Hear vs listen

[Sam]

Dear teachers,
I am considering when I should I use the verbs listen to and hear.
What is the difference between them? Thanks a lot!

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", question 3

Can you ......... me all right over there because you are rather a long way away?

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

Test No. incompl/elem-4 "Listen/Hear", answer 3

Can you hear me all right over there because you are rather a long way away?

Correct answer: (d) hear

Your answer was: incorrect
Can you listen me all right over there because you are rather a long way away?

Please let me know the difference.

Sam

[Torsten]

Dear Sam,

Please take a look at this:

The verb «to hear» means to be aware of sounds in your ears, so when you there is a sound (for example the radio is on) and you receive that sound through your ears.

That verb «to listen (to)» means to pay attention to somebody/something that you can hear. So when you listen to something or somebody you make an effort to hear it or them. When you hear something you usually don't have to make an effort — it just happens (provided your ears are intact of course.)

BTW: Many thanks for including the particular question you are referring to as well as a descriptive headline — this will help other forum members to navigate. Also, it's good you have added your picture — now we know who Sam is. Thanks

TOEIC listening, question-response: How about a vanilla latte?

[evren]

Can you explain me the meaning of the sentence?
Thanks.

[Alan]

Hi Ervren,

I assume you mean this sentence:

[visitor]

Thank you for your nice explanation. I thought the correct answer was hear! But after I had read your explanation, I discovered that I was mistaken and that I had to choose listen!
Thank you again.

[Daniela]

Hi,
Your first assumption was correct, the answer IS "hear" and not "listen". Read the sentence again:
"Can you hear me all right over there because you are rather a long way away?"
If this might be of a little help to you when you use listen, you need the preposition to. We usually say LISTEN TO. Here are some examples:
I'm listening to the radio now.
Are you listening to me? (I'm talking to you and I want to know if you pay attention to what I'm telling you.)
Daniela
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[Guest]

[Edivil2]

Hi, every one

Hi every one of you!! I think that the explanation Daniella Gave, is the key toi understand and use correctly the word Listen an Hear. I listen to the News every morning, but sometime I do not hear them clearly.
Gracias a los Maestros Thank you to all the teachers.
Ed.

1

[Richard_11]

I think is more deeper than hear. When you listening, it involves understanding to what was spoken to you. While hearing or the word hear only only involves the function of your ear. You can hear but never perceiving. Thats what I can tell to that. Hope that I contribute something. Goodbye!

[Juliafekete]

I've done the test Listen vs. Hear and my score was 8 out of ten at first attempt.
One of my mistakes was :
At exercise 5:
I am listening to the concert
instead of
I listen to the concert every Monday.

Could you tell me more about this two time forms. More exactly i would like a reference to the words which are used with present simple and which are used with present continuous.

The other mistake was at exercise 4:
I hear what you are saying
I've put "listen"
Why isn't it correct?
I think I can listen to something(hear actively) without changing my mind related to that thing.

Julia

[Alan]

Hi Julia,

When you do something regularly as in the sentence 'every Monday', you would use a 'simple' form. It could be present or it could be past = I listen/I listened.

'I hear what you are saying' means I understand/follow what you are saying. We don't usually use verbs of the senses in the continuous form because they 'function' all the time and don't need a continuous form because they are 'continuous' already in meaning. Again 'listen' is a particular action - it means that you not only hear but you also follow closely what you hear. Again if you use 'listen' with an object, it would have to be used with the preposition 'to'. I listen to what you are saying. But that sentence would suggest you do that on a regular basis. 'I hear what you are saying' is idiomatic use of 'hear' to mean I fully understand what you are saying.

I hope that's not too much of a mouthful and makes sense.

Alan
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[Torsten]

[Juliafekete]

Hy Torsten!

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll take it in consideration.

Julia

[Juliafekete]

Hy Alan!

Thank you for your explanation. It isn't so much. But usually when i solve a test i can't think at all of the aspects of grammar.
I've learned about verbs of sense before but than i didn't realise that it is about that.
I think I need more practice.

Julia

[Matias]

Hi Torsten,

I recognize that this subjetc is a little dificult to me, I'm many sorry but I don't understand yet. I really want to know about it indeed.

To "listen" is a voluntary acton and to "hear" is a involuntary? Is it true? I'm right?

Thanks for your help.

best wishes

Matias