13 Free Ways to Improve Your Listening Skills Online
Want to improve your listening skills without spending a dime? Well, we’ve got you covered!
We've collected 13 free ways to work on your listening skills online, divided into the following categories:
- Podcasts and radio shows
- News
- Music
- Videos
- Listening exercises
- Pronunciation resources
Podcasts & Radio Shows
1. Podcasts for English learners
There are many podcasts made especially for English learners. The hosts discuss many interesting topics while speaking slowly and explaining difficult vocabulary. Here are a few:
- VOA Learning English Podcasts
- “The English We Speak”
- Podcasts made by the British Council
2. Podcasts about English
Unlike the podcasts above, these are focused on explaining vocabulary, grammar, conversation strategies and more.
3. Podcasts for young English learners
Did you know that there are also podcasts for kids? Many are made with parents in mind as well, so the content is interesting for people of all ages.
Kid-friendly podcasts cover many interesting subjects, like this one on science. There’s also this one, which answers common questions kids ask, like “How is ice cream made?” and “Why do ladybugs have spots?” Other podcasts, like this one, simply tell stories!
4. Radio shows for advanced adult speakers
If you’re already an advanced learner who just needs to keep your listening skills sharp, then jump into the deep end with podcasts and radio shows made for adult native speakers.
Here are a few recommendations:
- NPR
- New York Public Radio
- This American Life
- Overheard at National Geographic
- Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
And don’t forget that you can use Tunein.com to “tune in” (listen) to radio channels from around the world.
News
5. English news from around the world
Most learners have probably heard of the big news channels in the US and the UK. But did you know that other countries have their own English-language news channels?
For example, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, India and Russia all have English-language news channels. See this list for more channels like these from other countries.
These channels allow you to learn more about their respective countries as well as see international events from a different perspective.
Music
6. Listen to songs
Songs are a great way to practice listening. You can play them in the background while you’re commuting, exercising or doing laundry.
To get the most language-learning out of songs, focus on a few at a time. For example, play the same two or three songs every day for a week before moving on to new ones.
To help get you started, check out this post that collects several of our music-focused articles here on the Engoo blog.
7. Fill-in-the-blank lyrics exercises
Doing fill-in-the-blank exercises may not sound fun, but trust us — they feel like games when you do them with songs.
There are a few websites that let you do this:
If you choose totally random songs, you’ll not only practice your listening skills, but also discover new music along the way. 🎶
Videos
8. YouTube
YouTube is a great tool for learning languages. One of the best ways to use it is to follow channels that are related to your interests. For example:
- If you’re interested in cooking, follow Jamie Oliver’s cooking channel.
- If you’re into filmmaking, follow Every Frame a Painting.
- If you like animals and pets, follow The Dodo Site.
Just do a search for “Youtube channels related to (your interest)” and you’ll definitely find something you like!
9. Educational videos
Besides channels related to your interests, we also recommend subscribing to educational channels like The School of Life or TED-ed, especially since channels like these usually have subtitles.
You’ve probably also heard of TED Talks. TED Talks feature experts sharing insights on their field for 18 minutes. The best part is that transcripts can be found underneath the videos with translations into many languages.
And if you like TED Talks, you’ll probably also like Big Think, in which influential people around the world share their “big ideas.”
Listening Exercises
10. Dictation exercises
“Dictation” is when you listen to something and then try to write down exactly what you heard. This helps improve listening as well as spelling and grammar. Of course, you can do this with any video that has subtitles.
If you need some suggestions, we recommend the following sites, which have American English recordings:
And these use British English recordings:
Related article: Should You Learn British English or American English?
11. Listening comprehension exercises
The following websites let you listen to an audio recording and answer some questions about it. They have exercises for learners at all levels.
- The British Council’s listening exercises come with transcripts and vocabulary-building activities.
- English Class 101 has a Listening Practice Playlist on YouTube.
- Test-English features a video with listening comprehension questions below.
Pronunciation Resources
If you have trouble understanding English spoken at normal speeds, you should first study the sounds of spoken English. The following resources can help you to improve.
12. Pronunciation teachers
It's not difficult to find pronunciation teachers who offer help for free. Here are a few we recommend:
- The Accent’s Way for American English
- Oxford Online English’s pronunciation playlist for British English
- ETJ English also for British English
13. Pronunciation dictionaries
Pronunciation dictionaries have recordings of real people, such as the following examples:
- Youglish: Search Youglish for words you want to hear pronounced, then listen to them via the YouTube videos in the search results.
- Forvo: Have a word that you can’t find the pronunciation of in a regular dictionary? Ask a native speaker to record it for you here!
- Rhinospike: Submit a request for a word, sentence or paragraph to be recorded by a native speaker. Then record something in your language for someone else.
One Last Tip: Talk to Real People
Lastly, one of the best ways to test your listening skills is by having a conversation! We recommend studying with an Engoo tutor — just search for a tutor with interests similar to yours and have a nice chat. Even beginners are welcome, so give it a try!
