TOEIC Part 2 Was Not About "Finding the Same Words" — Learning How to Understand Conversations Through Statements and Choice Questions — July 20, 2026 (Monday, Marine Day) Reiwa8

Today, I opened the book I used many years ago, "New TOEIC Test: Last-Minute Techniques," and continued studying Part 2.

I was not feeling very energetic from the morning, and it took some time before I could begin studying. However, I thought, "I will just try a little," and worked on the next part of Part 2.

The topics I studied today were "statements" and "choice questions."

TOEIC Part 2 is not simply a test where you choose an answer that contains the same words you heard.

Rather, I realized that it requires the ability to understand what the speaker is trying to communicate and what kind of response would be natural in that situation.

## Statement Questions — What Kind of Response Is the Speaker Expecting?

A statement is a sentence in which someone tells you something, rather than asking a question or making a suggestion.

For example:

"I arranged the equipment for your presentation."

In this situation, the speaker is not only giving information. They are also expecting a response such as "Thank you" or "That helps a lot."

Therefore, the natural answer is:

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

However, TOEIC often includes choices designed to confuse you.

For example, you may be tempted to choose "equipped" because it sounds similar to "equipment," or choose an answer because it contains a similar sound such as "present."

TOEIC sometimes uses similar words to make you hesitate.

The important thing is not just the vocabulary, but whether the response makes sense as a conversation.

## Choice Questions — They Ask You to Choose, Not Answer "Yes"

The other type I studied was choice questions in the form of A or B.

For example:

"Would you like soup or salad with your meal?"

In this case, the answer should not be "yes" or "no."

You need to choose one of the two options.

A response such as:

"I think I'll go with that soup."

is the correct type of answer.

In choice questions, answers beginning with "Yes" are often incorrect.

However, I also learned that not all A or B questions work in exactly the same way.

If the question asks about a preference, such as:

"Do you prefer to go by train or by bus?"

then:

"Either is fine."

(which means "Either one is okay.")

can be a natural answer.

However, if the question asks about a past fact, such as:

"Did you go by train or by bus?"

you must choose and provide the actual information.

## What I Learned Today

While studying Part 2 today, I realized that listening in English is not only about hearing sounds correctly.

It is also important to put yourself in the speaker's position and think:

"Why did this person say this?"
"What kind of response are they expecting?"

Even though this textbook is about 20 years old, the essential parts of understanding conversations have not changed.

Learning English is not only about memorizing vocabulary and grammar. It is also practice in understanding communication between people.

Although I was not feeling my best today, being able to finish Part 2 was a small step forward and gave me a great sense of achievement.

#TOEIC
#EnglishLearning
#ListeningPractice
#TOEICPart2
#NewTOEICTestTechniques
#LearningJourney
#LifelongLearning