Listening practice
Booking a Doctor's Appointment: B1 Listening
A patient describes her symptoms and gets a same-day appointment.
- Age
- Ages 13+
- Level
- B1
- Skill
- Listening
- Time
- 25 min
- Format
- Interactive
- Listening
- Dialogue
The voice is your device's built-in speech synthesis, not a recording, so it sounds different on every phone, tablet and computer. Dialogues use two voices where the device has them. The transcript is always one tap away.
1. Before you listen
Read the question, then listen to the whole script once and choose the answer.
2. Listen
Play the whole script or one line at a time. Try the questions before you open the transcript.
Transcript
- Receptionist:Line 1 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 2 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 3 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 4 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 5 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 6 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 7 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 8 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 9 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 10 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 11 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 12 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 13 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 14 · Transcript hidden
- Receptionist:Line 15 · Transcript hidden
- Patient:Line 16 · Transcript hidden
3. Listen for detail
Listen again and answer the five questions.
4. Dictation
Play each sentence and type the missing words. Capital letters and punctuation don't matter.
- 1.I'd like to with a doctor, please.
- 2.I've had a and a temperature for about four days, and it isn't getting any better.
- 3.There's been a this afternoon with Dr Shah at twenty to four.
- 4.Yes, I can .
- 5.Please arrive , and bring a list of any medicine you're taking.
5. Your turn to speak
Phone a clinic to make an appointment. Explain how you feel, say when you are free and react to the first time they offer you.
Printable worksheet
The tasks, the transcript and an answer key on a separate page.
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Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
A. Before you listen
What does the caller want?
- ☐ a) The results of a test
- ☐ b) An appointment with a doctor
- ☐ c) To cancel her appointment
B. Listen for detail
- How long has Olga felt ill?☐ a) Two days☐ b) About four days☐ c) Two weeks
- Olga accepts the appointment on Thursday.☐ a) True☐ b) False
- Why is there a free appointment this afternoon?☐ a) A new doctor has started☐ b) The centre is open late today☐ c) Someone has cancelled
- What time is Olga's appointment?☐ a) 9:10☐ b) 3:40☐ c) 4:20
- Olga should arrive ten minutes before the appointment.☐ a) True☐ b) False
C. Dictation: write the missing words
- I'd like to with a doctor, please.
- I've had a and a temperature for about four days, and it isn't getting any better.
- There's been a this afternoon with Dr Shah at twenty to four.
- Yes, I can .
- Please arrive , and bring a list of any medicine you're taking.
D. Speaking
Phone a clinic to make an appointment. Explain how you feel, say when you are free and react to the first time they offer you.
Transcript
Receptionist: Good morning, Riverside Medical Centre.
Patient: Hello. I'd like to make an appointment with a doctor, please.
Receptionist: Are you already registered with us?
Patient: Yes, I am. My name's Olga Petrova.
Receptionist: And your date of birth?
Patient: The ninth of March, nineteen ninety-one.
Receptionist: Thank you. And what's the problem?
Patient: I've had a sore throat and a temperature for about four days, and it isn't getting any better.
Receptionist: I see. The first appointment I have with Dr Hughes is on Thursday at ten past nine.
Patient: Thursday? Is there nothing sooner? I'm feeling quite bad.
Receptionist: Let me look. There's been a cancellation this afternoon with Dr Shah at twenty to four. Could you make that?
Patient: Yes, I can leave work early. That's great.
Receptionist: Lovely. Please arrive ten minutes early, and bring a list of any medicine you're taking.
Patient: I'm only taking something for the fever.
Receptionist: That's fine, just tell the doctor. And if you start finding it hard to breathe, call us straight away.
Patient: OK, I will. Thanks very much.
Key phrases are in bold.
Answer key
- A. b) An appointment with a doctor
- B. 1 b) About four days · 2 b) False · 3 c) Someone has cancelled · 4 b) 3:40 · 5 a) True
- C. 1 make an appointment · 2 sore throat · 3 cancellation · 4 leave work early · 5 ten minutes early