22 original questions in the Aptis ESOL General Listening format: all four parts, with transcripts and explained answers. In the test you can hear each recording twice. Here part 1 has ten questions and, in part 2, each speaker has four options.
All names, places, dates and prices are invented for practice. FreeExamPath is independent and not affiliated with the British Council. These exercises are not official Aptis material, and your result is a practice estimate, not an Aptis score. The recordings are read by your browser's voice; the real test uses human speakers.
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Listen to each short recording and choose the correct answer. In the exam you can listen twice.
You hear a phone message from a dental clinic.
Hello, this is Clara from Bayview Dental Clinic. I'm calling about your appointment on Thursday. I'm afraid the dentist is ill that day, so we've moved you to Friday at the same time, a quarter past ten. If that's a problem, please call us back before Wednesday.
Correct answer: C — Friday at 10.15
Why? The appointment moves from Thursday to Friday at the same time, a quarter past ten (10.15).
You hear a woman leaving a message for a friend.
Hi Tom, it's Ana. My phone's broken, so I'm using my sister's. Can you call me back on this number? It's oh seven nine double four, six two one, three eight five. Thanks!
Correct answer: A — 07944 621 385
Why? 'Double four' means 44, and the next group is six two one: 07944 621 385.
You hear two friends arranging to meet.
Man: Shall we meet outside the cinema?
Woman: It'll be really crowded there on a Saturday. What about the bookshop opposite? We can wait inside if it rains.
Man: Good idea. See you there at seven.
Correct answer: A — at the bookshop
Why? The man suggests the cinema, but the woman suggests the bookshop opposite and he agrees: 'Good idea.'
You hear an announcement at a museum.
Welcome to the City Museum. Tickets are twelve euros for adults. Students pay half price, and children under six go in free. The café on the ground floor is open until five.
Correct answer: A — €6
Why? Adults pay twelve euros and students pay half price, so a student ticket costs six euros.
You hear an announcement at a railway station.
This is an announcement for passengers travelling to Leeds. The train which was due to leave at ten past four will now leave at four thirty from platform two. We apologise for the delay.
Correct answer: B — 4.30
Why? The train was due at ten past four (4.10) but will now leave at four thirty (4.30). 'Two' is the platform.
You hear a woman asking about a swimming pool.
Woman: Is the swimming pool open on Mondays?
Man: No, I'm afraid it's closed on Mondays for cleaning. On Tuesday mornings it's only open for school groups, but from two o'clock anyone can swim.
Correct answer: A — for cleaning
Why? The man says the pool is closed on Mondays for cleaning. School groups use it on Tuesday mornings.
You hear a man leaving a message for his family.
Hi, it's me. I'm going to be late for dinner, because my meeting's running over. Don't wait for me, just start eating. I should be home by nine.
Correct answer: A — start dinner without him
Why? He says 'Don't wait for me, just start eating'. Nine is only when he expects to get home.
You hear a woman talking to a shop assistant.
Woman: I'd like to return these shoes. They're too small.
Man: Of course. Would you like a bigger size or your money back?
Woman: Actually, I'd prefer to swap them for the brown boots I saw in the window.
Correct answer: B — to change the shoes for some boots
Why? The assistant offers a bigger size or a refund, but she prefers to swap the shoes for the brown boots.
You hear a weather forecast on the radio.
Tomorrow will start cloudy, but the clouds should clear by lunchtime, giving a sunny afternoon. Rain will then arrive from the west in the evening, so take an umbrella if you are going out tomorrow night.
Correct answer: A — sunny
Why? The morning is cloudy, the afternoon is sunny and the rain comes in the evening.
You hear a message from a company's human resources department.
Hello, this is Jenny from the human resources department. Your new staff card is ready. You can collect it from the reception on the third floor at any time before five. Please bring your old card with you.
Correct answer: C — at the reception on the third floor
Why? Jenny works in human resources, but the card is collected at the reception on the third floor.
Four people talk about the same topic. For each speaker, choose the sentence that matches what they say. In the exam the four speakers share one list of six sentences.
Speaker 1: four people talk about learning a new skill as an adult.
I'd never thought about learning sign language until my company opened a new office where two of my colleagues are deaf. My manager suggested a course and the company paid for it, and now I can have proper conversations with them at work. It took me about a year, but it was worth every hour.
Correct answer: D — started because of their job
Why? He learnt sign language because of deaf colleagues at work, and his company paid for the course.
Speaker 2: four people talk about learning a new skill as an adult.
I took up the piano at forty-five. I'd played the guitar as a teenager, so I assumed it would be easy, but co-ordinating both hands was a real struggle. Some weeks I practised every evening and still couldn't play a simple tune. I'm getting there slowly, though.
Correct answer: D — found it harder than expected
Why? She thought the piano would be easy because she had played the guitar, but it was a real struggle.
Speaker 3: four people talk about learning a new skill as an adult.
When I moved to a new city, I didn't know anyone, so I joined a beginners' climbing class at the local sports centre. I'm still not very good at it, to be honest, but the people in the group are great. We go for dinner after every session, and two of them are now my closest friends.
Correct answer: B — has made new friends through it
Why? Two people from the climbing group are now his closest friends.
Speaker 4: four people talk about learning a new skill as an adult.
My daughter was the one who kept telling me to learn to swim properly. She works as a lifeguard, and she said it wasn't safe for me to go on holiday by the sea if I could only do a few strokes. In the end I booked lessons, mainly to stop her worrying.
Correct answer: C — was persuaded by a family member
Why? Her daughter kept telling her to learn to swim, and she booked lessons to stop her worrying. The daughter's job is not her own job.
Listen to a man and a woman. For each opinion, decide who expresses it: the man, the woman or both.
You hear a man and a woman talking about a street that has been closed to cars.
Woman: Have you been down the high street since they closed it to cars?
Man: Yes, on Saturday. I have to say, I thought I'd hate it, but it's so much more pleasant to walk around now. You can actually hear people talking.
Woman: I agree, it's much nicer to walk there now. But I'm worried about the small shops. My friend runs the bakery, and she says fewer people are coming in because they can't park outside.
Man: Hmm, I'm not sure that's true for everyone. The café next to the bank was packed when I went past.
Woman: Maybe. The other thing is that older people find it hard to get there now. The nearest bus stop is quite far away, so they really need to make it easier to get there by bus.
Man: That's a fair point. The council should really move the bus stop closer. But overall, I think closing the street was the right decision.
Woman: I'm not convinced yet. Let's see how things look in a year.
Correct answer: C — both
Why? The man says it is 'so much more pleasant' and the woman agrees: 'it's much nicer'.
Correct answer: B — the woman
Why? The woman says the bakery has fewer customers. The man is not sure and mentions a busy café.
Correct answer: C — both
Why? The woman says it should be easier to get there by bus, and the man agrees the council should move it closer.
Correct answer: A — the man
Why? The man thinks it was the right decision; the woman says she is not convinced yet.
Listen to two longer monologues and answer two questions about each one.
You hear a woman talking about giving up her car.
Two years ago I sold my car. At the time, everyone thought I was mad, because I live in a village and the nearest supermarket is eight kilometres away. I won't pretend it's always easy. In winter, waiting for a bus in the rain is no fun at all, and I've had to say no to a few invitations because I couldn't get home late at night. But honestly, I don't regret it for a moment. I'm fitter than I've ever been, because I cycle almost everywhere, and I've saved a lot of money on fuel and repairs. What surprised me most, though, was how much I enjoy the journeys now. On the bus I read or chat to neighbours, which I never did when I was stuck in traffic on my own.
Correct answer: A — She has no regrets about it.
Why? She admits some problems, but says 'I don't regret it for a moment'.
Correct answer: B — how much she enjoys travelling now
Why? She mentions money and fitness, but what surprised her most was enjoying the journeys.
You hear a teacher talking about homework.
People often ask me whether children get too much homework. My answer usually disappoints them, because I don't think the amount is the real problem. What matters is what the homework asks children to do. Copying out twenty sentences teaches very little, however long it takes. On the other hand, a short task where pupils interview a grandparent about their childhood can lead to some of the best work I see all year. So when parents complain, I tell them to look less at the clock and more at the task itself. That said, I do think schools should agree on a limit, because pupils with five teachers can end up with five big projects in the same week, and that isn't fair on anyone.
Correct answer: B — The type of homework matters more than the amount.
Why? He says the amount is not the real problem: what matters is what the homework asks children to do.
Correct answer: C — agree on a limit for homework
Why? He wants schools to agree on a limit so that pupils do not get several big projects in the same week.