Complete Beginners Guide to TOEFL Listening: Master the Art!

Are you planning to appear for the TOEFL exam? Read this to know everything about the TOEFL Listening section and ace it like an expert.

Everyone is aware of the TOEFL exam. This tests a student’s ability to speak, read, write, listen, and understand English. Moreover, universities use this to shortlist students. In addition, it is also a must for Visa approval. Thus, it is very important to clear this exam. However, it is not that easy especially the TOEFL listening section.

Thus, many students turn to coaching classes and experts for help. They provide resources, mock tests, and TOEFL listening practice segments to prepare the students. However, if you are also struggling with this and need help, then you are on the right page. Here, we will look into everything related tothe  listening section in TOEFL. So, let’s get started!

An Insight into the TOEFL Listening Section

Firstly, you need to understand the purpose, importance, and pattern of this section. It tests your ability to listen and interpret English. Then, based on that, you need to answer questions or respond to them. This usually includes 3 lectures and 2 conversations. You have 28-39 minutes to complete this section.

Type of Questions in TOEFL Listening

Here, we will look into the different types of TOEFL listening questions you need to answer in the exam. They are:

1. Gist Content Questions

Firstly, these questions identify the main idea of the conversation. They are also used to understand the reason behind the conversation. Moreover, you must listen to the intent and not just the conversation to answer these. In addition, you must focus on the overall theme and not just specific details in the conversation. On the other hand, these questions sound like:

• What is the main topic of the conversation?
• Why does someone need to do the task?

2. Detail Questions

Secondly, the detailed questions check the specific facts and ideas. These focus on the in-depth details of specific facts in the conversation. Thus, you must take note while you listen and write down anything you feel is important. Moreover, for this, you need TOEFL listening practice as much as possible. In addition, you must focus on dates, names, locations, etc. On the other hand, these questions sound like, “What did someone say about this specific thing?”

3. Function Questions

Thirdly, the function questions are based on the speaker’s reason. These determine the reason behind the speaker’s way of conversation. Here, you must understand the tone, context, and situation. Moreover, this is more than just the literal meaning of the conversation. On the other hand, the questions in this section sound like, “What did he mean when he said that?”

4. Attitude Questions

Fourthly, the TOEFL listening attitude questions do the same as the name suggests, tell about the speaker. These tell about the speaker’s tone, emotion, and opinion on a particular conversation. It listens to the pitch to understand sarcasm and emphasis in the speech. Moreover, the questions sound, “What was his attitude towards the conversation?”

5. Organization Questions

Fifthly, the questions that talk about the organization of the ideas. These are based on the flow of the conversation. They also focus on comparison, explanation, and categories. It mainly focuses on how an idea flows through the conversation and the link between the thoughts. Moreover, the questions sound, “Why did someone use this example?”

6. Inference Questions

Sixthly, the Inference questions are to conclude what is said but not directly. This is more like what is meant behind the conversation that is not direct. It is to read between the lines on the word choice and context. Moreover, tone also plays a key role here. In addition, these questions are like, “What can be inferred by that problem?” You will get the hang of such questions with TOEFL listening practice regularly.

7. Connecting Content Questions

Seventhly, these questions find and work on the connection between the ideas. They are more about the transition between sentences and ideas. It includes questions that focus on cause and effect, comparison and contrast, and steps in a process.

These are the different question types in the TOEFL listening section. Now, let’s take a quick look at a few tips from the experts to do well in this.

Expert Tips to Do Well in the TOEFL Listening Section

It is common for students to feel overwhelmed and make mistakes in exams. However, as this is a test where every section matters the most, you cannot risk making mistakes. So, here are a few tips from the experts that can help you ace the test:

• Focus on active listening over passive
• Be regular and consistent with practice
• Use abbreviations for taking fast notes
• Follow the speaker’s flow to carry the gist
• Focus more on listening than writing everything
• Do not zone out while taking notes
• Try to understand the context of the conversation
• Emphasis on the audio intonation
• Practice shadow speaking to improve fluency

These are a few tried and tested tips from experts to help you. You can follow these for the best results.

Conclusion

In conclusion, TOEFL listening is an important section of the test. It is important to get good grades in it to get an overall good score. Moreover, it has a variety of questions to test a student’s listening skills. So, make sure to read the questions completely before answering them. In addition, you can try TOEFL listening practice videos or modules to get a hang of the slang, tone, and fluency. However, if you feel stuck or need help, just search “TOEFL coaching near me,” and you can find experts at Gradding.com to help you.