Page 253 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

troops soldiers
MORE TROOPS FOR BORDER AREA
UK The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
BRUSSELS CRITICISES UK JAIL CONDITIONS
mster Northern Ireland
PM IN SECRET TRIP TO ULSTER
UN The United Nations
UN IN RED: CANNOT BALANCE BUDGET
urge encourage
GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT ON POLLUTION
US The United States of America
us URGED TO PULL OUT OF MIDDLE EAST
VAT value added tax
NEXT. VAT ON BABYFOOD?
vow promise
EXILED PRESIDENT VOWS TO RETURN
walk out leave in protest
CAR WORKERS WALK OUT OVER WAGE FREEZE
web world-wide web, internet
WEB SHOPPING UP BY 50% IN TWO YEARS
wed marry
BISHOP TO WED ACTRESS
241 hear and listen (to)
1 hear: meaning
Hear is the ordinary word to say that something 'comes to our ears'. Suddenly 1 heard a strange noise. (NOT Stttltit:nly J Eistettetl t6 ti stmnge
tfflise.)
Can you hear me?
2 listen (to): meaning
Listen (to) is used to talk about paying attention to sounds that are going on, in progress. It emphasises the idea of concentrating, trying to hear as well as possible. You can hear something without wanting to, but you can only listen to something deliberately. Compare:
I heard them talking upstairs, but I didn't really listen to their conversation. Listen carefully, please. - Could you speak louder? 1can't hearyou very well. 1 didn't hear the phone because 1 was listening to the radio.
3 complete experiences: hear
Listen (to) is mostly used to talk: about concentrating on experiences that are
going on, in progress. To talk about the result of listening: experiencing or
hear and listen (to) 241
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