Academic talks: main idea and details

Separate the main idea of a short academic talk from the examples, evidence and side comments that support it, and answer TOEFL Academic Talk questions and IELTS Part 4 notes with confidence.

Level B2 25 min5 exercisesLesson 10 of 12 in Listening B2

Trains: TOEFL iBT Listening – Academic Talk, IELTS Listening Part 4

What you'll learn

Find the main idea of a talk, even when it comes after a story, a question or a surprising fact
Recognise the job of a detail: example, evidence, contrast, definition or limitation
Answer the four TOEFL Academic Talk question types: main idea, detail, organisation and inference
Use the main points of an IELTS Part 4 lecture to follow the notes and place each detail correctly

Lesson content

9 steps · 5 exercises · 25 min total

1. Warm-up2 questions
2. LearnThe skill and the strategy
3. ModelSee how it's done
4. Practice 1Talk 1 (TOEFL Academic Talk)
5. Practice 2Talk 2 (TOEFL Academic Talk)
6. Practice 3Note completion (IELTS Part 4) + 1 more
7. Exam tips3 tips
8. Key vocabulary12 words
9. SummaryReview and finish

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