Tool or game
Lesson
Listening Part 1: Reporting a lost bag
A call to a railway lost property office. Practise describing objects (colour, material, contents) and catching a corrected train time.
Describing things
Part 1 often asks you to note a description. Words usually come in this order: opinion → size → age → colour → material → noun.
Useful words:
- Colours: dark green, light blue, navy (dark blue), beige, grey
- Materials: leather, canvas, plastic, cotton, wool, metal
- Parts: zip, pocket, strap, handle, label
The correction trap
People often say one thing and then change it: "It was the 7.15… or no, sorry, it was the 7.45." The answer is always the last thing they decide.
Listening
Northfield Station: lost property
Kofi calls the lost property office because he left his bag on a train.
Answer the questions while you listen. In the real test you hear the recording once.
Your browser can't read the recording aloud. Open the transcript below and read it instead.
Show the transcript (try the questions first)
Officer: Lost property office, Grace speaking. How can I help?
Kofi: Hi. I think I left my bag on a train yesterday evening.
Officer: I'm sorry to hear that. Which train was it?
Kofi: The seven fifteen to York. Oh, no, sorry, it was the seven forty-five. I missed the earlier one.
Officer: The seven forty-five, yesterday evening. Do you remember which part of the train you were in?
Kofi: Carriage C, I think. I put the bag on the shelf above my seat and completely forgot about it.
Officer: That happens a lot. Can you describe the bag?
Kofi: It's a backpack. Dark green, made of canvas, with two pockets on the sides.
Officer: Is there anything that makes it easy to recognise?
Kofi: Yes, there's a yellow ribbon tied to the zip. My daughter put it there.
Officer: That's helpful. And what was inside?
Kofi: A black jumper, a pair of running shoes, a water bottle and a library book.
Officer: Anything valuable? A wallet, or a phone?
Kofi: No, luckily those were in my pocket.
Officer: Good. Could I have your name, please?
Kofi: Kofi Mensah. The surname's M, E, N, S, A, H.
Officer: Thank you, Mr Mensah. Your reference number is L P, four seven two nine. Please keep that.
Kofi: Four seven two nine. Got it. How long do you keep things?
Officer: We keep items for twenty-eight days. If we find your bag, there's a collection fee of three pounds.
Kofi: That's fine. When will I know if you've found it?
Officer: Most items reach us within forty-eight hours, so if you haven't heard from us, call back on Thursday afternoon.
Kofi: I will. Thanks very much.
Questions 1–10: Lost property report
Complete the form. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
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Train: the to York (yesterday evening)
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Carriage:
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Colour: dark
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Material:
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Special feature: a yellow tied to the zip
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Contents: black jumper, running shoes, water bottle, library
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Surname: Kofi
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Reference number: LP
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Items are kept for days.
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Collection fee: £
Question 11
Choose the correct answer.
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When should Kofi call back if he hasn't heard anything?