TOEFL iBT Listening - Tips and Tricks

THE TOEFL IBT Listening is a test that can be challenging for students who are uncomfortable speaking. It requires a high level of concentration because it lasts 45 minutes without the possibility of stopping the soundtrack or rewinding it. During these 45 minutes without a break, the student is asked to decipher the information given by the soundtrack.

5 Tips for Succeeding in the TOEFL IBT Listening

Tip #1 - TOEFL IBT Listening: First of all, answer all the questions!

This tip applies to all sections of the TOEFL whose TOEFL IBT Listening . Answering wrong is not penalized. We therefore recommend that you try your luck even if you don't know the answer.

To convince you , here's a bit of math: Each question offers 4 possible answers. You therefore have a 25% chance of getting the right answer.

Tip #2 - TOEFL IBT Listening: Use logic and process by elimination

Even if you don't know the answer, you've been advised to answer anyway. But to maximize your chances of success without leaving it to chance, it's a good idea to proceed by elimination .

The questions of the TOEFL IBT Listening can be deciphered to find the correct answer. You will find the appropriate answer by identifying:

• either the sentence type : questions, affirmations, negations
• either the sentence tense
• either the relative pronouns which can be crucial in choosing the correct answer

Examples

You hear: “ Where is the office management department? ” Then these answer choices:

(HAS) I used to work there

(B) Henry is in charge of office management

(C) The second door on the left

You may not be familiar with the expression " office management department ." If you paid attention to the beginning of the sentence, you know that the interrogative pronoun "Where?" refers to a place; the only one of the three options that applies to a place is answer (C).

We invite you to practice to improve your efficiency and speed.

Tip #3 - TOEFL IBT Listening: Improve your TOEFL vocabulary

The TOEFL IBT is a repetitive test. Mastering the TOEFL-specific vocabulary therefore allows you to understand the majority of the speeches you will hear and therefore facilitate your decision-making when responding.

We recommend that you include in this list:

• of TOEFL Vocabulary that is to say specific “Business”
• of the phrasal verbs (very important)
• of the prepositions

You can make this list by writing down all the sentences and expressions that you do not understand when you are doing a TOEFL practice test or in the different exercises that you perform.

Tip #4 - TOEFL IBT Listening: Predict the Answer

During the time between questions, try to visualize the image or read the questions to predict the correct answer.

This strategy has two advantages for achieving success. TOEFL IBT Listening :

• You will only have to find the answer that corresponds to your prediction
• You will know which details to focus your listening on.

This way you can quickly answer the questions and start reading the next question.

Example

For part 1 of the TOEFL IBT Listening: Image description , you must absolutely ask yourself these questions when viewing the image:

• what's going on?
• who is in the photo?
• What objects are present in the photo?
• where was the photo taken?
• How are people and objects situated in relation to each other?

Tip #5 - TOEFL IBT Listening: Get your ear used to it

There's no secret: to understand English, you must first listen to it. We recommend watching all your TV series and movies in English with English subtitles.

This is a fun and effective trick that will help you quickly improve your listening comprehension and vocabulary. To make it truly effective, write down every new expression/word you hear. This will make it easier to remember and recognize it during the test.