Difference between hear and listen to

[Elaine]

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", question 5

I ......... to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person.

(a) listen
(b) am listening
(c) hear
(d) am hearing

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", answer 5

I listen to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person.

Correct answer: (a) listen

Your answer was: incorrect
I hear to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person.
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What's the difference between "hear" and "listen" in this phrase: "I hear to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person"?

Elaine

[Alan]

If you hear something it is because you have ears and are not deaf. If you listen TO something then you are paying particular attention to what you can hear.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Alan]

The construction hear to is not possible. If you hear a concert, it is because you are near the sound of the music but you are not there in person and not paying attention to it in detail.
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Reflections

[john]

Answer 5

correct sentence:
I listen to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person.

Correct answer: (a) listen

Your answer was: incorrect
your sentence:
I am listening to the concert every Monday on the radio and I imagine I am there listening to it in person.

I have learned we can use the present continuous to describe something we regularly do at a certain time.

[Alan]

Hi John,

I don't quite follow your comment: I am listening to some music usually means you are doing it now and is an actual as against a regular/repeated action.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Briefly

[john]

In the Cambridge Advances Grammar in Use book it say: if we do something regularly at a certain time we can use the present continuous to describe it. e.g. At 8 o'clock I'm usually driving to work.
So could i say: I am always listening to the concert every monday on the radio?

[Alan]

Hi John,

This is becoming a little complicated. If you are talking about a regular/typical/repeated action, it is usual to use the Present Simple. So we have I frequently/always/often listen to the radio on Mondays. The example you quote from the grammar book describes the speaker imagining himself doing something at a specific time. The important word there is specific. As soon as you introduce an adverb such as always, which by its very meaning refers to a repeated action, the Present Simple becomes the preferred choice. And that is the case in my original sentence in Answer 5 (every Monday)

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Everything in the Garden is lovely

[Snoopy_Blah_Blah]

Is it always so, that we have to use the verb "to listen" with preposition?

Could you, please, give me another example, if possible, with a different prepositon?

Or is "to listen" always followed by "to"?

[Sandra Rita da Silva]

How much I study English more complicated it become.

Sandra Brasil

[crazy]

Hi Alan,

I am sorry for my post, I asked without understanding your reply properly. I am really embarassed.Please forgive me.