1The website uses cookies for functionality and the collection of anonymised analytics data. We do not set cookies for marketing or advertising purposes. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies and our privacy policy.We're sorry, but you cannot use our site without agreeing to our cookie usage and privacy policy. You can change your mind and continue to use our site by clicking the button below. This confirms that you accept our cookie usage and privacy policy.
Train Station Announcements – Listening Lesson (A1)
ctice
Do you catch the train in your country? Have you ever been to England and caught the train – or would you like to? In this free listening lesson from Oxford Online English, you will listen to some public announcements from Salisbury station in the southwest of England. Can you follow the information, and recognise the bits you need to know? This is a lesson for elementary learners.
Platform1 4 for the 1121 service to London Waterloo, calling2 at Andover, Basingstoke, Woking, Clapham Junction and London Waterloo. This train is formed of 6 coaches3.
This is a platform alteration4. The 1133 service to Portsmouth Harbour will now depart5 from platform 2. Platform 2 for the 1133 service to Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Romsey, Southampton Central, Fareham, Cosham, Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour.
The train now standing at platform 3 is the 1142 service to Cardiff Central, calling at Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Newport and Cardiff Central. This train is formed of 3 coaches. Platform 3 for the 1142 service to Cardiff Central.
We are sorry to announce that the 1147 service to Exeter St Davids is delayed6 by 15 minutes. We apologise that your journey will take longer than planned.
Please do not leave your luggage unattended7. Any items left unattended may be destroyed.
The exercises below will help you understand the recording one step at a time. Before you try the exercises, look at the meaning of these words.
1. platform = the place where you stand when you are waiting for a train.
2. In train announcements, ‘calling’ means the places where the train stops.
3. coach = part of a train
4. alteration = change
5. depart = leave
6. delayed = late
7. If you leave your luggage (e.g. suitcases, bags) ‘unattended’, it means you have put it somewhere, then walked away to a different place without taking it with you.
Train Station Announcements – exercise 1 Comprehension: the main message
When we hear public announcements, we don’t listen to all the details. We listen to the start to understand what the message is about. If it’s important (because it’s about the train we want to catch), we continue to listen carefully; if it’s not important, we don’t listen to the details!
Can you understand the main message of the five announcements?
Time limit: 0
Quiz Summary
0 of 1 Questions completed
Questions:
Information
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Would you like to submit your quiz result to the leaderboard?
Loading
1
2
3
4
5
Current
Review
Answered
Correct
Incorrect
Question 1 of 5
1. Question
Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.
This train is formed of 6 coaches.
Platform 4 for the 1121 service to London Waterloo,
calling at Andover, Basingstoke, Woking,
View Answers:
Question 2 of 5
2. Question
calling at Romsey, Southampton Central, Fareham,
Cosham, Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour.
will now depart from platform 2.
Platform 2 for the 1133 service to Portsmouth Harbour,
The 1133 service to Portsmouth Harbour
This is a platform alteration.
View Answers:
Question 3 of 5
3. Question
Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Newport and Cardiff Central.
This train is formed of 3 coaches.
is the 1142 service to Cardiff Central,
Platform 3 for the 1142 service to Cardiff Central.
calling at Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon,
The train now standing at platform 3
View Answers:
Question 4 of 5
4. Question
will take longer than planned.
We apologise that your journey
We are sorry to announce that
the 1147 service to Exeter St Davids
is delayed by 15 minutes.
View Answers:
Question 5 of 5
5. Question
leave your luggage
may be destroyed.
left unattended
Please do not
Any items
unattended.
View Answers:
Train Station Announcements – exercise 3 Pronunciation: intonation in lists
Intonation means the way your voice rises and falls, like when you’re singing. We do this when we’re speaking to indicate a number of things. One example is in lists: we use rising intonation for every item of a list except the last thing, which is pronounced with falling intonation.
Clik ‘Start Quiz’ to listen to an example from one announcement.
Time limit: 0
Quiz Summary
0 of 5 Questions completed
Questions:
Information
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.