Listening for Instructions
CEFR Level A1Lesson Goals
In this lesson, you will practice listening for key words in short, simple instructions to quickly understand what someone wants you to do.
How to Listen for Instructions
An instruction tells you what to do. When you listen to an instruction in English, you don't need to understand every small word. Just focus on the two most important key words:
- The Action Word (Verb): This tells you what to *do*. Examples: open, close, write, take.
- The Thing Word (Noun): This tells you *what object* to use. Examples: book, door, name, photo.
For example, if a tour guide at Angkor Wat says, "Please take a photo," the key words are "take" (the action) and "photo" (the thing). You immediately understand the main instruction.
Key Tip: Ignore the Small Words
For A1 level listening, it's okay to ignore the small grammar words at first. Words like "please," "a," "the," and "your" are polite and important, but they don't change the main action.
"Please close the door." ➡️ The important words are "close / door."
"Write your name." ➡️ The important words are "write / name."
Focusing on the Action + Thing is the fastest way to understand an instruction.
Practice Activities
Listen to the instructions in the audio player and identify the key words (the action and the thing) for each one.
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Instruction 1: From a teacher
"Please write your name."
What are the key words?
Show Answer
Answer: B) write / name. "Write" is the action (verb), and "name" is the thing (noun).
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Instruction 2: At a guesthouse
"Please close the door."
What are the key words?
Show Answer
Answer: C) close / door. "Close" is the action, and "door" is the thing.
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Instruction 3: At home
"Eat your rice."
What are the action and the thing?
Show Answer
Answer: A) eat / rice. "Eat" is the action, and "rice" is the thing.
Vocabulary
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Instruction (noun) [ការណែនាំ]
A direction or order that tells you how to do something.
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Key Word (noun) [ពាក្យគន្លឹះ]
An important word that helps you understand the main meaning.
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Verb (noun) [កិរិយាស័ព្ទ]
A word for an action. For example: eat, write, open, close.
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Noun (noun) [នាម]
A word for a person, place, or thing. For example: teacher, school, book.
Your Mission
Practice listening for instructions with these fun activities.
- Play "Simon Says": Play a game with a friend or family member. Give simple, two-word instructions in English like "Touch your nose," "Point to the window," and "Open the book." This is a great way to practice listening for verbs and nouns.
- Follow a Simple Recipe: Find a simple recipe online for something you like, such as fried rice. Read the instructions (e.g., "Cut the onion," "Add the rice," "Fry the egg"). What are the key Action Words (verbs) in each step?