TOEIC® Listening Part 4: Essential Tips for Mastering Talks

In Part 4, you'll listen to a series of short talks—like announcements, advertisements, or public speeches—and answer questions about them. It’s essential to know how to approach these talks efficiently, so you can accurately answer the questions and maximize your score. Let’s dive into some practical strategies to help you succeed.

Understand the Format

In TOEIC Listening Part 4, you’ll hear a series of individual talks with no interruptions. Each talk will be followed by three questions, and the topics can range from hotel announcements to travel guides, news reports, or workplace instructions. The isn't repeated, so it’s important to stay focused and understand as much as you can.

Tips for Success

1. Preview the Questions: Before you listen to each talk, take a few seconds to skim the questions and answer choices. This helps you know what to listen for, giving you a head start on identifying information.

2. Listen for Key Details: Pay attention to details like who is speaking, what the topic is, and what action is being discussed. These will often directly answer the questions.

3. Focus on the Purpose: One common type of question asks about the purpose of the talk. As you listen, make sure you understand why the person is speaking. Is it to give an update, make an announcement, or promote something?

4. Stay Calm and Move On: If you miss a detail, don’t panic. Focus on the next question. It’s easy to get caught up trying to remember what you missed, but that can cause you to lose focus on what’s coming next.

5. Practice Real-World Scenarios: Part 4 is all about talks that happen in real-life settings. This means practicing with audio that simulates these environments—like hotel check-in instructions, public service announcements, or business briefings. Our practice video, featuring Famous James and his English class, is a great example of the kind of English you’ll need to understand.

Practice with Famous James Adventures!

In our practice video, Famous James is prepping his class for a trip to a hotel to speak with the concierge, providing an excellent opportunity to practice the kind of listening comprehension that TOEIC Part 4 requires. 

Review the Answers

After answering the questions, make sure to review the detailed explanations provided. This will help you understand why an answer is correct, so you can apply the same logic to other questions.

Ready to Practice?

Remember, mastering TOEIC Part 4 is all about understanding real-world talks and knowing what to listen for. Check out the practice video and put your skills to the test. With enough practice, you’ll find yourself understanding more, missing less, and building the confidence you need to ace the listening section.