5 Awesome Tips to Master the TOEIC Listening Section
1. Do Practice Tests Under Test ConditionsWhile you are preparing for the TOEIC it is important that you do constant practice under test conditions. That means taking practice tests with the same time limits and surroundings as if it were the real exam. So you need to take all parts of the test to get used to the quick transitions, fast pace and the tricks that can appear in the test. This will also teach you how to manage your time, which is especially important for the listening section since you have no control over the speed of the questions. But that doesn’t mean you have to start doing full tests on your first day of study! If you haven’t done tests like this before, it’s good to build some confidence first, and also get a good idea of the structure of the test. Try the following:
Starting the test like this, you will also be able to see which areas you need to focus your studies on. But don’t forget that it is important to start doing tests in actual test conditions as soon as possible. 2. Create as Many True English Sentences About a Photo as PossibleIn order to do well on the true/false section, practice quickly coming up with as many true English sentences in your head about a given photograph as you can. Why? In the first part of the TOEIC listening section, you will see a series of photographs and then listen to four sentences. You have to choose the sentence that best and most truthfully describes the picture. The three incorrect answers may have:
If you don’t share your house or office with anyone, you could even label everything you can see in English. Or do it anyway and scare your co-workers, roommates or family members! There can sometimes be trick questions on the exam, based on pronunciation. So it’s a good idea to work on your pronunciation of vowel sounds in English. Learn words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. The best way to answer the questions for this part is to look at the picture completely and find out what’s happening.
|
3. Use Prediction Skills to Answer Part TwoOur tip for the second part of the exam is to take what you already know and use prediction skills to imagine the correct answer before hearing the different options. This makes it easier to answer the question correctly.
This part of the TOEIC listening section is made up of 30 different questions. You will be asked a question about almost anything, and you’ll need to choose the best answer from three options. The TOEIC Listening is only heard once, and it can be rather fast in some places. So be sure to watch out for:
When studying for this section it’s a good idea to play the recording and listen to the question. After you’ve heard it, pause the recording and brainstorm a few answers to the question. This will help activate your knowledge and prepare you for the three different answers. After you’ve come up with a few ideas, continue to play the rest of the recording so you can identify the correct answer easier. 4. Focus and Actively Listen to Detail in Part ThreeThe third part of the test is a little longer and you might feel a little tired when you get to this part of the exam. But here you will need to focus and pay attention because you will want to actively listen for the answers to the questions as the recording is playing. You will hear a short dialogue and then answer three multiple choice questions about what you have heard. For this part, the questions and answers are in your test booklet. You will need to use your short-term memory to succeed. Here you need to watch out for:
During the actual test, try and read the questions before you listen to the recording. If you still have time, also try and read the multiple choice answers. 5. Find Keywords in Part Four’s Questions Before ListeningIn the fourth and final part of the listening section, you will hear three short talks about different scenarios. You will then have to answer questions about them. You will need to concentrate more carefully in this part to remember the details. Our tip is to find the keywords in the questions before you listen to the recording. When you study for this part, you should look at the questions and try to underline all the keywords in the questions and in the answer choices. Take some time to begin with and make sure you underline the correct words. After you get the hang of it, try to do it within seven seconds. This will be the same amount of time that you will have in the actual exam. Part four is the hardest section to do well in when it comes to the TOEIC Listening. It’s very easy to fall behind because there are no breaks between the questions, and the recording is quite fast. This exercise will encourage you to skim through the questions and the answers as quickly as possible. When you get faster, you will have a better chance of keeping up with the speed of the recording. When you are taking the actual exam, pay attention to the context. Try to read the question beforehand and find the keywords if you have time. Listen to the entire talk before choosing an answer. If you find yourself running out of time, just guess an answer. Don’t miss out on information for the next question while you are trying to figure out the previous one. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the TOEIC listening section is easy just because it consists of answering multiple-choice questions—it’s not. You need a lot of practice and good time management skills to ensure that you will achieve a high score. |