How to do this dictation
Listen to the audio recording and complete the task below. You can play the audio as many times as you like. When you are finished, check your work against the answer key and the full transcript.
Before you listen — key vocabulary
These words appear in the recording. Knowing them before you listen will help you catch every word:
| rejected takeoff (noun phrase) | When the crew stops the takeoff and brings the aircraft to a halt on the runway instead of getting airborne. |
| lined up (phrasal verb) | Moved the aircraft into position on the runway, ready for takeoff. |
| thrust levers (noun phrase) | The controls the pilots push forward to give the engines more power. |
| knots (noun) | A unit of speed used in aviation; one knot is about 1.85 kilometres per hour. |
| faulty (adjective) | Not working correctly; broken. |
Your dictation task
This is a targeted dictation. You do not need to write down every word. Listen carefully and write down only the numbers and figures you hear. There are six:
Aircraft type: _____
Number of passengers: _____
Runway: _____
Time the aircraft was cleared for takeoff: _____
Speed when the warning light appeared: _____
Length of the delay: _____
Speaking follow-up
Imagine you are the captain of this flight. The aircraft has stopped safely on the runway. Make a short, calm announcement to the passengers: explain what happened and what will happen next.
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 / ICAO Level 4
Curious how engineers test whether a fully loaded aircraft can stop safely during a rejected takeoff? Read: 747-8 Rejected Takeoff Testing.