TESOL/Using hear and listen

The words hear and listen both mean that we perceive something with our ears, but the meanings differ.

Usage

Concentration

We use listen when we are concentrating harder on a sound. Hear may happen by accident, but listen is never an accident.

• I thought I heard someone say my name. I thought I listened to someone say my name.
• Suddenly I heard a dog bark. Suddenly I listened to a dog bark.
• If you hear my cell phone ring, let me know. If you listen to my cell phone right, let me know.

Mechanics

Progressive

Hear is used as a progressive less often than most verbs. Instead, "can hear" is used.

• I can hear the rain fall. I am hearing the rain fall.
• Can you hear him breathing? Are you hearing him breathing?
• I could hear man shouting when the car crashed.I was hearing a man shouting when the car crashed.

"Hearing" may also be an infinitive, which is spelled the same way as a progressive. In that case, it's fine.

• I hate hearing his excuses.
• Hearing the train come makes me excited.
• Hearing you say that makes me happy.

Listen and listen to

Listen is used without "to" if there is no object. If there is an object, we have to use listen to.

• Listen! Listen me!
• You should listen to your parents. You should listen your parents.

Quiz

1 Your voice is too soft, so I can't _____ you.

	hear
	listen
	listen to

2 I can _____ a strange noise in the bathroom.

	listen
	listen to
	hear

3 I _____ carefully to remember.

	heard
	listened to
	listened

4 I love ______ the sound of the bell so I can go home.

	hearing
	listening to
	listening

5 I was _______ my favorite music on my music player when you came in.

	listening
	listening to
	hearing

6 I wish my husband would _____ me.

	listen
	listen to
	hear