10 Best TOEFL Listening Tips to Ace the Exam

Are you also one of those candidates who is facing lower scores on the TOEFL Exam? Do you also want to know some TOEFL Listening Tips to ace the Exam with good scores? If your answer is Yes, then let me tell you, You are in the right place. Because in this ultimate guide, you will get to know the 10 Best TOEFL Listening Tips. By implementing these tips in the practice phase, you can surely ace your Exam with good scores.

TOEFL Exam is one of the widely accepted English Tests which checks the students’ English Proficiency. This test is given by those candidates who want to move to English-speaking countries for their further studies. Moreover, there are four sections in the TOEFL exam: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

The students can get overall good scores on the TOEFL Exam if they prepare all the sections wisely. Furthermore, daily practicing mock tests and working on weaknesses are some of the best tips for scoring well in the TOEFL Exam. But let me tell you, in this article, we will discuss the TOEFL listening section, its scoring system and some best TOEFL listening Tips that will help you ace the exam.

So, let’s get started with the TOEFL Listening Section Overview.

TOEFL Listening Section

The TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) Listening section measures your ability to understand conversations and lectures in English. The company that makes TOEFL, i.e., ETS, has identified five themes in the TOEFL Listening Tests. These are lectures, interactive lectures, consultations, group discussions, and conversations with speakers. 

In addition, it includes listening for basic comprehension, connecting information, and understanding related to the speaker’s attitude and degree of certainty. So, a candidate can score well in the TOEFL Listening Section if they observe all the information precisely. Moreover, TOEFL might be difficult for some students, but by implementing some tips, you can score well in the listening section. The table below mentions all the information related to the TOEFL listening test.

The TOEFL  Listening section consists of 50 questions divided into three sections. The test takes about 30-40 minutes. Furthermore, you have roughly 12 seconds to answer every question. So, it’s important to do time management wisely.

Section 1: 

It comprises short conversations between two people with one recording per question. 

Section 2: 

This section includes longer dialogues between two or more people, with one recording used for several questions. 

Section 3: 

It comprises longer talks, like a lecture. Several questions follow each talk or lecture. 

Remember that the questions are not written on your test sheet and are only asked during the recording. It’s important to remember that the questions generally get harder as the test progresses. 

Now that you know how the TOEFL Listening section works, let’s discuss the TOEFL Listening Section Scoring.

Note: Do read our other article on 25+ TOEFL Accepted Universities in USA in 2023

How is TOEFL Listening Scored?

The proficiency level in the TOEFL listening section ranges from below low intermediate to advanced level. Moreover, the total score range is 30 in the TOEFL listening section. To understand in detail, see the table below to know how the TOEFL listening section is scored. 

Remember to regularly implement your study schedule and TOEFL listening practice to get outstanding scores on the TOEFL Listening section. Thus, scoring good marks in the Listening section increases overall scores on the TOEFL test. 

Until now, we have discussed the TOEFL listening section and how is TOEFL listening scored. Now, let’s discuss some amazing TOEFL listening tips.

10 Best TOEFL Listening Tips

Here are the 10 TOEFL Listening Tips that help boost your confidence on the test day and improve your test-taking skills.

So, let’s dive into the topic.

1. Create a TOEFL Listening Study Schedule

Creating a TOEFL Listening Study Schedule is among the first best TOEFL listening tips. To begin, whenever a candidate decides to appear in the test, they must first create a study schedule. As we know, Self-study is the best way to score well on the Exams. Because this helps you to prepare effectively for the test. Here’s a sample study schedule to guide you in creating a study schedule.

This is just a sample study schedule. Remember that you can adjust the study schedule based on your current proficiency level and available time before your TOEFL test.

Also Read: Best Guide on How to Get the Duolingo Required Score in 2023

2. Memorize the Question Types

Memorizing the question types is another best TOEFL Listening Tips. Because of this, the candidate gets familiar with the type of question and can prepare themselves for the test. You might be surprised to know that although the reading and listening sections are quite similar. However, the types of questions in the listening sections are slightly different. 

In the TOEFL Listening Section, you may encounter these types of questions such as:

This table covers all the types of questions. Take a look at this table to get a better idea of how to identify each question type.

3. Practice Regularly

One of the best TOEFL listening tips is to practice regularly. To do this, take as many listening tests as possible. Because it is a sure way to improve your scores on the TOEFL exam. You can practice mock tests and solve last year’s exam questions and sample papers. Here are a few resources for your help with various TOEFL listening topics:

TOEFL Listening Practice: Entertainment

Practice for TOEFL with Movies and TV

Practice Listening Skills with Recipes

Learn English with Star Wars

Boost Your English Listening Abilities with listening to various Videos and Podcasts

Improve Listening Speed with Movie One-Liners

TOEFL Listening Practice: Academic

TOEFL Listening Practice Sources for Lectures

Use TOEFL Real Lectures in TOEFL Preparation

Alternatives to YouTube for TOEFL Listening Practice

Learn to Listen without Transcripts Using Minute Science

TOEFL Listening Practice: Other Resources

TOEFL Listening: English Question Words Quiz

Phrasal Verbs in TOEFL Listening

All these are the resources for the TOEFL listening practice. You can use them for doing regular practice so that you can ace the exam.

4. Sharpen Your Listening Skills

One of the best TOEFL listening tips is to sharpen your listening skills. To do this, listen to various E-books, podcasts and other listening resources. Also, listen to ample English audio to develop your listening skills. In addition to this, make yourself familiar with different types of accents, such as North American accents. So, make sure you adjust to their accent by practicing listening to audio in different accents.

5. Become a Note-taking Pro

An important strategy to solve the TOEFL listening section is to become a note-taking pro. Because there are many detailed questions in the TOEFL Listening section. So, it is nearly impossible to answer those questions without notes. That’s why ensure you take neat and clear notes that you can easily use while answering. Moreover, take your practice to the next level so that you can answer each question. 

6. Focus on Vocabulary

Building Vocabulary is also among the best TOEFL listening tips. It is very essential that a candidate should make themselves familiar with the vocabulary. For that, familiarize yourself with the university-related vocabulary because it will help you understand the context of the conversations or lectures. Moreover, this section also involves real-life conversations. So you should learn lots of phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions as well.

For better understanding, let me tell you that an idiomatic expression cannot be understood from the meaning of its separate words but has a separate meaning of its own. For example, “piece of cake” means “easy”.

7. Practice Time Management

Time Management is the best practice that everyone should do. As in the TOEFL Exam, you should effectively manage your time by considering the duration to remember the answer and taking notes. Moreover, you will hear the recording only once. So, to answer every question, you should manage your time wisely. Thus, note the main ideas as much as possible because, due to that, your time will be managed effectively.

Related Article: IELTS Vs TOEFL – 5 Best Differences You Must Know

8. Be an Active Listener

Another tip among TOEFL Listening Tips is to be an active listener, not a passive listener. Do you want to know the difference? If not, then let me tell you. A passive listener tries to understand every detail, but an active listener always tries to understand enough to respond.

So, develop a habit that you should stop listening passively and start listening actively. In conversation passages, pay attention to the tone of voice and attitude. It will help you understand the direction of the conversation. On the other hand, listen to a lecture as if you were really in the classroom. So, whether or not you take notes, there are plenty of ways to ensure your mind is alert. Implement those ways and be an active listener during TOEFL Listening Exam time.

9. Work on Your Weaknesses

By keeping track of your progress, you can evaluate where you are weak and how much further you need to go. By practicing regularly and doing analysis, you can come across your weak areas. So, after evaluation, make some strategies so that you can work on your weaknesses to score well in the TOEFL exam. Also, this is a great way to remind yourself how much you have done. This is another TOEFL listening tip.

10. Keep Calm on Test Day

The last but not least TOEFL listening tips is to keep calm on the test day. Staying calm on test day is crucial for performing your best. Various tips that will help you keep calm on the test day include practicing relaxation techniques, getting a Good Night’s sleep, avoiding taking too much caffeine, staying hydrated, arriving early and staying focused.

All these points that are discussed above are the TOEFL listening tips. Do remember these and work on implementing them to ace the exam.

Final Words ( TOEFL listening Tips)

In conclusion, we can say that mastering the TOEFL listening section is achievable with dedication, practice, and the right strategies. By following the 10 best TOEFL listening tips mentioned in the article such as creating a TOEFL listening study schedule, memorizing the question types, practicing regularly, sharpening the listening skills, practicing time management and many more, you will surely get good scores in the exam.

In this article, we have discussed the TOEFL listening section, its scoring system and some amazing TOEFL listening tips. I hope all the information in the article will be helpful to you while preparing for the TOEFL exam. To learn more about the English-related tests, visit CourseMentor again.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)