Philo and Sophia guide the youngest learners through the Cambridge English Young Learners (YLE) Listening paper.
About 20 minutes
4 parts · 20 questions
Every recording is heard twice
Part 1Draw a line from each name to the correct person in a big picture
Part 2Listen to a dialogue and write names or numbers
Part 3Choose the correct picture from three options for each conversation
Part 4Colour objects in a picture using the colours mentioned
1 Name the People
A large, busy picture shows several people doing different things. As the recording describes each person in turn, the child draws a line connecting the spoken name to the matching person in the picture.
Voice: "Look at Tom. He's got a red hat and he's sitting under the tree."
Voice: "Can you see Amy? She's near the door, holding a ball."
Tip for grown-ups helping at home: Practise clothing words, colours, and simple position words (under, near, next to) together in one sentence, since that combination is exactly what identifies the right person.
2 Listen and Write
A simple form, chart, or notebook page is shown with some information missing. As two people talk, the child listens for the missing details — usually a name, a number, or a simple word — and writes them into the gaps.
Strategy: Numbers and spelled-out letters are common answers here. Regular practice counting aloud and spelling short names helps enormously.
3 Choose the Picture
For each of five short conversations, three similar pictures are shown. The child listens and chooses the one picture that matches exactly what is said.
Tip: The three pictures are usually near-identical except for one key detail (a colour, a number, an action) — listening for that one difference, rather than the whole conversation, is the fastest route to the right answer.
4 Colour and Write
A black-and-white picture shows several identical or similar objects. As the recording describes each one, the child colours it in the colour named, and sometimes writes a short word as well.
Strategy: This part rewards patience — colouring calmly while listening, rather than rushing, avoids colouring the wrong object before the description finishes.
About 25 minutes
5 parts · 25 questions
Every recording is heard twice
Part 1Draw a line from each name to the correct person in a big picture
Part 2Fill gaps in a form or notebook with words or numbers
Part 3Match pictures from two sets based on what is said
Part 4Choose the correct picture from three options
Part 5Follow instructions to colour objects and write words on a big picture
1 Name the People
As at Starters, a detailed picture shows several people, and the child draws a line from each spoken name to the correct person, now guided by slightly longer and more detailed descriptions.
Tip: At Movers, descriptions often stack two or three clues together (clothing, position, and activity) before naming the person — listening to the very end of each description before drawing the line avoids early mistakes.
2 Fill the Form
A form or notebook page, such as a club sign-up sheet, has several gaps. Two people discuss the details, and the child listens for and writes the missing words or numbers.
Strategy: Practising everyday personal details out loud — days of the week, times, prices, phone-style numbers, and simple addresses — builds exactly the vocabulary this part uses.
3 Match the Pictures
Two columns of pictures are shown. As the recording plays, the child listens for which item in the left-hand column goes with which item on the right, and draws a line to match them.
Tip: Matching tasks often use words like "because," "so," and "but" to link the two halves — following these connecting words carefully clarifies which pair belongs together.
4 Choose the Picture
As at Starters, but with five slightly longer conversations, the child chooses the one picture out of three that correctly matches what is described.
Strategy: Eliminate the pictures that are clearly wrong as soon as a mismatching detail is heard, rather than waiting for full certainty on the correct one.
5 Colour and Write
A larger, more detailed picture is given, and instructions describe what to colour and where to write short words, often combining several instructions into one sentence.
Tip: Instructions are typically given in the order they should be completed, so working through them calmly in sequence, rather than jumping ahead, avoids missing a step.
About 25 minutes
5 parts · 25 questions
Every recording is heard twice
Part 1Draw a line from each name to the correct person in a big picture
Part 2Fill gaps in a form or notebook with missing words or numbers
Part 3Match named pictures on the left to pictures on the right
Part 4Answer questions by choosing the correct picture
Part 5Colour objects or write single words on a large picture
1 Name the People
The same familiar task type as Starters and Movers, but now the picture is busier and the spoken descriptions weave in more detail — reasons, comparisons, and sequences of action — before naming each person.
Tip: By Flyers, a child should be comfortable holding two or three spoken clues in mind at once before matching them to a person — short listening-and-recall games at home build this skill directly.
2 Fill the Form
As at Movers, a form or notebook is completed from a conversation, but the details are more varied — school subjects, hobbies, dates, and longer numbers all appear at this level.
Strategy: Encourage writing the answer the moment it is heard, even mid-sentence, rather than waiting for a natural pause — Flyers conversations move at a more natural, flowing pace.
3 Match the Pictures
Named items on the left are matched to pictures on the right based on a longer conversation, requiring the child to track several related pieces of spoken information at once.
Tip: Mismatches are often deliberate near-misses (the right activity but the wrong day, or the right person but the wrong object) — listening for the full combination, not just one matching detail, avoids these traps.
4 Choose the Picture
Five short conversations are each followed by a question, and the child chooses the picture that correctly answers it — a small but meaningful step up from simply matching a description, since it now requires understanding what was actually asked.
Strategy: Read the question below each set of pictures before listening, so attention is focused on answering it specifically, rather than absorbing the whole conversation equally.
5 Colour and Write
As at Movers, but the final part at Flyers often blends colouring with writing short words directly onto the picture, following a longer and more layered set of spoken instructions.
Tip: This is usually the longest single recording in the paper — reminding a child that it is heard twice, and that the second listening is for checking and correcting, takes real pressure off the first.