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When you’re taking the TOEFL Listening test, you won’t just have to answer questions about what the speakers said, you’ll also have to answer some questions called Listening for Pragmatic Understanding . These questions will ask you to infer information about a speaker’s attitude, purpose, tone, and degree of certainty.

It’s not just what the speaker said; it’s how and why he said it. In other words, how did the sentence function in the conversation?

On the TOEFL, Listening for Pragmatic Understanding questions will follow both types of passages: lectures and conversations. In this lesson, you’ll get some practice with answering these questions. But first, a few tips:

Take notes on the reading passages. You’ll be allowed to take notes on the real TOEFL, and good notes will really help. Don’t try to write down every word - just write down the most important information.

Listen for tone, pitch, volume, and speed, as well as words. The sound of a speaker’s voice can tell you a lot about the speaker’s attitude. If you need some practice, there’s a whole separate lesson in this course on listening for tone and attitude.

If you don’t have any notepaper, pause the video and go get some now so you can take notes just like you would on the real TOEFL.

Ready to hear the practice passage? Here you go:

Hi, I’m having trouble signing up for, uh… Intermediate Russian.

Hmmm… let me check your file. Are you a first-year student?

No, a second-year. I’m transferring from… from another school.

And you took Beginning Russian there?

Yes.

Oh, okay, well, um, it looks like our system isn’t recognizing your credit for that course. So you’ll, you’ll need to either retake Beginning Russian or, uh, take a placement test in the Russian Department to show that you’re ready for the intermediate course.

Wait, no, I don’t get it. Why isn’t the credit recognized?

I’m not sure; the system won’t tell me. But there’s nothing I can do to change it, so until you take the placement test, you won’t be able to register.

But that’s so silly! I’ve already taken the course! Alright, fine, where can I take the placement test?

You can go to the Russian Department anytime between… um, let me check. Anytime between 9 am and 3 pm, Monday to Friday.

The Russian Department?

It’s in Building 12, on the third floor.

Alright.

Is that everything you needed help with today?

Yes, thank you.

That was the passage - hopefully you took some good notes! Now, on to the questions! You can use your notes on the questions if you like:

1) Listen to the following lines from the passage again:

Oh, okay, well, um, it looks like our system isn’t recognizing your credit for that course. So you’ll, you’ll need to either retake Beginning Russian or, uh, take a placement test in the Russian Department to show that you’re ready for the intermediate course.

Wait, no, I don’t get it. Why isn’t the credit recognized?

Which of the following best describes the student’s attitude at this point in the passage?

a) Resigned

b) Bored

c) Confused

d) Irritated

Pause the video if you need time to think about the question.

The correct answer is c. The student says ‘I don’t get it,’ and asks for more information about why the credit was refused. This indicates that he’s confused about why the credit isn’t acceptable.

2) Listen to the following lines from the passage again:

You can go to the Russian Department anytime between… um, let me check. Anytime between 9 am and 3 pm, Monday to Friday.

The Russian Department?

It’s in Building 12, on the third floor.

Why does the student say ‘The Russian Department?’

a) To show how irritated he is at having to take a placement test

b) To indicate that he needs more information about the department

c) To change the subject of the conversation

d) To confirm the location where he will meet the administrator

Pause the video if you need time to think about the question.

The correct answer is b. The student certainly is irritated at having to take the test, but this particular sentence is not expressing irritation.

He isn’t changing the subject because the administrator was already talking about the Russian Department, so he’s continuing on the same subject.

And, he won’t be meeting the administrator at the Russian Department, so choice d is out as well. The only answer that makes sense is b: he’s asking about the Russian Department because he wants more information, which the administrator then gives him.

3) Why does the administrator say ‘Is that everything you needed help with today?’

a) To wrap up the conversation

b) To indicate a change of subject

c) To scold the student for getting irritated

d) To give the student some help on the placement test

Pause the video if you need time to think about the question.

The correct answer is a. The administrator has done everything she can about the placement test; now it’s time to end the conversation so the student can go over to the Russian Department and take it.

In this lesson, you got some practice with Listening for Pragmatic Understanding questions. These questions ask you more than just what the speaker said; they ask you why he said what he did and how he felt about it.

Listening for Pragmatic Understanding questions will pop up on both lecture passages and conversation passages. It’s more challenging to answer these questions because they aren’t just about facts and information.

When you’re working on these questions (or any other questions), taking good notes on the Listening passages can really give you a boost, and don’t forget to listen for the sound of a speaker’s voice, as well as the words. Ready to try your hand at the quiz questions?