Listening: Basic Auditory Perception & Discrimination A1 - Lesson 4: Recognizing Simple, Common Words in Isolation

Recognizing Common English Words

Listening A1

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will learn to recognize 20 common English words by sound. This will help you understand people in everyday situations in places like Siem Reap.

Common Word Groups

Welcome! The first step to understanding sentences is to recognize single words. Let's practice listening to some of the most common words you will hear every day.

Greetings and Courtesies

You will hear these polite words all the time. Listen carefully to each one.

Hello

Goodbye

Please

Thanks

Sorry

Words for People

Let's listen to words for people you might meet.

Man

Woman

Friend

Teacher

Student

Words for Food and Drink

In a restaurant or cafe, you will hear these words.

Water

Rice

Coffee

Tea

Chicken

Words for Places

These words help you understand where you are or where you are going.

Hotel

Market

Temple

Restaurant

Home

Key Tip: Listen for Word "Shapes"

Not all words have the same length or rhythm. Listening for the "shape" of a word can help you recognize it.

• Short words have one beat (one syllable): "Man", "Thanks", "Home"
• Longer words have two or more beats: "Ho-tel", "Teach-er", "Res-tau-rant"

Pay attention to this rhythm when you listen. It's an important clue!

Activity: Listen and Match

Your teacher (or the audio) will say a word. Listen and choose the correct meaning.

1. Teacher says "Sorry". What does it mean?
   (a) a greeting, (b) an apology, (c) a place
2. Teacher says "Market". What is it?
   (a) a place to buy food, (b) a person, (c) a drink
3. Teacher says "Friend". Who is it?
   (a) a building, (b) a person you like, (c) a food
4. Teacher says "Thanks". What is it?
   (a) a polite word for gratitude, (b) a question, (c) a number

Click to Show Answers

Answers: 1-b, 2-a, 3-b, 4-a

Vocabulary

• Hello (greeting) [Khmer: សួស្តី]

  A word used to greet someone when you meet them.

• Friend (noun) [Khmer: មិត្តភក្តិ]

  A person you know and like.

• Water (noun) [Khmer: ទឹក]

  The clear liquid that you drink.

• Temple (noun) [Khmer: ប្រាសាទ]

  A building for religious practice, like Angkor Wat.

Your Mission

Time to practice in the real world! Complete these two tasks.

1. Listen and Point: At your home, say an English word for something you see (Example: "table", "chair", "water", "phone"). Then, point to it. Do this for 10 different things.
2. Word Hunt: Watch a short English video or listen to a song. Try to hear at least 5 words from today's lesson. Write them down when you hear them.