TOEIC Part 1 & 2: Stop losing the easy listening points

Xin chào! As promised in the welcome post, we are starting the part-by-part series at the very beginning: Part 1 (photographs) and Part 2 (question-response).

These are the easiest questions on the TOEIC, which is exactly why losing them hurts the most. A 900+ scorer treats Parts 1 and 2 as points to protect, not points to win.

Part 1: Listen for what is happening, not what you see

The photo shows twenty things; the correct sentence describes one action or state. Common traps:

1. Similar-sounding words. He's riding a bike vs. He's writing a book. If an answer sounds almost right, be suspicious.
2. True object, wrong action. The answer mentions something really in the photo, but the verb is wrong. Confirm the verb first, then the noun.
3. Assumptions. She's waiting for a bus. Is she? You can see a woman standing, not her intention. Choose only what is visible.

Part 2: The first word decides everything

Train yourself to catch the question word: Who → a person. Where → a place. When → a time. If you catch only that first word, you can still eliminate two options.

Two more rules:

• An echo is a trap. An answer that repeats a word from the question is usually wrong.
• Indirect answers are fine. "Where's the report?" "Ask Julie." Natural conversation, correct answer.

This week's practice

Fifteen minutes a day: one Part 1 set + ten Part 2 questions, timed, then review every mistake in your mistake journal. Next week: Part 3 & 4. Hẹn gặp lại! 🌸