English Reference

Phrasal verb

listen to

Definition

phrasal verb. To pay attention to a sound, some music, or what a person is saying, using your ears.

phrasal verb. To direct one's attention to a sound, utterance, or piece of audio; also figuratively, to heed or act on advice. Takes "to" before the object.

Examples

“I listen to music on the way to school.”

“Please listen to the safety instructions before the plane takes off.”

“If he had listened to his doctor's advice a year earlier, the whole operation might have been avoided.”

Examples

simple

“I listen to music on the way to school.”

contextual

“Please listen to the safety instructions before the plane takes off.”

complex

“If he had listened to his doctor's advice a year earlier, the whole operation might have been avoided.”

Confusables

listen to vs hear

Listen to is a deliberate action requiring a preposition; hear is the passive perception of sound.

RememberListen is a choice; hear is a sense.

Grammar

This entry

Level
A1 · Beginner
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference