FREE · 16 ITEMS · AUDIO + ANSWERS
Explore ICAO pronunciation mistakes through sound contrasts, pictured situations and a short speaking task. Find the unclear part and practise repairing the message.
ICAO pronunciation mistakes matter when they make a message difficult for another person to understand. Listen for complete words, including their beginnings and endings, and notice when pace or word stress obscures the meaning.
There is no need to imitate a particular accent. Record your own response, identify a specific unclear part and practise it in a sentence. When a real exchange is uncertain, ask for or give a targeted repetition and confirm the result.
PRACTICE 01
Work on the sound or word that actually caused confusion. A recording helps you check the beginning, middle and end of the message.
Do not assume everyone with the same first language has the same difficulty. Practise the individual speech you hear and use a repeat or a confirmation when needed.
PRACTICE 02
For the picture questions, both alternatives are spoken. Choose the one the image supports.
PRACTICE 03
The examiner asks
Describe where the vehicle is from the pilots’ viewpoint. How would you handle a misunderstanding about its position?
Your turn · speak for up to 60 seconds
Optional. Your recording stays in this browser — nothing is uploaded.
I can see a vehicle on the left side through the cockpit window. The aircraft looks close to the vehicle, but I cannot tell the exact distance. I would tell the controller what I can see. I would say left clearly, because right is a different direction. If the controller did not understand, I would repeat the information and ask for confirmation.
Notes for Level 4
From the flight deck, a service vehicle is visible to the left of the aircraft. The picture does not establish its precise distance or whether it is moving. I would report its position to the controller using a clear direction and a short description. If the controller heard the wrong side, I would correct that detail, repeat it and confirm that we had the same information.
Notes for Level 5
The crew can see a service vehicle off to the left through the windscreen. Its exact distance and movement are not clear from a still image, so I would not speculate about either. I would tell the controller what we could actually see and make the direction explicit. If the reply suggested a misunderstanding, I would correct the relevant detail and confirm it before treating the exchange as complete.
Notes for Level 6
Check your answers and compare your speaking with the model, then see your practice debrief.
DEBRIEF
Start with the words or sounds that your listener actually misses: a word ending, a direction, a number or a rushed syllable. Record a short message and check that the meaning remains clear.
No. The goal is an accent or dialect intelligible to the aeronautical community. A particular national accent is not required by the holistic descriptor.
No. Avoid assuming a particular difficulty from someone’s background. Listen to the individual speaker and practise the specific part that is unclear.
Say the complete word in a short phrase, record it and compare the ending with the audio. Ask a listener whether they heard the intended word.
No. The rating also covers Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension and Interactions; the overall level is the lowest of the six scores.
