Shadowing Practice: TOEIC Listening Part 1: Photographs - Practise & Tips with Mark - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
The TOEIC listening test has four parts.
2
As in the reading section, each part gets a little bit more challenging as you progress.
3
So make sure that you start strong and focused.
4
Let's start with listening part one, photographs.
5
Before we look at the instructions and the task, be sure to hit that subscribe button and be the first to know about brand new TOEIC videos.
6
Alright, let's get right into it.
7
First, you're going to see a picture like this one here.
8
The main thing you'll do is think about what you see.
9
In this case, we have a woman sitting at a desk.
10
So ask yourself, where is she?
11
What is she doing?
12
How does she feel?
13
Don't worry about trying to anticipate what is happening exactly, or trying to get the answer perfectly correct.
14
You just want to get your brain moving and engaged.
15
Don't wait for the correct answers.
16
Next, you're going to hear for answer options.
17
In this case, you won't see them, you'll only hear them before we listen.
18
Here are a few things to note.
19
First of all, the sentences will be fairly simple.
20
They'll often use the present continuous tense.
21
The boy is sleeping, they are playing.
22
Also, some of the questions will require you to make some inferences.
23
This means it won't always be very obvious.
24
Imagine you see a little girl playing video games, and their mother is standing behind her with an unhappy look on her face.
25
An easy version might be the girl is playing video games.
26
But a harder one might be the mother is losing her patience.
27
This is why it's important to ask yourself those questions.
28
Who are they?
29
What are they doing?
30
Where are they?
31
And how do they feel?
32
Okay, so let's go back to our photo and we'll hear the four answer options.
33
Sadly, you won't see them.
34
It is a listening test after all.
35
Let's listen together, pick the answer you think is correct.
36
Look at the picture.
37
A.
38
The woman is cleaning the office.
39
B.
40
The woman is having lunch.
41
c the woman is taking a break?
42
B.
43
The woman is cleaning her glasses.
44
How did you go?
45
Let's have another listen.
46
In the test you will only hear it once.
47
But anytime you struggle with one of these questions, don't feel bad if you have to listen again.
48
It's good practice and it will improve your listening.
49
Look at the picture.
50
is cleaning her glasses.
51
Great.
52
So the answer is C.
53
Now, keep in mind there's minimal method to this one.
54
Either you hear it or you don't.
55
But let's take a look at the answer options so that we can better understand this test.
56
A and B.
57
So definitely not cleaning the office and definitely not having lunch.
58
There is no food.
59
For C and D, C is a maybe.
60
She's clearly stopped doing whatever it is she's doing.
61
But D, the woman is cleaning her glasses.
62
Well, not quite.
63
She's taken her glasses off, but she doesn't seem to be cleaning them.
64
So I'll go with C.
65
She stopped working.
66
So she's taking a break.
67
Now, keep in mind, if you're able to understand me now, then you should be able to understand the language used in this part of the test.
68
If you want to strengthen your listening skills, be sure to build strong listening habits.
69
You can do this by checking out www.e2testprep.com.
70
Here you can find live classes, heaps of practice questions and assessments, sign up for a free trial now.
71
And that's it.
72
Now the most important thing is to practice with top quality practice materials.
73
Good luck.

Context & Background

The video "TOEIC Listening Part 1: Photographs - Practice & Tips with Mark" provides valuable insights into how to approach the TOEIC Listening test, particularly the crucial first part that focuses on photographs. Mark emphasizes the importance of engaging with the image presented before diving into the audio options. The listening test comprises four parts, progressively increasing in difficulty, requiring not just recall but also inference skills. Understanding where, what, and how the subjects in the photographs feel is key to answering correctly.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • The boy is sleeping. - A simple sentence using present continuous tense.
  • They are playing. - Another example of present continuous for describing an ongoing action.
  • What is she doing? - A question that engages curiosity about the photograph.
  • Where is she? - A fundamental question that helps students think about context.
  • How do they feel? - Encouraging students to infer emotions based on visual cues.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To enhance your english speaking practice using the shadowing technique depicted in Mark's tutorial, follow these actionable steps:

  1. Observe and Think: Before listening to the audio, take a moment to look at the photograph. Ask yourself about the setting, the subjects, and their actions. For instance, if you see a woman sitting at a desk, consider: What is she doing? Is she happy or sad?
  2. Initial Listening: Play the audio. Don’t just passively listen; actively try to identify the answers. Focus on the keywords that relate to the image.
  3. Analyze the Options: Listen carefully to the answer choices. After first listening, jot down your thoughts. Are any of the options plausible based on the image you analyzed?
  4. Inference Skills: Sometimes, the correct answer may require you to make inferences. For example, a mother behind a child might suggest impatience even if not directly stated. Think critically about the implications of the visual information.
  5. Use a Shadowing App: A shadow speak or shadowing app can be immensely helpful. Repeat phrases after you hear them and mimic the intonation and rhythm. By practicing this regularly, you can build confidence in your speaking abilities.

Regular practice with quality materials is essential. This methodology will not only prepare you for the TOEIC test but will also refine your listening and speaking skills in English. Happy learning!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.