1. Numbers and Amounts
In both Part A and Part B you are required to write down numbers, dates, percentages and prices. Know how to convert the spoken form to numerical form.
Full form
Numerical form
one, two, ten, fifty, one hundred, one hundred thousand, one million, etc.
1, 2, 10, 50, 100, 100,000, 1,000,000, etc.
first, second, third, fourth, etc.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.
fifty cents, one dollar, two hundred dollars, etc.
50¢, $1, $200, etc.
one half, two thirds, a quarter, fifty per cent, etc.
1/2, 2/3, 1/4, 50%, etc.
Common traps in DSE:
- Numbers larger than one thousand (e.g. seven thousand four hundred and fifty-six → 7,456)
- Thirteen (13) vs. Thirty (30), Fourteen (14) vs. Forty (40), etc.
- Ordinal numbers — WRONG: 13rd, 22th, 31th
- Fractions (e.g. a quarter → 25%, three-fourths → 75%)
📖 Study cardinal & ordinal numbers
2. People's Names
You should be able to spell common first and last names, e.g.:
- First names: Amy, Cindy, Debbie, Eva, Andy, Anthony, Icarus
- Last names: Chan, Cheung, Chow, Fung, Burton, Miller, Smith, Wood
3. Times and Dates
- Listen for keywords: o'clock, a.m./p.m.
- Pay attention to wh-question words: when, what time, which day, what date, which month
- Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, etc.
- Ordinal numbers: first, second, twenty-third, etc.
- Months of the year: January, February, etc.
Make sure to spell days, months and ordinal numbers correctly. No mark will be awarded for misspelt words.
4. Locations and Addresses
- Know the spellings of common place names. Only unusual place names will be spelt out in the exam.
5. Opinions, Attitudes and Intentions
To understand a person's opinions, listen for these indicators:
Positive
Negative
Neutral
certainly, definitely, good idea, great, I agree, of course, sure, true, well done, yes, you're right
bad idea, can't be, definitely not, I can't agree, I disagree, I don't think so, no, not really, no way, you're wrong
could be, I don't mind, I'm not sure, I suppose so, it's all right, maybe, might be, perhaps, possibly, so-so
To understand a speaker's attitude, pay attention to tone and volume:
- Intonation goes up → speaker feels positive
- Intonation goes down → speaker feels negative
- Speaker raises voice → strong feelings; speaks quietly → uncertainty
Emotion words that frequently appear in DSE:
Opinion
Emotion
positive
encouraging, enthusiastic, happy, helpful, interested, supportive, sympathetic
negative
afraid, angry, annoyed, sad, worried
neutral
unsure, undecided, no strong opinion
6. Aim
Synonyms
endpoint, intent, purpose, function, intention, rationale, goal, mission, target, idea, objective, principle
Hints
to, in order to, in order that, so as to, so that, want to, be aimed at, to this end, with a view to
Language
to + inf. + n. / inf. + n.
Well, as I say, you'll probably end up having to spend a bit more money… There's more than one purpose for these security surveys. The first is to identify areas of weakness. That's obviously something we're very experienced in, and of course we also recommend practical solutions.
7. Reason
Synonyms
cause, motivation, point, factor, motive, justification, grounds, occasion, purpose
Hints
because, since, as, in view of, due to, owing to, given, on account of, for, Why…?
Language
SVO
There are a lot of things you have to consider when planning where to build a theme park. One of the first things you have to make sure of is good public transport. Why's that important? Well, public transport is usually cheap. Public transport also eases traffic congestion. A third factor is less parking space is needed in the park.
8. Advantages and Disadvantages
Synonyms
asset, good point, strength, merit, benefit, plus, on the positive/plus side; bad point, weakness, drawback, on the negative/minus side, danger, demerit
Hints
What's so good about …?, The best/worst part is …, What XX likes is …, I feel/think that …, It seems to me that …, If you ask me, …
Language
SVO / v. + n. / adj.
Sarah: Let's talk about the good points first. Rachel, what do you reckon?
Rachel: I think they're an excellent idea, mainly because they give people a way to give back to the community.
Aaron: I think the best thing seems to be that it lets people learn life skills like dealing with money.
Sarah: What about the cons? Can you see any downsides?
Rachel: Well, the obvious problem is that actual money is more useful.
Aaron: Maybe the only downside would be it might be vulnerable to hacking.
9. Effect
Synonyms
consequence, outcome, impact, result, influence
Hints
so, therefore, as a result, as a consequence, consequently, leads to, contributes to, give rise to, result in, bring about, so + adj. + that + SVO, will/would/may/might
Language
v. + n. / n. / SVO
If we fail to tackle issues such as drug abuse head on there can be very serious consequences for young people. There'll be more teenage drug addicts, there's no doubt about that, and a marked increase in youth crime. Worse still, there'll be more suicides, more kids whose lives have been ruined by drugs, killing themselves as a result.
10. Solution
Synonyms
advice, method, suggestion, key, recommendation, way, hint, tip, guideline
Hints
should/must/may/might/need to/ought to/have to, imperative (v. + o.), It is + adj. + to, Why not …?, How/What about …?, Have you thought about …?
Language
inf. + n.
Ms. Stanley: Let me make a few suggestions. First, it's not visual enough. You could make it more visual by putting in some shots of stray dogs.
Ms. Stanley: Have you thought about interviewing someone who has a different opinion? It would be nice to contrast Robbie's opinion with someone who disagrees, maybe someone from the AFCD.
11. Sequences
You may be asked to jot down notes for steps or arrange events in order. Listen for:
after, afterwards, before, finally, first, later, next, second, then, to begin with, etc.
12. Directions
- Compass directions: north, south, east, west, north-east, north-west, etc.
- Landmarks: MTR stations, bus stops, post offices, roundabouts, traffic lights, crossroads, banks, supermarkets, churches, temples, etc.
- Giving directions: left/right, go past the …, go straight on, head north/south, take the second left, on your left/right you'll see …, etc.
Position keywords
Key word
Other expressions
between
among, in the middle, amid/amidst
middle
centre (at the very centre of), the heart of, halfway across/between/up/down
back
back out of/through/towards sth, back away from sth, retreat down/from/into/to sth
the back (n.)
the rear, the other side, the reverse side, behind
front
the head (at the head of the queue)
next to
by, beside, at/on the side of, adjacent to, adjoining, neighbouring
side
at the left/right margin
corner
—
opposite/facing
—
Direction words
backward(s), forward(s), head up the steps, walk on, towards, in the direction of sth, see off for A, head for A, make for A, make a beeline for, advance on, approach, westbound, inward bound, you'll find yourself at, enter via Gate A, clockwise, anti-clockwise, counterclockwise
Objects & Places
Key word
Other expressions
exit
the front/rear/side exit, the nearest exit, way out
entrance
the main entrance, the front/back/rear/side entrance, the entryway to/of, way in
corridor
hall, hallway, aisle, passage, passageway
walkway
pathway, trail/track, sidewalk/pavement
gate
doors to the gate
lift
elevator (≠ escalator)
stairs
staircase
lobby
—
basement
vault
Symbols & Lines
tick / check (✓), cross (✕), arrow (→), asterisk (*)
For line types (solid, dashed, dotted, double, etc.) refer to the image in the original resource.
13. Definitions
- Listen for questions such as What is …? What does … mean? What is the definition of …? The answer will usually come after these questions.
- Jot down the keywords. Try to come up with a phrase using those words.
14. Vocabulary
Exam setters choose different themes each year — reality shows, tourism, media production, museums, gaming, etc. Besides listening skills, improve your topic vocabulary too.