English dictation
English dictation online: listen, type, and see exactly where you slipped
Quick answer
Dictation is the fastest way to connect listening, spelling and vocabulary. This tool plays a sentence in natural speech, you type it, and the check marks every correct word in green and every missed or misspelled word in red. Three levels, 8 sentences per round, a slow replay for every sentence, and a list of words to practise at the end. Free, no signup.
Most English spelling mistakes are words you hear correctly but write by sound: there/their, which/witch, because with two e's. Dictation exposes them one at a time. Teachers use dictations from about age nine, and in any exam a word you cannot spell is a word you do not fully own. This tool suits home practice before a class dictation, weekly vocabulary review, and adults who want sharper listening.
8 sentences. Press play, listen as many times as you need, type, and check. There is a slow replay too.
Choose a level
Which level to start with
- Beginner: short present-simple sentences, primary-school vocabulary. Family, school, animals, colours, days.
- Intermediate: longer sentences with mixed tenses, conditionals and connectors. Middle school and lower exam levels.
- Advanced: sentences at the level of an academic reading passage, with the vocabulary of placement and university entrance exams.
How to practise dictation well
- Listen once without writing, to understand the whole sentence. Only then replay and type.
- If a word is unclear, use the slow replay. The pronunciation stays natural, just slower.
- Do not guess letter by letter. Write the word as you think it is, check, and look at the difference.
- At the end of the round, copy the red words into your own SpeakBase set. They become flashcards, a test, and a conversation with the AI tutor.
- Repeat the same level two days later. Sentences reshuffle, but your problem words come back.
Dictation for school children
The beginner level is built on primary-school vocabulary and the intermediate level on middle school. Parents can sit with the child, play the sentence and let them type on their own; the check is instant and you do not need English to help. Teachers: the tool is open without signup, so you can send the link as homework before a class dictation.
Why dictation also trains listening
When you type a sentence you heard, your brain has to split a stream of sound into separate words. That is exactly what makes listening hard: swallowed words (going to sounds like gonna), endings (walked, walks) and short function words (of, a, the). After a few rounds, those words start to sound clear in conversation and films too.
Frequently asked questions
What age is English dictation suitable for?
From about age nine upwards. The beginner level suits primary school, intermediate suits middle school, and advanced suits high school, exam preparation and adults.
Does the check count punctuation and capital letters?
No. The check compares words only, ignoring commas, full stops and capitals. Apostrophes (it's, don't) do count, because they are part of the word.
Can I hear the sentence more than once?
Yes, as many times as you like, including the slow replay. In a class test you usually hear it twice, so towards the end practise with only two plays.
How do I save the words I got wrong?
The red words are listed at the end of the round. Open a free SpeakBase account, create a set and paste them in. They become flashcards with audio, a test, and speaking practice.
