The Hidden Challenge for ESL Learners: Missing Meaning in Everyday English

Have you ever been in a place where people are speaking a foreign language all around you, but somehow, some words just don’t seem to register? It’s like your brain isn’t really “hearing” certain words at all. If you’ve experienced this, you’re not alone. Many language learners go through this, and there’s actually a name for it: selective perception.

What happens is this: when you’re surrounded by a language you don’t fully understand yet, your brain automatically filters out sounds and words that don’t make sense. Instead, it focuses on what it does recognise, helping you avoid feeling overwhelmed or confused. So even though your ears pick up the sounds, your brain might not process unfamiliar words right away.

Here’s something interesting—right now in Ireland, thousands of people who speak English as a second language work alongside native English speakers every day. That means they’re likely missing a lot of what’s being said around them. It might happen in the canteen, but also during meetings or when chatting with customers.

So, what exactly are they missing? English is a very idiomatic language, full of expressions that don’t always mean what the words say on their own. A big part of this is phrasal verbs—verbs combined with small words like on, off, up, or down to create new meanings. For example, we know the verb “give” and the direction “up,” but “give up” means something completely different from just those two words.

There are nearly 5,000 phrasal verbs in English, and we use them constantly. For someone learning English as a second language, who hasn’t had enough practice with these, it’s easy to miss out on key parts of conversations.

That’s where Listen to Advance comes in!

How Understanding Phrasal Verbs Can Unlock What You’re Missing in English Conversations

We’ve created a comprehensive course called 100+ Phrasal Verbs for Promotion. It’s big—over 200 units divided into 14 modules, with video lessons, practice exercises, and quizzes. The best part? It only takes about 9 minutes a day to get started.

You watch a short video focused on one phrasal verb, learn how it works, then test yourself with a quick quiz. The rest of the day, you try using that phrasal verb in your own conversations. The more you use it, the better you remember it—and soon enough, you’ll start understanding it when you hear it at work or in daily life.

Check out the course and get started at www.listentoadvance.com.