TOEFL Listen and Repeat (2026):
30 Sample Sentences with Timing and Pronunciation Tips

What Is the New TOEFL Listen and Repeat Task?

Listen and Repeat is the first speaking task on the new TOEFL iBT (launched January 21, 2026). You hear 7 sentences on a campus or daily-life topic and must repeat each one as accurately as possible. The task is scored 0–5 by an AI engine and tests pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation — not grammar or ideas.

Timing you must memorize

| Sentence # | Length | Time to speak | |-----------|--------|---------------| | 1 | Short | 8 seconds | | 2 | Short | 8 seconds | | 3 | Medium | 10 seconds | | 4 | Medium | 10 seconds | | 5 | Medium | 10 seconds | | 6 | Long | 12 seconds | | 7 | Long | 12 seconds |

Total task time: ~70 seconds. No preparation time. You hear the sentence, and after a beep, you repeat it.

How Listen and Repeat Is Scored

The AI scoring engine evaluates four things:

1. Accuracy — did you produce the same words?
2. Intelligibility — can a listener understand you?
3. Pronunciation — vowel and consonant clarity, word stress
4. Fluency — smooth rhythm, no long pauses or restarts

You are not penalized for a light accent. You are penalized for dropped words, mumbled consonants (especially final -s, -ed, -t), and unnatural rhythm. Small slips are fine; substantial word omission tanks the score.

30 Practice Sentences by Campus Scenario

Shadow each one: play a recording, then repeat immediately without reading. Aim for 100% word accuracy first, then natural rhythm.

Library orientation (short, 8 sec)

1. The library opens at eight every weekday morning.
2. You can borrow up to five books at one time.
3. Quiet study rooms are on the third floor.
4. Laptops and phones on silent only, please.
5. Return bins are next to the main entrance.

Campus tour (medium, 10 sec)

1. On your left, you'll see the biology building, which was renovated last summer.
2. Across the courtyard is the dining hall, open from seven in the morning until ten at night.
3. The fitness center is free for all enrolled students, including weekend access.
4. Buses to downtown leave from this stop every fifteen minutes on weekdays.
5. Please remember to pick up a campus map from the information desk before you leave.

Cafeteria information (medium, 10 sec)

1. Breakfast service runs from seven to ten, with hot and cold options available.
2. We accept meal cards, credit cards, and mobile payments at all registers.
3. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are clearly labeled at each station.
4. Please take only what you will eat and bring your own reusable water bottle.
5. The weekly menu is posted every Sunday night on our website and mobile app.

Recreation center introduction (long, 12 sec)

1. The recreation center offers three basketball courts, two swimming pools, and a rock-climbing wall, all open until eleven.
2. Group fitness classes, including yoga and spin, are included with your student ID at no additional cost.
3. To reserve a court, please use the online booking portal at least twenty-four hours in advance.

Course registration walkthrough (long, 12 sec)

1. Before you register, make sure you've met with your academic advisor to confirm your course plan for next semester.
2. If a class is full, you can join the waitlist through the student portal, and you'll be notified by email if a seat opens.
3. Payment for tuition and fees is due two weeks before the first day of classes, or your registration will be cancelled.

Airport information broadcast (long, 12 sec)

1. Passengers traveling to Chicago on flight two-three-seven, please proceed to gate B twelve for immediate boarding.
2. Due to weather conditions, all departures this afternoon are delayed by approximately forty-five minutes, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
3. The free shuttle to the downtown bus terminal departs from curb number four every thirty minutes.

Everyday instructions (short to medium)

1. Please fill out this form and return it before Friday.
2. Submit your final essay by ten p.m. on Sunday night.
3. Attendance is required at tomorrow's lecture on environmental science.
4. If you need a meeting, email me and I'll send a time slot.
5. Remember to bring your student ID to the library and the gym.
6. The bus for the science museum leaves at one-thirty sharp.

The 3-Step Shadowing Method That Beats This Task

1. Listen once with the transcript. Note where stress falls and which words blend together (e.g., "don't you" → "dontchu").
2. Listen + mouth silently. No voice yet — match the speaker's rhythm with your lips and jaw.
3. Repeat out loud at 90% speed. Slightly slower is fine. Accuracy first, speed later.

Do this for 10 minutes a day for two weeks and your AI scores will climb 0.5–1.0 points.

5 Pronunciation Traps That Hurt Your Score

1. Dropped final -s → "two book" instead of "two books." This destroys intelligibility scoring.
2. Flat intonation → Every sentence in English has a stressed word; flat delivery signals "memorized, not understood."
3. Hesitation sounds → "uhh," "umm." Each one reduces fluency scoring.
4. Wrong syllable stress → PHO-to-graph vs. pho-TO-graph. Practice with a dictionary.
5. Running out of time → Start speaking right after the beep. Don't rehearse mentally — you'll exceed 8/10/12 sec.

What to Do If You Miss a Word

If you can't remember the exact word, substitute a synonym and keep going. "Submit your final essay by ten p.m." → if you forget "essay," say "paper." Partial credit > silence. Never restart — restart kills the fluency score.

How to Practice in 14 Days

• Day 1–3: Sentences 1–10, focus on ending consonants.
• Day 4–7: Sentences 11–20, work on natural stress patterns.
• Day 8–11: Sentences 21–30, full 8/10/12-second timer.
• Day 12–14: Mock task — 7 random sentences from the list, recorded.

Record yourself on your phone, then play back. The gap between what you think you said and what you actually said is where improvement lives.

Want AI Feedback On Your Pronunciation?

English AIdol's Listen and Repeat module uses the same kind of speech-scoring model as the real TOEFL — phoneme-level feedback, stress accuracy, and fluency metrics for every attempt. Drill with instant AI scoring →