Skill
Learn to infer what a speaker means when the answer is suggested but not stated directly.
In TOEFL ITP short conversations, speakers often imply meaning through tone, context, or indirect language. The correct answer may not repeat the exact words from the dialogue. Instead, it expresses what the speaker probably means.
Listen for contrast words such as but and actually, hesitation phrases such as I am not sure, and polite disagreement such as That might be difficult. These clues often show the speaker real opinion or intention.
Complete the following exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned:
Audio script: Woman: Are you going to join the study group tonight? Man: I would like to, but I still have two lab reports to finish.
Question: What does the man imply? A. He will probably not attend the study group. B. He already finished the lab reports. C. He does not know where the group meets. D. He dislikes studying with other students.
Correct answer: A. The phrase I would like to, but introduces a reason he may not be able to attend.
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