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Ten Awesome Tips for the Listening Section

of the TOEFL Test

?So you’re ready to tackle the TOEFL Listening section

.We’ve got you covered

First off, if you need any practice you can download our Listening practice for the TOEFL

But if you’re looking for some help on the TOEFL Listening section, whether you’re new to
:the TOEFL or a TOEFL veteran, I’ve got good news

!You’re in the right place

These 10 Awesome TOEFL Listening Tips are just what you need to boost your confidence
and improve your test-taking skills, whether you are just starting out or you’re having
.trouble improving your score

?How do I practice the TOEFL Listening

Tip #1 - Create a TOEFL Listening study schedule

Tip #2 - Make your eyes your enemy

Tip #3 - Become a notetaking pro

Tip #4 - Memorize the question types

Tip #5 - Understand the passage structure like a professor

Tip #6 - Focus on vocabulary less, story more

Tip #7 - Be an active listener

Tip #8 - Think like a North American teacher

Tip #9 - Track your study progress

Tip #10 - Don't panic

.We are not like other TOEFL Prep sites

We will focus both on what you need to do to improve your TOEFL Listening score and how
.to do it

!Let’s jump right in

Tip #1: Create a TOEFL Listening study schedule

Time management isn’t just about the test. It’s about the moment you start studying for the
.exam

Maximize your TOEFL Listening growth in the least amount of time with a TOEFL study
.schedule

.Creating a study schedule is the most powerful way to improve your TOEFL Score

!And it’s easy

?Don’t believe me
:Here’s a quick example

.Monday, 9:00 – 10:00 am- TST Prep’s Test #13 Listening section

Tuesday, 9:00 – 10:00 am – Review yesterday’s answers. Identify incorrect choices and why I
.got them wrong

Wednesday, 9:00 – 10:00 am- Transcribe one passage from TST Prep test #13. Identify 5
words, phrases, or sentences that I have trouble understanding. Cross-reference with
.Youglish to check other examples. Record my own pronunciation

.Thursday, 9:00 – 10:00 am- Practice 20 of TST Prep’s 500 TOEFL Listening practice questions

Friday, 9:00 – 10:00 am- Review yesterday’s answers. If there is time, do transcription
.practice for 3-5x of the more difficult passages

Saturday, 9:00 – 10:00 am- Practice 20 of TST Prep’s 500 TOEFL Listening practice questions.
.Review answers

🙂 Sunday – RELAX! Day off

.If you write it down, you are much more likely to do it. Think about it

daily errands

grocery lists

appointment schedules

.We write these down because they are important and we don’t want to forget

The same goes for the TOEFL Listening section. You have to write down when and what you
.plan to study

Every Sunday, set aside ten minutes to create your weekly schedule. Write down what you
plan to study and when you plan to do it. Soon after, you will notice your listening skills
.grow

Tip #2: Make your eyes your enemy

.Your eyes distract your ears

Think about when you are having a conversation with someone and there is a TV right
behind their head. Your eyes can’t help but notice the screen and you soon realize that you
.haven’t been listening

.Listening on the TOEFL is even harder than it is in real life

When talking to someone in real life, we can focus on hand gestures, facial expressions, and
body language to give us clues as to what someone is talking about or what emotions they
.are trying to express

However, on the TOEFL exam, you can only rely on the voices coming through to your ears.
You need to work to diminish your attention to the other four sentences and focus as much
.attention as possible to the passages

The problem is that you still can’t just close your eyes as some other sites recommend. You
.have to take notes and look at the prompts on your screen

.Keep your focus on your computer and workspace

When sitting for the exam, you’ll be in a room full of other test-takers. Distraction will
…abound. But remember

.Don’t let your eyes wander

Tip #3: Become a note-taking pro

.This is one TOEFL Listening tip most students know

.If you’re anything like my past pupils, you probably don’t want to take notes

.In the end, it’s your choice, but I strongly recommend that you do
.Here’s why

Detail questions are the most common type of question in the TOEFL Listening section. They
.are nearly impossible to answer without notes

.Think about it

They ask you about a specific deal within a five-minute lecture. Believe it or not, a five-
.minute lecture packs a lot of content. It’s about the same length as a 700-word essay

Even if you already take notes, it’s important for you to learn how to take notes efficiently
.and effectively

.Proper note taking for the TOEFL Listening is a long conversation

So long, in fact, that we have a whole article about Taking Notes for the TOEFL Listening if
.you want to learn more

Tip #4: Memorize the question types

Although the reading and listening sections are similar, the question types in the listening
section are slightly different. The types of questions you may encounter include gist-content,
.gist-purpose, detail, organization, function, attitude, and inference

You may sometimes see these questions called by a different name, but at the end of the
.day, they’re all the same

.Take a look at this chart to get a better idea of how to identify each question type

The Listening Section Question Types

Frequency Question Type

Question Phrasing Question Value )per section(

"?"What is the topic of the discussion 1 6 gist - content .1

"?What is the professor mainly discussing "

"?"Why does the student visit the professor 1 3-5 gist - purpose .2

"?...Why does the professor mention"

"..."What is stated in the passage about 1-2 10-12 detail .3

"...According to the speaker"

"What is the professor's oppinion 1 3-5 understanding the speaker's attitude .4

"?...of

"?What can be inferred about the student "

"What doest the speaker mean when he 1 3-4 understanding the function .5
"...says

"...Why does the professor say this"

"?..."What can be inferred about 1 5-6 making inferences .6

"?..What does the speaker imply about "

"How does the professor organize the 1-3 4 understanding organization .7

"...information about

.However, memorizing this chart won’t help you all that much

While it’s important to know the different question types, it’s even more important for you
.to know how to answer each type

If you’re the kind of person who likes to do it all on your own, you can also download our
100 TOEFL Listening Practice questions. Reading about these question types can help, but it’s
.even more powerful if you experience these questions on your own

Download your free copy of 100 TOEFL Listening practice questions and gain first-hand
.knowledge of these TOEFL Listening question types
Tip #5: Understand the passage structure like a professor

.This TOEFL Listening tip is important, so pay attention

When you understand the structure of a conversation or lecture, you can anticipate what is
.going to be said and which information is important

:The TOEFL Listening conversation passages have a fairly simple structure

.First, a problem is presented by the student

.Next, the campus worker offers a solution

Lastly, the student or campus worker typically describes the steps needed to take to solve
.the problem. Sometimes, this is disguised in the form of requirements of an assignment

.Simple

?What about with academic lecture passages

There are actually several different ways an academic lecture could be organized, so it will
.be important for you to become familiar with what those are

:Lectures are typically organized based on 6 different structures

Cause and Effect

Historical Narrative

Problem and Solution

Sequence of Steps

Compare and Contrast

Category with Specific Examples

.Let’s look at one together right now: a sequence of steps

:Think of a sequence of steps like a recipe in a cookbook. Here’s the first step

.Gather all of the ingredients

?Now, what do you think the next step is going to be

.Next, mix the ingredients together

Even though you will not find a TOEFL Listening passage on how to bake cookies, you can still
organize your thoughts and listen in a much more structured manner. Once you know the
possible structure of the passages, it’s much easier to follow the story and identify the most
.important points

:Take a look at this passage

The Process of Aging

As human beings grow older, they go through different phases or stages of life. It is helpful
to understand aging in the context of these phases. A life course is the period from birth to
death, including a sequence of predictable life events such as physical maturation. Each
phase comes with different responsibilities and expectations, which of course vary by
individual and culture. Children love to play and learn, looking forward to becoming
preteens. As preteens begin to test their independence, they are eager to become
.teenagers

Teenagers anticipate the promises and challenges of adulthood. Adults become focused on
creating families, building careers, and experiencing the world as an independent person.
Finally, many adults look forward to old age as a wonderful time to enjoy life without as
much pressure from work and family life. In old age, grandparenthood can provide many of
the joys of parenthood without all the hard work that parenthood entails. And as work
responsibilities abate, old age may be a time to explore hobbies and activities that there was
no time for earlier in life. But for other people, old age is not a phase looked forward to.
Some people fear old age and do anything to “avoid” it, seeking medical and cosmetic fixes
for the natural effects of age. These differing views on the life course are the result of the
.cultural values and norms into which people are socialized
This lecture is organized based on the “sequence of steps” structure. The professor
introduces the lecture first by mentioning that life happens in phases, and then says it is
”.important to “understand aging in the context of these phases

”?Why does the professor talk about “the stages of life .1

a. To contrast the old age lifestyle with the teenage years

b. To differentiate between the behavior and goals of most people at different ages

c. To provide some context as to why many people fear old age

d. To contrast old age with adulthood and emphasize why many look forward to old age

To figure out the correct answer to this question, it’s important to keep in mind that the
.professor structures the lecture as a sequence of steps, or in this case, the phases of life

A is incorrect because it suggests that the professor is comparing and contrasting ideas in
.the lecture. A does not tell us why the professor discusses all of the stages of life

C is incorrect because it is a specific detail from one stage of life, whereas the question is
.directed towards all the stages of life

D is incorrect because similarly to A, it does not have to do with the sequence of phases, but
.rather suggests that the professor is comparing and contrasting specific stages

Thus, B is correct because the professor describes each stage of life in order to help the
students understand aging better. By describing each stage, the professor is differentiating
.the stages

Understanding the structure of the passage will help you predict important information and
.eliminate off-topic question choices

Tip #6: Focus on vocabulary less, story more

.Don’t try to understand everything in the TOEFL Listening

.Yup, you heard me

Think of lectures and conversations as stories, the same way you would when watching a
movie. You may not understand every word, but the most important thing is that you
.understand what is happening and the context

It’s important to brush up on your vocabulary before TOEFL test day, but it won’t be the
deciding factor in your final score. When you are listening to the passage, two most
:important priorities are to identify the following

The main idea of the topic

How the professor illustrates, expands on, or explains the main idea

…For example, think of the difference between these two questions

”?What does the professor want me to know “

..…OR

”?What words don’t I understand “

The first question focuses more on the bigger picture, whereas the second question only
.focuses on specific words that may not have anything to do with the purpose of the lecture

Focusing on specific, lonely vocabulary words will not improve your TOEFL Listening results.
Identifying the main idea and the most important details about the main idea will provide
.you with the information you need to answer more questions correctly

Pioneer 10 flew past Jupiter in 1973, after which it sped outward toward the limits of the
solar system. Pioneer 11 undertook a more ambitious program, using the gravity of Jupiter
to aim for Saturn, which it reached in 1979. The twin Voyager spacecraft launched the next
wave of outer planet exploration in 1977. Voyagers 1 and 2 each carried 11 scientific
instruments, including cameras and spectrometers, as well as devices to measure the
characteristics of planetary magnetospheres. Since they kept going outward after their
planetary encounters, these are now the most distant spacecraft ever launched by
.humanity

This particular excerpt is not dense in terms of new vocabulary, but do you know what
?spectrometers are or planetary magnetospheres

!I don’t even know what they mean

.Some students hear big words they don’t understand, freak out, and lose focus

Remember that the TOEFL Listening section is comprised of a variety of question types.
Although detail questions are the most common (and even then they don’t ask you what a
word means), all of the other questions aren’t necessarily concerned with small details. In
:fact, they look more like this

”?What is the lecture mainly about “

”?Why does the professor say this“

”?What is the professor implying “

.This is why focusing on specific vocabulary words won’t help you get the score you need

Tip #7: Be an active listener

.Academic lectures in the TOEFL Listening are tough because, well, they’re boring

.I mean, really boring

When something is boring, no matter what language, it can be difficult to follow the details
.and comprehend the overall message

.This is exactly why it’s important to actively listen during lectures

?What is active listening

One definition of active listening is that it requires feedback from the listener. When you are
having a conversation with someone, you naturally listen in an active manner because you
.need to respond

Most students listen to TOEFL Listening passages passively because they are taking notes on
.what they heard and trying to understand everything

Passive listening – Trying to understand every detail

Active listening – Trying to understand enough to respond

Stop listening passively, and start listening actively. In conversation passages, pay attention
.to tone of voice and attitude to help you understand the direction of the conversation

Listen to the conversation as if you were part of it. How would you respond to the campus
?worker if you were the student? Or vice versa

On the other hand, listen to a lecture as if you were really in the classroom. What questions
?might you have for the professor based on the information given

Whether or not you take notes, there are plenty of ways to make sure your mind is alert and
.active during the TOEFL Listening section

Tip #8: Think like a North American teacher

.This TOEFL Listening tip will empower you to think differently about the listening passages
.Let me explain

.When you think like a teacher, you start asking the right questions

”?Why was this information given “

”?Why is this detail here“

”?What does the teacher want me to know “

When you ask these kinds of questions, you’re thinking like a teacher. This is because ever
single utterance in a lecture should be there for a reason, especially on the TOEFL. Each
.detail of a lecture builds off of another. It’s all interconnected

Teachers speak with purpose, and the intention is to help students understand new and
.important information

.This TOEFL Listening tip will empower you to think differently about the listening passages

.Let me explain

.When you think like a teacher, you start asking the right questions

”?Why was this information given “

”?Why is this detail here“

”?What does the teacher want me to know “

When you ask these kinds of questions, you’re thinking like a teacher. This is because ever
single utterance in a lecture should be there for a reason, especially on the TOEFL. Each
.detail of a lecture builds off of another. It’s all interconnected

Teachers speak with purpose, and the intention is to help students understand new and
.important information
:When you think like a student, you ask questions like

”?Is this going to be on the test “

”?Will there be a question about this detail “

That’s not going to help you. In fact, it’s going to frustrate you. When you think like a
student and ask these small questions, you neglect to see the bigger picture, which holds
.many more answers (like tip#6, think about vocabulary less, story more)

.Answers emerge when you understand how all of the information is interconnected

.Watch this video if you want to learn more about thinking like a teacher

Tip #9: Track your study progress

By keeping track of your progress, you can evaluate where you are at and how much further
you need to go. Also, this is a great way to remind yourself of how much you’ve already
!done

?Why do you think people who are trying to lose weight step on the scale

.They want to track their progress

.Seeing that you lost a couple of pounds already is a great way to keep you motivated

.If you don’t feel like you are improving, you are going to lose motivation

.Tracking your progress on the TOEFL is a bit trickier than measuring your weight
Here’s an example of what you could do for the TOEFL Reading. Let’s say you do the first
reading passage in TST Prep’s Test #13

.and score an 8/14

.Write that down along with the date

Continue to do the same with different passages, while also reflecting on what you have
.learned

Take the same tests again, perhaps two weeks later. Compare your score and reflect on
.what you have learned

🙂 Celebrate! You have improved

!If you notice a positive trend in your scores, use that to remind yourself that you can do this

Similarly to weight loss, sometimes we feel like we’ve reached a plateau when studying for a
big test like the TOEFL, but with a little reminder of how much you’ve already accomplished,
.you are sure to find the extra motivation you need to keep pushing forward

Tip #10: Don’t panic

.As test day approaches, nerves will creep into your psyche

.It’s natural

There is no way to avoid feeling nervous, so the first step is to accept that you will be a bit
.scared when you take the test

.And that’s great

.Fear is a good indicator that you are doing something meaningful

.But you will want to manage that fear and minimize it

First of all, a few days before the test, do NOT do anything new. This includes taking more
.practice exams

Although taking a practice exam may seem like a good idea, if you end up with a “bad”
.score, you will start to panic

Instead, take tests you have already done, review your notes, and refresh your memory of
.what you’ve already learned

.Not taking any new tests within 5 days of your TOEFL exam will help build your confidence

:Here are some more tips to help you feel less stressed on test day

Get a good night’s sleep

Take deep breaths

Stretch out any tension or anxiety with some yoga poses

And, most importantly, remember that your family, friends, and health are much more
!important than a test score

Conclusion

.Phew! That was a lot

Since you’re still here, that means you’re serious about doing well, which is why we think
you should download our 100 Practice Questions for the TOEFLListening Section

There’s nothing worse than showing up to the exam center and wishing you had practiced
!more
Did we miss anything? (or just want to say thanks!)

.Let us know in the comments section below

Don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know if you have any questions at
contact@tstprep.com

!Happy studies

Other Articles

Free Questions for the Listening Section of the TOEFL Test 100

Taking Notes for the Listening Section of the TOEFL Test

Check other articles on TOEFL

Comments 26

CiJie ZhangCiJie Zhang on January 14, 2022 at 7:32 AM

Thanks for your tips, especially the “Be an active listener”. But I also have some problems of
“Understand the passage structure like a professor”, I don’t know how to identify the
structure at once, and how to deal with each structure (the same problem also in answer
？type, I don’t know how to answer each type). Do you have any further suggestions

.Finally, thanks for your help with the articles and videos

REPLY

JoshJosh on January 18, 2022 at 5:26 AM

Hi there and thank you for your questions. I do give advice on all of the issues you
mentioned, but it is a bit difficult to explain in a comment, which is why I created the TOEFL
Score Builder Course with videos explaining all of these ideas. I will leave a link here to it –
/https://tstprep.com/store/toefl-score-builder-program

REPLY

AlaaAlaa on November 13, 2021 at 11:55 AM

WOW, what great content. They were great tips honestly. Thanks from heart, I really
appreciate your great work and I really benefited from them. Thanks a lot, teacher you really
.deserve a big clap

REPLY

JoshJosh on November 15, 2021 at 7:32 AM

.Thank you so much for the comment, Alaa. Let me know if there is any other way I can help

REPLY

aaliyahAaliyah on September 24, 2020 at 12:51 PM

Josh MacPherson…first of all, I congratulate you on being such a wonderful teacher. You
definitely know your subject very well. I can’t thank you enough for providing such amazing
content. It is lucid, specific, and well structured. Your videos clear major doubts and above
all crashes” TOEFL Phobia”. It gives a head start to a student and then prepares him/her in a
planned manner for the exam. You perfectly fit into one of the quotes, “The teacher who is
indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the
.threshold of your mind… (Khalil Gibran)

REPLY

JoshJosh on September 28, 2020 at 3:05 AM

Wow, thank you so much for leaving such a kind and considerate comment. It’s rare to read
something so nice. Thank you for taking the time to write that. It really means a lot.
However, you did all the work! You should congratulate yourself on working so hard and
.); learning about all this TOEFL stuff. It’s not a very exciting topic

REPLY

AliAli on September 8, 2020 at 6:49 AM

thank appreciate tst prep team. my major problem in this part is getting lost sometimes and i
?don’t hear some details when i face questions what is solution

REPLY

JoshJosh on September 14, 2020 at 2:47 AM

Hi Ali and thank you for your question. This is a pretty general question so it is hard for me to
give any helpful advice. When you have a problem try to make it specific. For example,
maybe you have trouble answering vocabulary questions in the TOEFL Reading. Once you
make it specific, try to come up with some solutions to your problem or ask a teacher for
.some guidance

!This is the best way to overcome any TOEFL-related challenge. I hope that helps

REPLY

Carla E.Carla E. on August 7, 2020 at 6:41 PM

!!!Thank you all so much for the tips

REPLY

JoshJosh on August 9, 2020 at 3:09 AM

🙂 Thank you for the support Carla

REPLY

MahbobMahbob on June 11, 2020 at 10:57 PM

Thank you so much for the tips Josh, appreciated. Will be glad if you have such tip to
.improve reading of TOEFL

REPLY

JoshJosh on June 12, 2020 at 3:54 AM

Hi Mahbob and thanks for commenting! You can always check out our Ten Awesome TOEFL
/Reading Tips – https://tstprep.com/ten-awesome-toefl-reading-tips
REPLY

KerenKeren on May 22, 2020 at 10:15 AM

Thank you so much for this help Sir Josh

Be blessed

REPLY

JoshJosh on June 24, 2020 at 5:10 AM

🙂 Thanks, Keren! Much appreciated

REPLY

ShakibaShakiba on March 28, 2020 at 9:24 PM

.Josh you’re the best, I’ve seen all your YouTube videos

You’re so funny and your tips are just amazing. My test is in a month (I hope Corona virus
gives me more days though). So thank you SO MUCH. Oh and your writing template is a life
😡 savor, love you

REPLY

JoshJosh on March 30, 2020 at 9:51 AM

Thank you so much for your kind words! Stay safe out there. Hopefully, this all passes
🙂 soon

REPLY

Ana Karenina Sanchéz VillalobosAna Karenina Sanchéz Villalobos on February 29, 2020 at
7:03 PM

.Thank you very much for this tips. They have help me a lot. I’ll put them in practice

REPLY

JoshJosh on March 2, 2020 at 7:57 PM

!Good to hear and happy to help Ana

REPLY

Bosire AnyonaBosire Anyona on June 18, 2019 at 7:46 AM

What a lesson! Thanks alot JOSH! I have followed and understood the flow of the content.
.Simple and clear just like a session in class

REPLY

JoshJosh on June 24, 2020 at 5:11 AM

🙂 Thank you! I appreciate it

REPLY

Vivian M RodriguezVivian M Rodriguez on May 23, 2019 at 3:23 PM

.Phew! That was a lot of useful information

.Very precise and concise

.I also follow your videos on YouTube. They are quite interesting

.A big thanks

REPLY

JoshJosh on May 24, 2019 at 2:20 AM

Hi Vivian and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, and such a nice one! Happy to
🙂 help

REPLY

Md Mahmud HasanMd Mahmud Hasan on April 12, 2019 at 11:41 AM

Thank you Josh for giving such details and useful tips for listening . You provide here some
.unique tips which are really awesome

REPLY
JoshJosh on April 13, 2019 at 7:08 PM

🙂 Thanks for noticing! It took a lot of work so I appreciate you noticing

REPLY

MarinaMarina on March 4, 2019 at 11:35 PM

.This tips are really good! They’ ve helped me a lot

!thanks very much

REPLY

JoshJosh on March 5, 2019 at 11:13 PM

🙂 Thanks for the comment Marina! Much appreciated

!Don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any other questions

REPLY

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