Listening: Listening for Gist A2 - Lesson 2: Identifying the Speaker's Main Purpose (e.g., asking for information, giving instructions) in simple scenarios

Listening for Purpose: Why Is the Person Talking?

CEFR Level A2

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will learn how to listen for a speaker's main purpose. This means you will practice understanding why someone is talking and what they want to achieve.

What is a Speaker's "Purpose"?

A speaker's purpose is their reason for talking. When you listen, ask yourself this question: "What does this person want?"

Are they trying to get information (like asking a tuk-tuk driver for a price)? Are they giving an order (like a parent telling a child to clean their room)? Or are they making a suggestion (like a friend asking if you want to get coffee)? Understanding the purpose helps you understand the conversation.

Common Purposes in English

• To ask for information: The speaker wants to know something.
• To give an instruction: The speaker wants someone to do something.
• To make a suggestion: The speaker is offering an idea or a plan.
• To apologize: The speaker is saying sorry for something.
• To complain: The speaker is unhappy about a situation.

Key Tip: Listen for "Clue Phrases"

Speakers often use special phrases that give you a clue about their purpose. Listening for these helps you understand quickly.

• To ask for information: "Can you tell me...?", "What time is...?", "Where is...?"
• To give an instruction: "Please...", "Don't forget to...", Action words like "Open," "Close," "Go."
• To make a suggestion: "Let's...", "Why don't we...?", "How about...?"
• To apologize: "I'm sorry...", "I want to apologize for..."

Practice Activities

Listen to the short talks in the audio player. For each one, choose the speaker's main purpose.

1. Talk 1
   "Excuse me, can you tell me what time the museum closes?"

   What is the speaker's main purpose?

   • A) To give an instruction
   • B) To ask for information
   • C) To make a suggestion
   Show Answer

   Answer: B). The phrase "can you tell me" is a clue they are asking for information.

2. Talk 2
   "Before you enter the temple, please take off your shoes and cover your shoulders."

   What is the speaker's main purpose?

   • A) To ask for help
   • B) To complain about something
   • C) To give an instruction
   Show Answer

   Answer: C). The action words "take off" and "cover" are clues they are giving an instruction.

3. Talk 3
   Speaker A: "I'm bored. I don't know what to do today."
   Speaker B: "It's a beautiful day. Why don't we go for a walk by the river?"

   What is Speaker B's main purpose?

   • A) To give an instruction
   • B) To ask for information
   • C) To make a suggestion
   Show Answer

   Answer: C). The phrase "Why don't we..." is a common clue for making a suggestion.

Vocabulary

• Main Purpose (noun phrase) [គោលបំណងចម្បង]

  The most important reason why someone says or does something.

• Instruction (noun) [ការណែនាំ]

  A command or order that tells you what to do.

• Suggestion (noun) [សំណូមពរ]

  An idea or plan that you offer for someone to think about.

Your Mission

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

1. Purpose Hunt: Listen to three short conversations around you today (at a cafe, at the market). For each one, guess the speaker's purpose. Were they ordering food, asking for the price, or complaining about the heat?
2. Quick Roleplay: With a friend, choose a purpose (like "apologize" or "make a suggestion"). Create a very short, two-line dialogue and practice it.