The new Listening section mixes everyday audio with academic talks and adapts to how you do. Each recording plays once, so knowing what to listen for is the whole game.
The section at a glance
Listening takes about 29 minutes and has about 47 items across two adaptive stages. How you do in the first stage decides the difficulty of the second.
Listen and Choose a Response
You hear one short line and pick the most natural reply. The trick is to listen for intent, not words: the right reply often repeats none of the speaker’s words.
Listen to a Conversation
A short dialogue between two people, often about a campus or everyday problem. Most questions sit on two moments: the problem and the solution.
Listen to an Announcement
A notice of the kind you hear on campus or in public places. Announcements exist to tell people what changed, so listen for new times, places and rules.
Listen to an Academic Talk
A short lecture excerpt. Lectures follow a structure: a definition, an example, a contrast, a conclusion. Questions usually follow the same order as the talk, which helps you keep your place.
Should you take notes?
Short notes help with longer talks, but writing too much makes you miss the next sentence. Note keywords and arrows, not sentences, and practise until it feels natural.
Practise every Listening task type in an adaptive section.
Start freeQuvo is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with ETS. Check ets.org/toefl for official test information.
