Expressions that suggest something was or wasn’t the answer
The teacher is going to read out some phrases from real language tests that give you hints about which of the things which are mentioned are the actual answer in the exam. Without looking below for now, listen to your teacher read out a statement about “A” and hold up one of the cards you were given to show if you think “A” is the actual answer in the listening (A card) or A is a trick and the real answer is something else (Not A card). Not all are 100% clear, but one of the two options should be much more likely in each case.
Label the phrases on the next page with “A” or “Not A”, then check with the suggested answers.
Test each other in pairs or groups in the same way. Then do the same but with actual statements replacing “A”.
Choose a phrase from the worksheet and make a statement with that phrase (e.g. “We were planning to have a picnic”). See if your partner can complete the statement by adding contrasting or additional information before and/ or after what you say.
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A is supposed to…
A year later, A.
A, and I would continue to…
A, and even…
A, and it’s just as well.
A, but actually…
A, but the one that stands out for me is…
A. (And) in fact,…
A. A year later,…
A. And that’s what she did.
A. But in the case of this particular…
A. But nowadays,…
A. Even so,…
A. For instance,…
A. However,…
A. I mean even…
A. I meant to say…
A. In contrast,…
A. In fact,…
A. In particular,…
A. In reality,…
Again, A.
Although I didn’t expect A,…
Although I wasn’t sure about A,…
Although it’s a controversial theory, A.
Anyway, I’m hoping to A.
Apparently, A.
As expected, A.
As far back as I can remember, A.
As most people think, A.
As much as I A,…
As the proverb goes, A.
As usual, A.
At first, A (then later…)
Basically, we are A.
But the one that stands out for me is A.
Despite my doubts about A,…
Ever since I was a little girl A.
He agreed to A, (though not without protest).
He claimed that A.
He claims that it is A.
He had planned to A.
He realised that A.
He started by A, (then…)
He then started to A.
I assumed A.
I can see why you might think A.
I think A is inevitable.
I thought A too, then…
I thought they would A.
I thought we would definitely see A.
It is commonly thought that A.
It is well known that A.
It shouldn’t A (but it does eventually).
It would have A.
It’s (all) about A.
I’d expected A.
I’m managing to A.
I’ve realised that A.
Many people have heard that A, and that is indeed so.
Most people think A.
My expectation was not A, but…
My initial impression was A.
My philosophy on this is A.
No one’s suggesting that A.
Originally, A.
Rather than A,…
Researchers have mostly focused on A (but in everyday life…)
Since then, A.
So, as a result A.
So, we A.
Some people say that A.
The consensus is A.
The plan was A.
There is a consensus on A.
They didn’t just A. (Instead,…)
This does not mean that A.
This results in A.
Though I had my doubts about A,…
Though there’s no guarantee of A,…
Unlike A,…
We are going to A.
We found A.
We intend to A.
We intended to A.
We settled on A.
We were going to A.
We were planning to A.
What I did was A.
You can forget about A.
You might think that A.
…, but for some reason A.
Suggested answers
Note that none of these absolutely guarantee that it is or isn’t the answer in a real exam!
A is supposed to… – Not A
A year later, A. – A
A, and I would continue to… – A
A, and even… – A
A, and it’s just as well. – A
A, but actually…– Not A
A, but the one that stands out for me is… – Not A
A. (And) in fact,… – A
A year later,…– Not A
A. And that’s what she did. – A
A. But in the case of this particular… – Not A
A. But nowadays,… – Not A
A. Even so,… – Not A
A. For instance,… – A
A. However,… – Not A
A. I mean even… – A
A. I meant to say… – Not A
A. In contrast,… – Not A
A. In fact,… – A
A. In particular,… – A
A. In reality,… – Not A
Again, A. – A
Although I didn’t expect A,…– A
Although I wasn’t sure about A,… – A
Although it’s a controversial theory, A. – A
Anyway, I’m hoping to A. – A
Apparently, A. – A
As expected, A. – A
As far back as I can remember, A. – A
As most people think, A. – A
As much as I A,… – Not A
As the proverb goes, A. – A
As usual, A. – A
At first, A (then later…) – Not A
Basically, we are A. – A
But the one that stands out for me is A. – A
Despite my doubts about A,… – A
Ever since I was a little girl A. – A
He agreed to A, (though not without protest). – A
He claimed that A. – Not A
He claims that it is A. – Not A
He had planned to A. – Not A
He realised that A. – A
He started by A, (then…) – Not A
He then started to A. – A
I assumed A. – Not A
I can see why you might think A. – Not A
I think A is inevitable. – A
I thought A too, then… – Not A
I thought they would A. – Not A
I thought we would definitely see A. – Not A
It is commonly thought that A. – Not A
It is well known that A. – A
It shouldn’t A (but it does eventually). – A
It would have A. – Not A
It’s (all) about A. – A
I’d expected A. – Not A
I’m managing to A. – A
I’ve realised that A. – A
Many people have heard that A, and that is indeed so. – A
Most people think A. – Not A
My expectation was not A, but… – A
My initial impression was A. – Not A
My philosophy on this is A. – A
No one’s suggesting that A. – Not A
Originally, A. – Not A
Rather than A,… – Not A
Researchers have mostly focused on A (but in everyday life…) – Not A.
Since then, A. – A
So, as a result A. – A
So, we A. – A
Some people say that A. – Not A
The consensus is A. – A
The plan was A. – Not A
There is a consensus on A. – A
They didn’t just A. (Instead,…) – Not A
This does not mean that A. – Not A
This results in A. – A
Though I had my doubts about A,… – A
Though there’s no guarantee of A,…– A
Unlike A,… – Not A
We are going to A. – A
We found A. – A
We intend to A. – A
We intended to A. – Not A
We settled on A. – A
We were going to A. – Not A
We were planning to A. – Not A
What I did was A. – A
You can forget about A. – Not A
You might think that A. – Not A
…, but for some reason A. – A
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Cards to be cut out and held up
Make a copy of one each for each student.
| A |
Not A |
| A |
Not A |
| A |
Not A |
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PDF version for easy saving and printing: hints-in-cpe-listening
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