Skip to content
Pick TwoActivity

A1 Movers listening: names, colours and positions practice

A1-A2A1 Movers40 questionsUpdated

The A1 Movers listening paper keeps asking for three things: who somebody is, what colour something is, and where it goes. This page practises catching a name that is spelled out, choosing the right colour, and following a position instruction without losing the thread.

What this task tests

  • Catching a first name and writing it with a capital letter.
  • Hearing letters spelled aloud and writing them in the right order.
  • Matching a colour word to the right object in a picture.
  • Following a position instruction with two pieces of information.
  • Ignoring information that is mentioned and then corrected.
  • Holding a number in mind while you write it down.
  • Recognising common first names in English when they are said quickly.
  • Staying with a recording that carries on even if one answer is missed.
  • Basic writing accuracy under time pressure: capital letters, single words.

How to do it

  1. Step 1:

    Practise the alphabet aloud

    Names in this task are often spelled. A child who has to think about the letter g has already missed the next three.

  2. Step 2:

    Write the capital letter

    Names start with a capital. Make it part of the habit, not an afterthought at the end.

  3. Step 3:

    Listen for the correction

    Speakers often change their mind: the blue one, no, the green one. Teach the child to wait for the end of the sentence.

  4. Step 4:

    Keep the pencil moving

    A missed item should never stop the child. Practise moving on deliberately by leaving one gap on purpose.

  5. Step 5:

    Colour as you go

    In the colouring task, colour while you listen rather than remembering everything for the end.

  6. Step 6:

    Check the picture first

    Use the pause before the recording to look at every object and think of its English name.

  7. Step 7:

    Say the letters back

    At home, spell a name and ask the child to repeat it before writing. Repetition buys thinking time.

  8. Step 8:

    Practise with two facts

    The red hat next to the door. Real items carry two pieces of information and children need to hold both.

  9. Step 9:

    Use short, frequent listening

    Three minutes a day is worth far more than half an hour on Sunday. Listening improves by exposure, not by explanation.

  10. Step 10:

    Play it twice, then discuss

    Second listening, then talk about what was hard. The discussion is where the strategy sticks.

Mistakes that cost marks

  • Not thisWriting a name with a small letter

    ThisWriting a name with a capital letter

    Names always take a capital. It is an easy mark to lose and an easy habit to build.

  • Not thisAnswering before the sentence ends

    ThisWaiting for the whole sentence

    Speakers correct themselves. The first colour mentioned is often not the answer.

  • Not thisGiving up after one missed item

    ThisMoving on straight away

    One missed answer becomes five if the child stops to worry about it.

  • Not thisWriting what the word sounds like

    ThisWriting the letters that were spelled

    When a name is spelled, the letters are the answer. Stop listening for the sound and start listening for the letters.

  • Not thisColouring everything at the end

    ThisColouring as you listen

    Memory fails first. Children who wait usually colour two things correctly and guess the rest.

  • Not thisConfusing the letters g and j

    ThisPractising the tricky letters

    G, J, E, I and Y are the letters children mishear most. Ten seconds of drilling each session prevents it.

Language this task keeps reusing

spell
To say the letters of a word one by one.
letter
One of the twenty-six signs in the alphabet.
capital letter
A big letter, used at the start of a name.
colour in
To fill a shape with colour.
tick
The mark for a correct choice.
listen
To pay attention to a sound or a voice.
repeat
To say something again.
name
What a person is called.
again
One more time.
choose
To pick one thing from several.
draw a line
To join two things on the page.
put
To place something somewhere.
next
The following one.
sorry
A word speakers use when they correct themselves.

Practice: listening: names, colours and positions

40 original questions. The first 10 are open to everyone. Answers are checked in your browser and never sent to us, so you can share this page with a class as it is.

1Complete the sentence.

Names always begin with a letter.
You hear: My name is Ben, B-E-N. What do you write?

3Complete the sentence.

To a word means to say its letters one by one.
Right or wrong?
  • A name starts with a capital letter.
  • If you miss one answer you should stop listening.
  • You should wait for the end of the sentence.
3 to go

5Complete the sentence.

The speaker says the hat is red, then says sorry, it is . The answer is blue.
You hear: Colour the cat next to the door grey. Which cat do you colour?

7Complete the sentence.

In the colouring task it is best to colour you listen.

8What should you do if you miss one answer?

Which two letters do children mix up most often?

10Complete the sentence.

Before the recording starts, at the picture carefully.

Keep going

30 more questions on this page

Leave your email and the rest of the set opens straight away — on this page and every other exam page on the site. We read every address by hand and write back with practice suited to what you are preparing for. No list, no drip sequence.

One email, once. We never sell it or pass it on.

Note

Pick Two Activity is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, the British Council, IDP, ETS, Duolingo or any other exam board. Exam names are trademarks of their owners and are used here only to describe the exam you are preparing for. Every question on this page is original practice written by us: we do not provide, copy or reproduce official exam papers.

Frequently asked questions

How much listening practice does a Movers child need?

A few minutes most days. Songs, cartoons and short recordings all count; what matters is regular exposure rather than long, formal sessions.

Do children really have to write names?

Yes, and the letters are usually spelled out for them. The alphabet is therefore worth more preparation time than most people give it.

My child panics when one answer is missed. What helps?

Practise missing on purpose. Play a recording, tell the child to skip item two deliberately, and show that the rest of the page is still fine.

Does handwriting matter?

Only enough to be readable. An answer the examiner cannot read cannot be credited, but neatness beyond that earns nothing.

Should I let the child listen more than twice?

In practice, yes, but make the first two listenings count. Talk about what was hard before you play it a third time.

Is it worth learning common English first names?

It helps. A child who has met Tom, Sam, Kate, Ben, Anna and Jack before will recognise them instantly and can spend the attention elsewhere.