Numbers, dates, spelling and addresses: learn

In this lesson you will

Hear the difference between similar numbers, such as fifteen and fifty
Write down dates, times, prices and phone numbers correctly
Write a word correctly when a speaker spells it letter by letter
Understand postcodes and email addresses

Before you start

Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.

→How do you say your phone number in English? Do you say “zero” or “oh”?
→Which English letters do you find hard to tell apart when you hear them?

Numbers that sound similar

Numbers like thirteen and thirty sound very similar. Listen for two things:

Stress. Teen numbers are stressed at the end: thirTEEN. Numbers ending in -ty are stressed at the start: THIRty.
The last sound. Teen numbers end with a clear “n” sound. In -ty numbers, the end is short and light.

Be careful: when a teen number comes just before a noun, the stress can move to the start (“FIFteen MINutes”). Then the clear “n” at the end is your best clue.

If you are not sure, think about what makes sense. A bus ticket probably doesn't cost £50, but £15 is possible.

Teen or -ty?
Stress at the end	Stress at the start
thirTEEN (13)	THIRty (30)
fourTEEN (14)	FORty (40)
fifTEEN (15)	FIFty (50)
sixTEEN (16)	SIXty (60)
sevenTEEN (17)	SEVenty (70)
eighTEEN (18)	EIGHty (80)
nineTEEN (19)	NINEty (90)

Phone numbers, prices and times

Phone numbers are said one digit at a time, often in groups. 0 is often said as “oh”. Two of the same digit can be “double”: “double five” = 55.
Prices often drop the word pounds or dollars: “twelve fifty” = £12.50, “nineteen ninety-nine” = £19.99.
Times: “quarter past three” = 3.15, “twenty to six” = 5.40, “half past seven” = 7.30, “ten forty” = 10.40.

Dates and years

“the third of May” or “May the third” → 3 May / May 3
“the twenty-first” → 21st
“nineteen ninety-eight” → 1998
“two thousand and nine” → 2009
“twenty twenty-five” → 2025

Letters people often confuse
Letters	How to tell them apart
A, E, I	A sounds like “day”, E sounds like “see”, I sounds like “my”
G, J	G sounds like “gee” (rhymes with see), J sounds like “jay” (rhymes with day)
B, P, V	Listen carefully to the first sound. Check which spelling makes a real name or word
M, N	Very close. Ask yourself which spelling looks like a real name or word
Q, U, W	Q sounds like “queue”, U sounds like “you”, W is “double U”

Spelling, addresses and emails

“Double L” means LL, so “B, E, double L” = BELL.
In email addresses, “at” = @, “dot” = . and “underscore” = _.
UK postcodes mix letters and numbers, such as LS6 2BT. Write every letter and number in the order you hear it.
Names that are spelled out usually begin with a capital letter, but the exam does not usually check capitals.

Audio

Model conversation: joining a library

In the exam you usually hear it once.

Try the questions first.

How a strong listener does it

A strong listener writes each detail as soon as they hear it, and changes it if the speaker corrects it.

Surname: spelled letter by letter → Okafor
Date of birth: the librarian checks “the fourth?” and the man corrects her → 14 August 1996
Phone: “oh” = 0 and “double” means two of the same digit, so “double oh” = 00 and “double six” = 66 → 07700 900662
Address: Flat 3, 27 Mill Lane, postcode LS6 2BT
Price: £2.50 is mentioned, but he is a student, so his card is free

Notice the trap with the price: a careless listener writes £2.50 because it is the only price they hear.

Audio

Practice audio 2: booking a course

In the exam you usually hear it once.

Try the questions first.

Gap fill

Form completion

Listen and complete the form. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Greenfield Language School: enrolment form Course: evening Surname: Email: Start date: Day of the week: Time: 6.15 to Price if paid this month: £ Phone:

Audio

Practice audio 4: a phone message

In the exam you usually hear it once.

Try the questions first.

Gap fill

Note completion

Listen to the phone message and complete the notes. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Dentist appointment With: Dr New date: Wednesday the Time: Cost: £ Clinic phone: New address: Hill Street

Save words to review them later with flashcards.

surname
your family name
“Could you spell your surname for me, please?”
date of birth
the day, month and year you were born
“Please write your date of birth at the top of the form.”
postcode
a group of letters and numbers at the end of an address in the UK (zip code in the US)
“What's the postcode of the hotel?”
sign up for
to agree to join a course, club or activity
“I've signed up for an evening Spanish course.”
enrolment
the process of officially joining a school, college or course
“Enrolment for the summer courses closes on Friday.”
appointment
a fixed time to see someone, for example a doctor or dentist
“I've got a dentist's appointment at ten forty.”
reduced
made cheaper than before
“The jacket is reduced to £19.99.”
convenient
suitable for you and easy to fit into your plans
“Is Wednesday morning convenient for you?”
reminder
a message that helps you remember something
“The clinic sent me a reminder by text.”
contact number
a phone number where someone can call you
“Can I have a contact number in case we need to change the time?”

Key points

Teen numbers are stressed at the end (fifTEEN); -ty numbers are stressed at the start (FIFty).
Phone numbers are read one digit at a time. “Oh” means 0 and “double” means two of the same digit.
When a word is spelled, write every letter. Be careful with A/E/I, G/J and double letters.
Speakers often correct themselves. Always write the final information.

Check your answers in the practice exercises to record a score.

Up next · Listening B1 Foundation

Announcements and instructions

Go to lesson

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Numbers that sound similar

Phone numbers, prices and times

Spelling, addresses and emails

How a strong listener does it

Which number did you hear?

Form completion

Which spelling is correct?

Note completion

Key points

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Numbers that sound similar

Phone numbers, prices and times

Spelling, addresses and emails

How a strong listener does it

Which number did you hear?

Form completion

Which spelling is correct?

Note completion

Key points