The listening part of the A2 check — task types and examples with transcripts
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Listening (klausīšanās) is the first part of the A2 check: 25 minutes on a computer and 15 points. Every recording is played twice.
As in every part, the threshold is at least 9 points out of 15, and a better result in another skill cannot make up for it. Below are the task types and three of our exercises with transcripts and answers. The exercises are not official check tasks.
The part at a glance
| Duration | 25 minutes |
| Points | 15, threshold 9 |
| Where | on a computer, in the information system |
| Recordings | each one is played twice |
Task types
In our practice tests the listening part follows the published programme and is built from three tasks:
| Task | What you do | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | six short announcements, each with a question and three answer options | 6 |
| 2 | one conversation and four statements — yes or no | 4 |
| 3 | short conversations and sentences to complete with words from a word bank | 5 |
Exercise 1: an announcement
Transcript:
Uzmanību! Vilciens uz Jelgavu, kas atiet pulksten 14.20, šodien atiet no trešā ceļa, nevis no pirmā. Atvainojamies par neērtībām. (Attention! The train to Jelgava departing at 14:20 leaves today from track three, not from track one. We apologise for the inconvenience.)
No kura ceļa šodien atiet vilciens? a) No pirmā ceļa. b) No otrā ceļa. c) No trešā ceļa. (Which track does the train leave from today? a) From track one. b) From track two. c) From track three.)
Answer: c. Both numbers are heard in the announcement — three and one. The words nevis no pirmā (not from the first) mean that track one no longer applies. In the check, numbers often come in pairs, and only one of them answers the question.
Exercise 2: a conversation — yes or no
Transcript:
— Labdien! Es gribētu pierakstīties pie ārsta. (— Hello! I would like to make an appointment with the doctor.)
— Labdien! Ārsts var jūs pieņemt ceturtdien pulksten desmitos. (— Hello! The doctor can see you on Thursday at ten o'clock.)
— Ceturtdien es strādāju. Vai var piektdien? (— On Thursday I work. Is Friday possible?)
— Piektdien ir brīvs laiks pulksten piecpadsmitos. (— On Friday there is a free slot at 15:00.)
— Labi, tad piektdien. (— Fine, Friday then.)
1. Pacients grib pierakstīties pie ārsta. (The patient wants to make an appointment with the doctor.) — Jā
2. Pacients ies pie ārsta ceturtdien. (The patient will go to the doctor on Thursday.) — Nē (on Thursday he works)
3. Pieraksts ir piektdien pulksten 15. (The appointment is on Friday at 15:00.) — Jā
The second statement is a trap: the word ceturtdien (on Thursday) is heard in the conversation, but it is not the day the patient will go to the doctor.
Exercise 3: the word bank
Transcript:
— Cik maksā maize? (— How much is the bread?)
— Viens eiro divdesmit. (— One euro twenty.)
Sentence: Maize maksā viens eiro un ______ centus. (The bread costs one euro and ______ cents.)
Word bank: desmit · divdesmit · trīsdesmit (ten · twenty · thirty)
Answer: divdesmit (twenty). The word bank has more words than gaps, so check every word against what you heard instead of choosing by how it looks.
How to prepare
- Read the question before the recording. You will know what to listen for — a time, a place or a price.
- The first time, listen for the overall meaning; the second time, for the missing information.
- Practise numbers, times and days in particular. They come up most often in everyday announcements.
- Do not get stuck on an unknown word. A question usually asks for one specific piece of information.
- Answer every question, even if you are not sure.
Where to practise
You can try the listening part with recordings and automatic checking in the exam section. How listening fits into the whole day is described in the article What to bring to the A2 check and how the day runs, and the arithmetic of the scoring in the article How many points you need to pass the A2 check — 9 out of 15 in every skill.
This article is not legal advice. The exercises are our own training material, not official check tasks. The task descriptions reflect the published check programme and Cabinet Regulation No. 157 (MK noteikumi Nr. 157), and they can change. Before applying, check the current programme. Last checked: 22 October 2026.