Listening L4⬆️ - Get the numbers: Long-COVID by Nature Communications

Listening for specific numbers can be challenging when there's a lot of information coming your way.

Let's practice this with a recording based on an excerpt from an article from Nature Communications with this 5-step method.

Step 1. Listen to the medium speed version. Try to get as much of the Big Picture as you can. Say the main idea to yourself.


Step 2. Listen to the fast-speed version and try to fill in the blanks.


A meta-analysis of ___ studies pooled symptom prevalence following laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The sample size ranged from ___ to ______ ( ________ in total), with most studies containing fewer than ___ participants. Overall, ____ of people reported one or more symptoms beyond ___ weeks following infection. The most common were fatigue, pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment, and mental health problems. Eighteen studies were judged to be at high risk of bias, and the remaining ___ were at moderate risk, due to convenience sampling and unrepresentative study populations. Half of the studies investigated hospitalised cohorts. The only two studies with more than _____ participants were a hospitalised cohort and a cohort of health-care workers with mild infection. In a subsequent meta-analysis of ___ studies with at least ___ months follow-up, study samples ranged from ___ to _____ ( _____ in total) and ____ of participants reported fatigue/weakness, ____ anxiety, ____ breathlessness, ____ memory loss, ____ concentration difficulties and ____ insomnia. The authors highlighted a small sample size, lack of representativeness and low response rate as limitations. Whilst many long-COVID studies have focused on patients hospitalised with more severe infections, a meta-analysis of __ studies reported persistent symptoms in up to one-third of people following mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Step 3. Listen to the slow-speed version, check the previous blanks and fill in the new ones.


A meta-analysis of ___ studies pooled symptom prevalence following __________________ SARS-CoV-2 infection. The sample size ranged from ___ to ______ ( ________ in total), with most studies _________________ fewer than ___ participants. Overall, ____ of people reported one or more symptoms beyond ___ weeks ______________ infection. The most ______________ were fatigue, pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment, and mental health problems. Eighteen studies _____________________ at high risk of bias, and the remaining ___ were at moderate risk, due to convenience sampling and ______________________ study populations. Half of the studies __________________ hospitalised cohorts. The only two studies with more than _____ participants were a hospitalised cohort and a cohort of health-care workers with mild infection. In a ________________ meta-analysis of ___ studies with at least ___ months follow-up, study samples ranged from ___ to _____ ( _____ in total) and ____ of participants _________________ fatigue/weakness, ____ anxiety, ____ breathlessness, ____ memory loss, ____ concentration difficulties and ____ insomnia. The authors ___________________ a small sample size, lack of representativeness and low response ________ as limitations. Whilst many long-COVID studies have focused on patients hospitalised with more severe infections, a meta-analysis of __ studies reported _________________ symptoms in up to one-third of people following mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Step 4. Use some of the new language. Check out our suggestions but prioritize yours, if any more specific to your needs.

💡 range from X to Y
💡 overall,...
💡 the most common X is...
💡 be judged to be...
💡 the only...with...were...
💡 whilst X is/was, Y is/was...

Feel free to share your examples with us int he comment section so the teachers can get back to you with support!

Step 5. Listen to the fast speed version on repeat for stronger connections.


Check the answers