Common Mistakes You Must Avoid in TOEFL Listening Section

In the TOEFL iBT Listening Section, you are being assessed on your ability to understand spoken English in academic and conversational contexts. In this section, many test takers make a few common mistakes which you must avoid in the TOEFL listening section. This segment will have 4 to 6 listening passages which are followed by a set of questions for you to answer. Throughout the entire listening exam, it is important for you to make notes in which you will be required to listen to conversations, lectures, and discussions, and then answer questions based on the content. 

In this blog, we'll dive into the various common mistakes which you must avoid in the TOEFL Listening Section. These mistakes can affect your scores, especially because the test is in a time-sensitive environment where precision is vital.

Types of questions asked in the TOEFL Listening Section

There are different question types in the TOEFL Listening Section and familiarising with these is one of the important aspects required while attempting them.

Below is the table which consists of different types of questions asked in the listening section.

As each question has its specific information to ask about, it is crucial to first recognise the type of the question before attempting to answer. To become well aware about the question types, you can prepare yourself by attempting several practice test papers to respond appropriately.

Common Mistakes in TOEFL Listening

In the TOEFL Listening Section, you need to comprehend the tones, accents and identify the key information provided in the audio. By making notes and trying to select the answers simultaneously, there are certain mistakes which you can make. Below are some of these mistakes which you might make while answering the TOEFL Listening Section.

1. Failing to identify the types of the questions

Since there are different types of questions in the listening section, it is crucial to identify the types of the questions as failing to recognize them can lead to confusion. For example, to answer a factual question, you need to recall specific details, but in terms of an inference question, it requires you to interpret meaning beyond what is being said in the audio. If you approach both the questions in a similar way, you might end up selecting the wrong answer.

2. Too many notes

Making notes is important in the TOEFL Listening Section; however, overloading them could lead to missing necessary information. Taking excessive notes could lead to confusion which also means that you are relying on your memory solely to select the correct answer which could become wrong when answering under pressure. This could be overwhelming and may leave you scrambling to recall details later on.

3. Focusing too much on words you are not familiar with

There would be many times when you might come across a few words whose meanings you are unaware of. Many times candidates try to put their focus more on the words they do not know and understand, leading to a distraction from the rest of the passage. Fixating on these unfamiliar words would only make you select a wrong answer as you might miss key information, and misunderstand the context.

4. Not Understanding the tone

It is very crucial to understand the tone and the context of the speaker since it is related to the speaker’s attitude or purpose. This is one of the most common mistakes in the listening section since test-takers overlook the emotional or tonal aspects of the conversation or lecture. As a result, individuals might misinterpret the speaker’s intention or attitude which is very common in the attitude and function questions.

In addition to that, this segment also includes a variety of speakers with different accents and speech rates where speakers might have regional accents or use colloquial expressions. You might make a mistake if you do not get accustomed to different accents and speaking speeds.

5. Failing to recognise transition words

In the Listening audio, there are many transition words such as ‘however’, ‘for example’, ‘in contrast’, etc, which provides much necessary information to organise and make connections between sentences or ideas. Candidates who do not focus on these words can get confused, making it difficult to understand the logical arrangement of the ideas.

Tips to overcome the common mistakes in TOEFL Listening Section

These challenges might seem overwhelming at first but there are certain tips to avoid making these common mistakes in the TOEFL Listening Section. Below are some of the strategies you can incorporate.

• Before you start listening to the audio and attempt to provide the answer, it is necessary to quickly glance at the questions to get clues on what exactly you will be listening to. 
• It is vital to pay attention to the first and last sentences spoken in the audio as it provides the main point or summary of the conversation or lecture, helping you answer main idea questions.
• Always focus on understanding the connection between key points such as names, dates, facts, and main ideas. This will help you organise your notes instead of writing every word.
• Do not focus on only one word and try to find meaning of the unfamiliar words. On the other hand, try to include context clues to infer the meaning and comprehend the main ideas and details.
• Focus on the speaker’s tone of voice and try to understand why something is being said from the tone which gives valuable clues about the speaker’s perspective. You can practice listening to different accents and get used to different speeds while increasing your confidence levels.

Remember to practice diligently to overcome these common mistakes. You can access different test papers to get familiarised with the exam format and then focus on practising each question to be prepared for the test day.