Listening is one of the four key language skills, along with reading, writing, and speaking. There are three basic steps to listening: hearing, understanding, and judging. To be a good listener, one should focus on the speaker and not be distracted. It is easier to listen to audio formats like films, TV programs, and audio tapes rather than live speakers. Effective listening strategies include having physical responses, making predictions based on linguistic cues, and identifying phrases that indicate opinions, potential bad news, or a concluding point.