Business English Listening Practice
Real workplace conversations to listen to: meetings, phone calls, job interviews and customers, from beginner to advanced.
Not sure what to listen to?
Take the free listening level test (about 20 minutes). We will show you the scenes at your level.
- 40 scenes
- CEFR Pre-A1–C2
- Free with transcripts & answers
Early Kids 4–6
0 scenesSchool Kids 7–11
0 scenesTeens 12–17
3 scenes
My first shift
Saturday morning. Kayla, 16, starts her first job at a bowling alley.
Can anyone cover Saturday?
Gemma, 17, is a lifeguard at her local leisure centre. She needs to change her Saturday shift. You hear three voice messages, then a phone call.
My first summer job: a vlog
Rosie, 16, has a summer job at a garden centre. She films a quick vlog on her break, and her co-worker Callum joins in at the end.
Adults 18+
37 scenes
Ready for the warehouse?
Rory works at a big warehouse in the UK. Every morning, Paula, the team leader, meets the team at the door.
Family photos
Brad and Gina work in the same office in the US. At lunch, Brad shows Gina some photos on his phone.
A morning in housekeeping
Shelby starts work at a hotel in the US. She cleans the rooms. Stella is her supervisor.
A busy morning at the office
Mona works in an office in the US. Her manager, Wade, stops at her desk.
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New on the baggage team
Tyrone has a new job at an airport in the UK. He loads the bags onto the planes. Hayley is his manager.
A tour of the front office
Nolan starts a new job in the front office of a hospital clinic in the US. Brooke works there too. She shows him around.
Can I take a message?
Jodie works at the call centre of a home internet company in the UK. A customer calls. She wants to speak to Joel, an engineer, but he is busy.
Coffee break at the lab
Wes starts a new job at a science lab in the US. On his first coffee break, he meets Darcy.
Signing in at the building site
Glenn is an electrician. Today he starts a job at a building site in the UK. Shona works in the site office.
Five o'clock at the bakery
It's five o'clock in the morning at a big bakery in the US. The bakery makes bread for other businesses. Terrence is the shift leader. Kelsey is a baker.
The new office printer
Trent works in a small office in England. He comes back after a week away, and Jill meets him.
Your first day at work
It's Luke's first morning in a new job. His manager, Helen, meets him at his desk.
Three cars and a handover
It's one o'clock at a small car garage in the UK. Kirsten worked this morning. Now Lewis is starting the afternoon.
Big news: a new job
Curtis calls his friend Denise on a Friday evening.
A call to the design studio
Jarrod works at a small design studio in the US. It's Monday morning, and the phone rings.
Changing a flight at the airport
Gloria is in the UK for work. She goes to the airline desk at the airport.
Tell me about yourself: a job interview
Ryan has a job interview at a leisure centre. Diane, who runs the centre, asks the questions.
The office move
Fiona, the office manager at a small company, meets Neil and Carla to talk about the office move.
Giving a project update
Monday morning. Jonas gives his manager Dana the weekly update on the new customer portal.
Radio: meet the baker
A local radio programme in the UK about small businesses. The presenter, Ian, talks to his guest, Harriet.
Responding to a customer's objection
Rachel's company has ordered desks for its new office. She calls Daniel, her account manager.
Workplace English, one scene at a time
Understanding English at work is different from understanding it in class. People speak quickly, change the plan halfway through a call and expect you to catch names, numbers and deadlines the first time. These 40 business English scenes let you practise exactly that, safely and at your own speed.
You will hear a job interview, a first day at work, a message taken on the phone, a project update, a tactful performance review and a deadline negotiation with a client. Beginner scenes use simple, polite phrases; advanced ones add opinions, hedging and fast discussion. Each scene has a transcript, a dictation (Check) mode and an Exam with answers.
For meetings and calls, practise taking short notes: who, what, when, and the next step. Check mode is useful for phone English, where one missed number changes the message. When a scene feels easy, say the same conversation out loud in business English speaking practice.
Preparing for a workplace exam such as TOEIC? The scenes build the everyday skill; for the exam format, see the 7ESL exam practice tests.
Frequently asked questions
How can I improve my business English listening?
Listen to short workplace scenes regularly, note the key facts (who, what, when, next step), then check the transcript. Typing the lines you hear in Check mode helps with numbers, names and polite phrases.
What level do I need for business English?
You can start at beginner level: the first scenes use simple, polite workplace phrases. Meetings and negotiations at B2 and C1 need more vocabulary and faster listening.
Does this help with job interviews?
Yes. Several scenes are job interviews, so you hear typical questions and good answers, then practise saying your own answers in business English speaking practice.
Is this useful for TOEIC?
It builds the workplace listening skill that TOEIC tests. For TOEIC-style questions and timing, use the exam practice tests.
Can I practise speaking the same scenes?
Yes. Every scene has a speaking version where you take a role in the conversation, record yourself and compare with the model.