English sentences for dictation
Short English sentences read aloud in natural English, grouped by level. Listen to each one, write it down, then check yourself in a full dictation.
7 A1 sentences: The Sea Tower
- Mara works in a tower by the sea.
- Each night, she turns on the lamp.
- A small boat needs the light.
- The wind shakes the window.
- The boat shines a small light back.
- Mara smiles and waves to the boat.
- In the morning, she turns off the lamp.
8 A2 sentences: The Glove Show
- On Tuesday, Rosa found a yellow glove outside the bakery.
- Rain was coming, so she brought it inside.
- A boy hurried in, searching beneath every chair.
- He lost it before his puppet show began.
- The glove was much too big for him.
- Rosa planned to take it to the lost and found desk.
- Then he tucked his tiny puppet inside the glove.
- It made a perfect sleeping bag, and the show began.
9 B1 sentences: The Returning Road
- The island bus stopped beside a sea that had swallowed the road.
- Our driver said the tide had risen faster than the forecast promised.
- We had planned to reach the village before dark, but had to wait.
- A local baker appeared with a basket and invited us inside.
- While we shared warm rolls, she explained the road would return.
- The tide was going out, though the water still covered everything.
- Soon, a line of stones emerged, leading straight across the bay.
- We crossed behind the baker, who knew each slippery stone by heart.
- I have never trusted a timetable more than someone who watches the sea.
10 B2 sentences: Soup Before Closing
- A café near the town market has begun serving a changing soup made from unsold vegetables.
- The weekly supper, which opened last month, draws shoppers, stallholders, and residents who rarely meet.
- Rather than advertise a fixed menu, cooks post the ingredients after the market closes.
- That uncertainty once seemed likely to deter customers, yet many now arrive curious about the combination.
- On Thursday, roasted peppers softened a lentil broth, while bruised pears were served with sharp cheese.
- All dishes cost the same modest amount, so nobody has to explain why they choose leftovers.
- The arrangement has also reduced waste, although cooks say unpredictability demands careful storage and flexible recipes.
- A stallholder who once discarded herbs now sets aside small bundles before packing up.
- Organizers say the supper is not a substitute for affordable groceries, but it makes surplus visible.
- Next month, they will invite diners to suggest combinations, though the final menu will remain a surprise.
11 C1 sentences: The First Dessert
- Imagine a restaurant serving its dessert before the soup, while every dish remains exactly as planned.
- At first, diners might laugh, then inspect the tart with the concentration usually reserved for a final pleasure.
- Without the promise of sweetness later, its crisp pastry and sharp plum filling would become the evening's opening argument.
- The soup arriving afterward would no longer seem preliminary, since its warmth might feel like a reply rather than a pause.
- Nothing in the kitchen has changed, yet each course has acquired a different role through its position.
- This is not merely theatrical novelty, because expectation quietly edits sensation before the first bite.
- A diner who saves room for pudding often eats the earlier courses under an invisible condition.
- Remove that condition, and appetite may become less disciplined but more attentive to what is actually present.
- Even the final coffee would lose its customary duty of closing the evening and become simply another flavor.
- The experiment suggests that sequence is an ingredient, although no grocer can weigh it or chef can plate it.
- What we call a meal, then, is partly a story told by the order in which hunger is answered.
How to practise with English sentences
Listening to one short sentence at a time is the easiest way to start with dictation. Play a sentence, write it down without looking, then compare. The small words you missed, such as articles, endings and contractions, show you what to listen for next time.
Every set here comes from a real lesson at that level, read in natural English. When a set feels easy, practise it as a full dictation: you type each sentence and every word is checked for you.
Where can I find short English sentences with audio?
Here, grouped by level from A1 to C1. Every sentence has its own recording, and new sentences are added every day with the new lessons.
What is a sentence dictation?
You listen to a sentence and write down exactly what you hear. It trains listening and spelling together, because you can’t skip a word you didn’t catch.
Which level of sentences should I start with?
Start where you can write down most of a sentence after two or three listens. If you are not sure, the free 5-minute level test suggests a level.