• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Articles & lessons
    • Grammar & vocabulary lessons
    • IELTS preparation
    • British culture
    • All articles and lessons
  • About
  • Contact
Crown Academy of English

English lessons and resources




You are here: Home / English lessons / Difference between hear and listen

Difference between hear and listen

11th March 2019 by Andrew

“hear” and “listen” are both verbs related to sounds. The meaning of both words is therefore related but different. It is important not to confuse the meaning and use.

Hear

“hear” is the action of a sound coming to our ears. “hearing” is one of the five senses. We sense a sound. Our ears physically detect the sound. We do not have a choice. When we hear something, we are inactive. We are not trying to do something. No real effort is required to hear something.

When a doctor checks our ears, it is called a “hearing test.” – It is not a listening test.

Examples:


bird singing
I hear this bird singing every morning.
Did you hear that noise?
You are talking quietly but I can hear you.

Form of “hear”

Form:
hear + object

Examples:
I heard a noise.
She heard a car.
We heard an explosion.

Form:
hear + object + ing  form of verb
Example:
I heard him shouting. (the action was in progress)

angry man shouting
by imagerymajestic | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Form:
hear + object + base form of verb
Example:
I heard him shout. (the action was completed)

“hear” is a stative verb

“hear” is an example of a stative (or state) verb. As with all the stative verbs, “hear” does not usually have a continuous form.

Example:
I am hearing a noise. wrong

We use “can hear” to describe hearing something at a particular moment in time.

Example:
I can hear a noise. correct

Expressions with hear

“hear that”

Meaning:
to introduce a piece of news or a rumour.

Example:
I hear that Jane is pregnant.

pregnant woman
by David Castillo Dominici | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“to hear from someone”

Form:
“hear from” + someone

Meaning:
to receive news from someone.

Examples:
David heard from Mark yesterday. Mark called him.
Have you heard from Jane? I am worried about her.

Listen

Listen is when we are concentrating on a sound. We are active. We are paying attention to the sound. It is possible to hear without listening. But it is impossible to listen without hearing.

In a language exam, to test a student’s understanding of the language, the test is called a “listening test”. It is not a hearing test.

Examples:
“Please listen to the instructions for the exam.”
“Mark, are you listening to me?”
She didn’t hear the telephone because she was listening to music.
girl wearing headphones

Form of listen

When listen has an object, we use the preposition “to“.

Form:
“listen to” + object

Examples:
I listened to the radio this morning.
Please listen to me.

If there is no object, we do not use “to”.

Examples:
“Everybody, please be quiet and listen!”

“listen” is not a stative verb. It has a continuous form which we use to describe the action at a particular moment in time.

Example:
Jane: What are you doing?
Mark: I am listening to the radio.

“listen” also has a simple form to describe a regular action or habit.

Example:
I listen to the radio every morning.

More English lessons

English lessons on our Youtube channel
ADVICE or ADVISE – The differences
The difference between AFFECT and EFFECT
Indefinite article “a” and “an”
English expressions with the verb BREAK
Tips and advice for IELTS writing task 1

English video lesson

Filed Under: English lessons

More lessons

Mixed fruit

English Idioms related to fruit

In this English vocabulary lesson, you will learn 8 idioms related to fruit. go pear-shaped If a situation goes pear-shaped, it goes wrong and … [Read More...] about English Idioms related to fruit

Writing

Transitive and intransitive verbs – English grammar

We can divide English verbs into two broad categories: Let's look at the differences. Intransitive verbs A sentence with an intransitive … [Read More...] about Transitive and intransitive verbs – English grammar

The difference between “borrow” and “lend”

"borrow" and "lend" often confuse English students. Even some native speakers make mistakes with these 2 words! Both words describe the action of … [Read More...] about The difference between “borrow” and “lend”

girl with pc

Use and meaning of “would rather”

We use "would rather" to describe a preference of one thing compared to another thing. Examples:He would rather watch TV than read a book.She would … [Read More...] about Use and meaning of “would rather”

Second conditionals in English

The second conditional describes an imaginary, impossible or unlikely situation in the present or future. The situation is hypothetical. It is not … [Read More...] about Second conditionals in English

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Asif says

    28th January 2020 at 3:09 pm

    your expalanation is easy to understand thank you

Primary Sidebar

Lessons

native english speaker

How to understand native English speakers

girl reading

How to improve your English vocabulary

peas on spoon

“a little” and “a few ” to describe quantity

doctor

The difference between practice and practise

Girl wearing headphones

Difference between hear and listen

handbag

compliment or complement





Footer

Follow us on social media

Crown Academy of English on YouTube Crown Academy of English on Twitter

Privacy policy

Privacy policy

Recent

  • 8 ways to say that something is FREE in English
  • English idioms and expressions related to CRIME
  • How to use either and neither – English lesson
  • Learn English vocabulary – Vegetables
  • English Idioms related to speed

Search