TOEFL Listen to a Conversation
One of the 4 task types in the Listening section. 56 practice questions in the bank, across 13 sets.
Listen to a Conversation plays a campus exchange between two speakers and asks about its purpose, the problem raised, and how it is resolved. The setting is almost always practical — housing, registration, an assignment, an office.
What it looks like
A real item from the practice bank:
When must the book be returned?
- AIn one week
- BIn two weekscorrect
- CAt the end of the term
*Explanations in the PrepScore bank are written for a Chinese-speaking audience, so the reasoning on this page is ours rather than a translation of the bank’s.*
How to approach it
- Note only the problem and any number or date. The questions come back to those.
- Track what changes: a conversation exists because something needs sorting out.
- Listen for the resolution — it often arrives in the last two lines.
How much practice there is
The bank holds 56 questions of this type across 13 sets, 56 of them with audio. 57% sit in the basic layer and the rest in the advanced layer, which unlocks once your basic-layer accuracy passes 60% — the same two-stage shape the real test uses in Reading and Listening.
Practise Listen to a Conversation free
Ten questions a day at no cost, with the reasoning on every answer.
Frequently asked questions
What are TOEFL conversations about?
Campus situations: a problem with housing or registration, a question about an assignment, an arrangement with a member of staff.
How much should I write down?
Very little. The problem and any specific number or date is usually enough.
Keep reading
By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards