"to listen to?" vs "to listen?"

Question

"to listen to?" vs "to listen?"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'To listen to' is used when referring to actively paying attention to something, while 'to listen' is used when the action of listening is implied or understood. They are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used when you want to specify the act of actively paying attention to a particular sound or piece of information. It is followed by the object of what is being listened to.

Examples:

I like to listen to music while I work.
She asked him to listen to her explanation carefully.
He always listens to the news on the radio in the morning.

Alternatives:

to pay attention to
to hear
to tune in to
to be attentive to
to give ear to

This phrase is used when the context already implies the act of listening, so there is no need to specify what is being listened to.

Examples:

I can't talk right now, I'm listening.
She stopped to listen before continuing her story.
Listen, I have something important to tell you.

Alternatives:

to pay attention
to hear
to tune in
to be attentive
to give ear

Answer 1

to listen to?

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to actively paying attention to something.

Answer 2

to listen?

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when the action of listening is implied or understood.

"to listen to?" vs "to listen?"

to listen to?

to listen?

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