Gareth

How to do this dictation

Play the audio and write the missing words. You can listen as many times as you need. When you’re finished, use the answer key and transcript below to check your work.

Before you listen — key vocabulary

wide-body aircraft — a large commercial jet with two passenger aisles; designed for high-capacity long-haul routes
flight-test programme — the official series of test flights an aircraft must complete before aviation authorities issue a safety certificate
GE9X engines — the new-generation turbofan engines made by General Electric, developed specifically for the Boeing 777X
folding wingtips — the outer sections of the 777X wings that fold upward after landing, allowing the aircraft to use standard airport gates
variant — a derivative version of an existing aircraft model; sharing the same type certificate can speed up regulatory approval

Your dictation task

Fill in the gaps as you listen. Boeing's new _____ (1) aircraft, the 777X, completed its first flight over Everett, Washington, last month, marking the start of its _____ (2). The aircraft flew for _____ (3) before landing safely at Boeing Field. Engineers and test pilots evaluated the aircraft's handling characteristics, systems performance, and the performance of its new _____ (4) engines. The 777X features _____ (5) — a design solution that allows the aircraft to use standard airport gates despite its exceptionally wide wingspan of nearly seventy-two metres. Boeing plans to certify the 777X as a _____ (6) of the existing 777 family, a strategy that may help speed up the certification timeline. Airlines around the world have placed significant orders for the aircraft, and _____ (7) are expected within two years.

Click to read the transcript

Boeing's new wide-body aircraft, the 777X, completed its first flight over Everett, Washington, last month, marking the start of its flight-test programme. The aircraft flew for three hours and fifty-two minutes before landing safely at Boeing Field. Engineers and test pilots evaluated the aircraft's handling characteristics, systems performance, and the performance of its new GE9X engines. The 777X features folding wingtips — a design solution that allows the aircraft to use standard airport gates despite its exceptionally wide wingspan of nearly seventy-two metres. Boeing plans to certify the 777X as a variant of the existing 777 family, a strategy that may help speed up the certification timeline. Airlines around the world have placed significant orders for the aircraft, and first deliveries are expected within two years.

Click to see the answer key

How did you do?

(1) wide-body — commonly missed: requires a hyphen in attributive position
(2) flight-test programme — hyphenated compound; note British spelling programme (not program)
(3) three hours and fifty-two minutes — listen carefully; fifty-two is often heard as fifty
(4) GE9X — said letter-by-letter: G – E – nine – X
(5) folding wingtips — two-word noun phrase; wingtips as one word
(6) variant — not version or model; variant has a precise meaning in certification
(7) first deliveries — first is easy to miss; deliveries is plural

Click to see extended vocabulary

wide-body — describes a commercial aircraft with a fuselage wide enough for two passenger aisles; twin-aisle aircraft such as the 747, A380, and 777 are all wide-body types
flight-test programme — the full sequence of test flights required before a new aircraft receives its type certificate; typically involves dozens of aircraft and thousands of flight hours
certification — formal airworthiness approval issued by an aviation authority (FAA, EASA, etc.) confirming an aircraft design meets all safety standards
GE9X — a high-bypass turbofan engine developed by GE Aviation; one of the most powerful commercial aircraft engines ever produced
folding wingtips — an engineering solution unique to the 777X; the wing folds upward by about 6 metres at the tip so the aircraft can use gates designed for narrower aircraft
variant — an aircraft model derived from an earlier certified type; sharing a common type certificate can reduce the time and cost of certification
first deliveries — the point at which the aircraft manufacturer hands over the first production aircraft to a paying customer; marks the formal entry into airline service

Speaking follow-up

Boeing marketed the 777X partly on its range and fuel-efficiency improvements over older wide-body types. If you were advising an airline's fleet planning team, what factors beyond range and fuel burn would you consider before recommending an order for a brand-new aircraft type?

Record yourself on a phone voice memo so you can play it back and self-review. There’s no single right answer — the goal is to produce a clear, structured response under time pressure.

Level: CEFR B1–B2 / ICAO Level 4–5 For more on the 777X and its distinctive wing design, try the 777X wing video activity on this site.

Here are the answers to last Friday’s video, enjoy!

Author: Gareth

Structure: Cardinal & ordinal numbers

What are cardinal and ordinal numbers?

Cardinal numbers

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Listening: The 777X Enters Flight Testing

How to do this dictation

Before you listen — key vocabulary

Your dictation task

Speaking follow-up

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Video answers: Flying Private Jets

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Video: Flying Private Jets

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Video Answers: Air Traffic Control

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Video: Air Traffic Control

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What are cardinal and ordinal numbers?

Cardinal numbers

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How to do this dictation

Before you listen — key vocabulary

Your dictation task

Speaking follow-up

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