CELPE-Bras Listening Practice: Take Notes That Help You Write — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Listen first for the situation and main point
Before worrying about individual words, notice who is speaking, what the topic is, and why the material was created. A public announcement, interview, and personal story organize information differently.
On the first pass, write only a few keywords about the central idea. This gives you a frame for interpreting details when you listen again.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| A campanha quer incentivar a leitura entre jovens. | The campaign wants to encourage reading among young people. |
| A entrevistada explica como começou o projeto. | The interviewee explains how the project began. |
Capture relationships, not isolated vocabulary
A reason, contrast, example, or condition can change the meaning of a detail. Listen for words such as porque, mas, por isso, and se. Use simple symbols or arrows in your notes to connect the ideas.
You do not need to understand every word to understand the argument. Mark a missing word with a blank and keep listening for information that helps you infer its role.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| O projeto cresceu porque a comunidade participou. | The project grew because the community took part. |
| A entrada é gratuita, mas é preciso reservar antes. | Admission is free, but you need to book in advance. |
Turn notes into a response for a reader
After listening, sort your notes into main idea, supporting details, and information relevant to the prompt. Write from that structure instead of copying phrases you only partly understood.
Practise with official sample materials when available. Follow the instructions and timing for your exam edition, then review whether your notes helped you complete the writing task.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| A oficina será aberta ao público e terá duas atividades práticas. | The workshop will be open to the public and will have two practical activities. |
| Os interessados devem preencher o formulário até terça-feira. | Anyone interested should complete the form by Tuesday. |
Remember: Listen for purpose and relationships, then select only the details your written response needs.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
The campaign wants to encourage reading among young people.
Show a Portuguese answer
A campanha quer incentivar a leitura entre jovens.
The interviewee explains how the project began.
Show a Portuguese answer
A entrevistada explica como começou o projeto.
The project grew because the community took part.
Show a Portuguese answer
O projeto cresceu porque a comunidade participou.
Admission is free, but you need to book in advance.
Show a Portuguese answer
A entrada é gratuita, mas é preciso reservar antes.
The workshop will be open to the public and will have two practical activities.
Show a Portuguese answer
A oficina será aberta ao público e terá duas atividades práticas.
Anyone interested should complete the form by Tuesday.
Show a Portuguese answer
Os interessados devem preencher o formulário até terça-feira.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Listen for purpose and relationships, then select only the details your written response needs.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our CELPE-Bras Listening Practice: Take Notes That Help You Write lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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