Listen Collocation

listen verb

adverb

actively , attentively , carefully , closely , hard , intently

Now, ~ very carefully to what she says.

half-heartedly , idly , passively

He ~ed idly to the radio chatter.

half

Lucy was only half ~ing to their conversation.

barely , hardly

He was hardly ~ing, for he had too much on his mind.

calmly , patiently

politely , respectfully

The others ~ed respectfully to her words.

sympathetically

We ~ed politely to his stories.

avidly , eagerly , raptly , with interest

The guests were ~ing with great interest.

in silence , quietly , silently

They ~ed to the announcement in silence.

anxiously

in awe

verb + listen

will , would

Nobody will ~ to me!

I tried to warn her, but she wouldn't ~.

not bother to

I didn't even bother to ~ to his reply.

need to , should

You need to ~ to me!

be prepared to , be willing to

refuse to

He refused to ~ to her explanation.

preposition

for

We ~ed anxiously for the sound of footsteps.

to

I was ~ing to the radio.

phrases

~ with one ear ( AmE )

I ~ed with one ear to the conversation at the next table.

Listen is used with these nouns as the subject: ear