FCE (First Certificate in English) Listening- Spotting Answers

Cambridge First Listening phrases for spotting right and wrong answers

What expressions are used/ could be used in Cambridge B2 First Listening to show that the thing the speaker says isn’t so, and therefore probably isn’t the correct answer (e.g. a phrase that shows that what was said is the wrong option in a multiple-choice task, such as “…but I changed my mind”)?

Without looking below, listen to your teacher read out a typical expression from Cambridge First Listening texts and try to guess whether the answer to the question is likely to be the thing that they mention (A) or something else (Not A). Hold up the card that matches what you think.

Mark the sentences below with A or Not.

Check your answers

Play the same game in pairs or groups.

 

Speaking practice

Start one Not A sentence below and see if your partner can think of a realistic way of completing it, e.g. “You might think that most people like hot weather” “…but actually most prefer spring or autumn”.

 

1. A is not exactly…
2. A is out.
3. A is still…
4. A is supposed to…
5. A isn’t top of my list.
6. A should have happened.
7. A used to…
8. A wasn’t the best, but…
9. A would have been welcome.
10. A, and I also…
11. A, and me too.
12. A, and that is the case.
13. A, and that’s just as well.
14. A, but actually…
15. A, but for some reason…
16. A, but in fact…
17. A, but in reality…
18. A, but in the end…
19. A, but it’s time to think about…
20. A, but that isn’t always the case.
21. A, but that wasn’t the case.
22. A, but the one that stands out for me is…
23. A, but the reality is…
24. A, but then I realized that…
25. A, but what I’d really like to do is…
26. And that’s what she did.
27. However,…
28. So that’s what I did.
29. Sorry, I meant to say…
30. Again, A.
31. Although A,…
32. Although I didn't expect A,…
33. Although I wasn’t sure about A,…
34. Anyway, A.
35. As I said earlier, A.
36. As expected, A.
37. As far back as I can remember, A.
38. As most people think, A.
39. As much as I A,…
40. As usual, A.
41. At first A,…
42. But I never gave up A.
43. But I was already planning to A.
44. Despite my doubts about A,…

45. Ever since I was a little girl, A.
46. From that time, A.
47. From the start, A.
48. I actually A.
49. I can see why many people think A,…
50. I don’t know about others, but I A.
51. I had expected A.
52. I had thought A too, then…
53. I hadn’t expected A.
54. I know A is popular,…
55. I rarely A.
56. I was going to A,…
57. In all probability, A.
58. In spite of the advantages of A,..
59. Initially A.
60. Instead of A,…
61. It can’t have A.
62. It is interesting how many people think A.
63. It is well known that A.
64. It must have A.
65. It’s shown me that I must A.
66. I’d assumed A.
67. I’m afraid A…
68. Many people think that A.
69. My expectation was not A, but…
70. My initial impression was A.
71. Now I tend to A.
72. People claim that A,…
73. Rather than A,…
74. …,so now I A.
75. Since then, A.
76. Sorry but A…
77. The best thing is for A, but…
78. The plan was A.
79. To begin with A.
80. Unfortunately, A...
81. Unlike A,…
82. We are going to A.
83. We are planning to A.
84. We intend to A.
85. We settled on A.
86. We were intending to A.
87. We were planning to A.
88. We would have A.
89. What I wouldn’t be without is A.
90. While other people A, I…
91. You might think that A.

 

Cards to hold up

Cut out one of each card for each student.

A	Not A
A	Not A
A	Not A
A	Not A
A	Not A
A	Not A

Suggested answers

Note that these are simply the most likely answers, and most of them could be the opposite in certain circumstances.

1. A is not exactly… – Not A
2. A is out. – Not A
3. A is still… – A
4. A is supposed to… – Not A
5. A isn’t top of my list. – Not A
6. A should have happened. – Not A
7. A used to… – Not A
8. A wasn’t the best, but… – A
9. A would have been welcome. – Not A
10. A, and I also… – A
11. A, and me too. – A
12. A, and that is the case. – A
13. A, and that’s just as well. – A
14. A, but actually… – Not A
15. A, but for some reason… – Not A
16. A, but in fact… – Not A
17. A, but in reality… – Not A
18. A, but in the end… – Not A
19. A, but it’s time to think about… – Not A
20. A, but that isn’t always the case. – Not A
21. A, but that wasn’t the case. – Not A
22. A, but the one that stands out for me is… – Not A
23. A, but the reality is… – Not A
24. A, but then I realized that… – Not A
25. A, but what I’d really like to do is… – Not A
26. And that’s what she did. – A
27. However,… – Not A
28. So that’s what I did. – A
29. Sorry, I meant to say… – Not A
30. Again, A. – A
31. Although A,… – Not A
32. Although I didn't expect A,… – A
33. Although I wasn’t sure about A,… – A
34. Anyway, A. – A
35. As I said earlier, A. – A
36. As expected, A. – A
37. As far back as I can remember, A. – A
38. As most people think, A. – A
39. As much as I A,… – Not A
40. As usual, A. – A
41. At first A,… – Not A
42. But I never gave up A. – A
43. But I was already planning to A. – A
44. Despite my doubts about A,… – A
45. Ever since I was a little girl, A. – A
46. From that time, A. – A
47. From the start, A. – A
48. I actually A. – A
49. I can see why many people think A,… – Not A
50. I don’t know about others, but I A. – A
51. I had expected A. – Not A
52. I had thought A too, then… – Not A
53. I hadn’t expected A. – A
54. I know A is popular,… – Not A
55. I rarely A. – Not A
56. I was going to A,… – Not A
57. In all probability, A. – A
58. In spite of the advantages of A,.. – Not A
59. Initially A. – Not A
60. Instead of A,… – Not A
61. It can’t have A. – Not A
62. It is interesting how many people think A. – Not A
63. It is well known that A. – A
64. It must have A. – A
65. It’s shown me that I must A. – A
66. I’d assumed A. – Not A
67. I’m afraid A… – Not A
68. Many people think that A. – Not A
69. My expectation was not A, but… –A
70. My initial impression was A. – Not A
71. Now I tend to A. – A
72. People claim that A,… – Not A
73. Rather than A,… – Not A
74. …,so now I A. – A
75. Since then, A. – A
76. Sorry but A… – Not A
77. The best thing is for A, but… – Not A
78. The plan was A. – Not A
79. To begin with A. – Not A
80. Unfortunately, A... – Not A
81. Unlike A,… – Not A
82. We are going to A. – A
83. We are planning to A. – A
84. We intend to A. – A
85. We settled on A. – A
86. We were intending to A. – Not A
87. We were planning to A. – Not A
88. We would have A. – Not A
89. What I wouldn’t be without is A. – A
90. While other people A, I… – Not A
91. You might think that A. – Not A