TOEFL Listen and Repeat
Hear a sentence and repeat it exactly, with the same words, stress and rhythm. The first task of the new TOEFL Speaking section.
You hear seven sentences, one at a time, and repeat each one as accurately as you can. The sentences get longer as you go. Your score depends on how closely you match the words, the pronunciation and the rhythm of the original.
How the Task Works
Seven sentences, each repeated straight after you hear it.
?The Task at a Glance
- Sentences Seven short sentences, played one at a time. A simple picture may appear, but you only need to repeat.
- Length The first sentences are short; later ones are longer.
- Response time About 8 seconds for short sentences, up to about 12 seconds for long ones.
- Scoring How closely you match the original: words, pronunciation, stress and rhythm. Meaning and vocabulary are not marked.
Practice
Press Play and listen. When the countdown starts, repeat the sentence aloud. Then show the sentence and compare. Capital letters mark the stressed words.
Set 1: Campus Tour
Set 2: Before the Lecture
Stress and Rhythm
English is stress-timed: content words are strong, small grammar words are weak. Copy that pattern and you sound much closer to the original.
♪Hear the Beat
Stress the words that carry meaning: nouns, main verbs, adjectives, numbers. Say the small words quickly and softly.
the library is on your left
students can borrow up to ten books
- Weak forms "to", "can", "the", "a" usually sound like /tə/, /kən/, /ðə/, /ə/.
- Linking Words run together: "on_your_left", "ask_at_the".
- Endings Do not drop final sounds: renovated, books, asked.
Strategies
Train your ear and your memory together.
✓Five Tips
- Listen for meaning A sentence you understand is far easier to remember than a string of sounds.
- Copy the melody Rhythm and stress count. Hum the pattern if a word escapes you.
- Start at once Begin speaking as soon as the sentence ends, while it is still fresh.
- Don't stop to correct If you make a small slip, keep going to the end.
- Shadow daily Repeat short clips from podcasts or videos, then record yourself and compare.
Hear it. Hold it. Say it.
This task rewards clear pronunciation and natural rhythm. A few minutes of shadowing every day makes a real difference.
Listen. Remember. Repeat. Compare.
Back to the new TOEFL format