, asking about breakfast and Wi-Fi, and politely reporting a problem with your room.
- 23Ordering at a restaurantabout 2 min · Getting a table, ordering food and drinks, asking about allergies and paying the bill.
- 25Booking an appointment by phoneabout 2 min · Phone English for booking, changing and cancelling appointments, plus spelling your name and leaving a message.
- 29Returning something at a shopabout 2 min · How to return or exchange an item, explain the problem and ask for a refund politely.
- 30At the pharmacyabout 2 min · Asking the pharmacist for help, explaining symptoms, and understanding dosage instructions.
- 31Asking for and giving directionsabout 2 min · Stopping someone politely, asking the way, and understanding left, right, straight ahead and landmarks.
- 32Talking about your hobbiesabout 2 min · Talking about free time with natural phrases, giving reasons and examples, and asking follow-up questions.
Intermediate episodes
- 4Your first week at a new jobabout 3 min · Introductions, asking questions, smoko and first names: Mel and Josh share what helps in your first week at an Australian workplace.
- 5Renting your first place in Australiaabout 2 min · Inspections, bond, lease and the questions to ask the agent: the language of renting in Australia.
- 8Making friends in a new cityabout 2 min · Moving somewhere new can be lonely. Mel and Josh share practical ways to meet people, and the English to start conversations.
- 12Chatting at school pickupabout 2 min · Small talk with other parents, playdates, school notes and the language of Australian schools.
- 13Job interviews in Australia: what to expectabout 2 min · Common questions, the STAR method, and how to talk about yourself without sounding too modest or too boastful.
- 16Going to a housewarming partyabout 2 min · What to bring, how to mingle, introducing yourself to strangers and leaving politely.
- 17Money, the bank and savingabout 2 min · Everyday money language: pay day, bills, budgets, scams and talking to your bank.
- 24Job interview: 'Tell me about yourself'about 2 min · How to answer the most common interview question, with a simple three-part plan and useful phrases.
- 26Small talk with a new co-workerabout 2 min · Easy ways to start and keep a friendly conversation at work, and safe topics to talk about.
- 27English for video calls and online meetingsabout 2 min · Joining, interrupting politely, handling tech problems and finishing an online meeting in English.
- 28Renting a flat: the viewingabout 2 min · Questions to ask at a rental viewing, words like bond, lease and bills, and how to follow up.
Why listening practice with transcripts works
Listening while you read helps you connect the sounds of English with the words you already know. After a few listens you'll notice how Australians link words together, shorten them and use everyday expressions. Then try How Aussies really talk to practise fast, natural speech, and the Aussie English decoder for what common phrases really mean.
Teachers and conversation groups are welcome to use the printable worksheets in class.
Frequently asked questions
Is this English listening practice free?
Yes. Every episode, transcript, quiz and worksheet is free, with no sign-up. Your progress is saved only on your own device.
What level are the episodes?
Each episode is marked Beginner (about A1–A2) or Intermediate (about B1–B2). Beginners can use the Slow speed and read the transcript while they listen.
Are these real recordings?
The audio is read by your device's built-in voices, so it works offline and costs nothing. Voices differ between devices, and some sound more natural than others. You can choose an Australian voice: see how to change the voice.
How should I use each episode?
Learn the key words first, listen once without the transcript, listen again while reading, do the quiz, then shadow a few lines and answer the speaking question. About 15 minutes.
Can I print the episodes?
Yes. Press 'Print worksheet' on any episode to print or save a PDF with the vocabulary, questions, transcript and answers. It's great for classes and conversation groups.