How to prepare for the TOEFL listening section?

The TOEFL test takes about four hours to complete. That means you need to come prepared so that your energy and attention levels remain stable throughout the test.

Before appearing for the actual test, try to do at least 2-3 mock tests of the same duration. It will give you an understanding of what to expect during the real rest.

Listening tips

The listening test is perhaps the most difficult part of the TOEFL test. You can raise your score in the listening module by following these simple tips.

Read the instructions and questions carefully. It might sound too obvious but it is very important. Failure to read or understand the instructions will have a negative effect on your score. Note taking is allowed during the listening test. So do it. If you have prepared notes, you will not have to rely entirely on your memory.

Be familiar with all accents

You may hear different English accents on the listening test, although the most predominant is going to be the American accent. Usually one lecture is spoken with British or Australian accent. That means you should be familiar with not just American, but other accents as well.

While listening to the conversation, try to figure out what the situation is. Where are the speakers? Who are they? If you can find out all of these, you will not have much difficulty in understanding what they are speaking about.

Having a good memory definitely helps. But sometimes it isn’t essential. In some questions a portion of the lecture or conversation is replayed.

Pay attention to discourse markers

Pay careful attention to words like ‘however’, ‘although’ and ‘finally’. These discourse markers may help you to anticipate what the speaker is going to say.

You can’t answer some questions on the listening test, if you don’t understand the attitude of the speaker. So listen to the tone of the speaker. It will help you to determine how he or she feels about the topic.