If you've started preparing for the new TOEFL Speaking section, let me guess. You start the Listen and Repeat task, listen to a sentence, understand every word, and think, "That wasn't too bad." Then it's your turn to repeat the sentence... and suddenly half of what you heard disappears from your memory. Sound familiar? Frustrating! Hang on, friend, I've got good news for you. With the right strategies and enough practice, you can significantly improve your performance on the Listen and Repeat task.

What Is the Listen and Repeat Task Actually Testing?

Many students think this task is only about pronunciation, but that's only part of it.

The Listen and Repeat task also measures how efficiently your brain processes spoken language. You have to:

• Understand what you hear.

• Hold the information in your short-term memory.

• Repeat it immediately using the same words.

• Match the speaker's rhythm, pace, and intonation.

In other words, you're temporarily storing and reproducing spoken language in real time. That's why this task feels challenging, even for students with strong English skills.

Fortunately, there are several strategies that can make it much easier (I said "easier", not "easy" hehe).

Strategy #1: Know What to Expect

One of the simplest things you can do is familiarize yourself with the length of each question. The first few questions are relatively short, but the sentences gradually become longer and more complex. Knowing this ahead of time helps you prepare mentally so you're not surprised when you reach the final questions.

Rather than treating every sentence the same, expect the difficulty to increase as the task progresses.

Sentences 1-2: 9-11 syllables (easy)

Sentences 3-5: 14-16 syllables (medium)

Sentences 6-7: 19-23 syllables (hard)

*Source: https://www.toeflresources.com/speaking-section/

Strategy #2: Maximize Your Score on the First Five Questions

One important thing many students don't realize is that each sentence is scored independently (as far as I know!). Based on the scoring information available so far, every sentence appears to contribute equally to your overall score. That means performing well on the first five questions can help offset mistakes on the final two, which are typically the most difficult sentences. The bottom line is: really try to do well on the first 5 sentences!

Strategy #3: Use Different Memory Techniques

There's no single strategy that works for everyone. What I'm about to share are the techniques that have worked well for me and many of my students, but I encourage you to experiment and discover what works best for you.

1. Repetition

For the first few questions (1 through 4 or 5), I often repeat the sentence in my head or whisper it quietly while I'm listening. Keeping the sentence active in your mind can make it easier to recall a few seconds later.

2. Counting Syllables

This strategy helps me reconstruct the sentence because English has predictable stress and rhythm patterns. As I listen, I count the syllables on my fingers. For example, the sentence "The petting zoo and animals are to the right" has 11 syllables. When it's my turn to speak, I repeat the sentence while mentally counting to 11. If I haven't reached 11 syllables, I know I'm probably missing a word or part of the sentence.

3. Chunking

Instead of trying to remember one long sentence word by word, break it into smaller groups of words or phrases. For example, instead of remembering the sentence:

"The students should meet outside the library before the campus tour begins", try remembering it as three chunks: The students should meet //outside the library//before the campus tour begins. Now you're only remembering three meaningful ideas instead of thirteen separate words. Theoretically, this significantly reduces the amount of information your brain has to hold at one time, making it easier to repeat the sentence accurately. Sure, let me be honest, this doesn't always work for me, but it may work for you.

Strategy #4: Take Strategic Notes on the Longer Sentences

For Questions 5 through 7, relying entirely on memory may not always be enough. One strategy I really like is to quickly write the first letter of each word while I listen. Sometimes I'll write only the first half of the sentence and rely on memory for the second half.

Let me be honest: this takes practice, but it can make a big difference on the longer questions. One important warning: don't become so focused on your notes that you forget to sound natural. The goal isn't to read the sentence back, but to repeat it. To score high, you need to copy the speaker's:

• Intonation

• Rhythm

• Pace

Believe me, reading too slowly or sounding robotic can negatively affect your performance.

Strategy #5: Visualize What You Hear

Another technique that occasionally works well for me is creating mental images while listening. Instead of remembering only the words, imagine the situation or sequence the speaker is describing. Interestingly, I personally find the pictures provided by ETS during this task a little distracting. However, everyone's brain works differently, so you may find them helpful. The key is to experiment and identify the techniques that help you remember the most information.

Now, unto the overall best strategy: improve your short-term memory!

If I could only recommend one strategy, it would be this: practice the Listen and Repeat task regularly. Like any skill, your short-term memory improves with training.

The more you practice listening, holding onto information for a few seconds, and repeating it accurately, the easier the task becomes. Sorry to disappoint you, but there really isn't a shortcut. Consistent practice is what leads to improvement.

Need more Practice?

One of the biggest challenges with the Listen and Repeat task is simply finding enough high-quality practice. That's why my TOEFL coaching program includes over 120 TOEFL practice questions, full-length practice tests, and instant AI feedback.

While AI feedback can be helpful, it's not always accurate. That's why I also provide personalized feedback to help students focus on what actually needs improvement.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at nathaly@nathalyslighthouseenglish.com.

To wrap up, I truly think the Listen and Repeat task isn't just testing your English, but it's also testing your ability to process, retain, and reproduce spoken language under time pressure. Fortunately, this is a skill that can be trained. By knowing what to expect, using memory techniques like repetition and chunking, strategically taking notes on the longer questions, and practicing consistently, you'll give yourself the best chance of earning a high score.