A free TOEFL Listening lesson from the Test Ninjas course, complete and with no sign-up. It teaches the English behind Listen and Choose a Response and then shows you how that English decides the answers.
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This lesson teaches the wh- questions: who, whose, which, what, where, when, why, how come and the how family.
You’ll learn what kind of information each one asks for, how to hear them in fast, contracted speech, and how to tell a normal question from an echo question.
Then you’ll use all of that in Listen and Choose a Response, where the right reply often answers indirectly and the wrong replies are built from the question’s own words.
Audio example
When's the career fair this semester↘?
| Reply you might see | What it really does |
|---|---|
| In the student center ballroom. | It’s about the fair, but it gives a place. It answers where, and the speaker asked when. |
| I got a fair price for my old textbooks. | It repeats fair in another meaning: a fair price is a reasonable one. It sounds connected but says nothing about the event. |
| They pushed it back to next month. | It answers when without an exact date: the fair has moved to next month. |
Only the third reply works, and it shares no words with the question. If you miss the first word, When’s, you can’t choose it, because the first two replies both sound connected.
This lesson trains you to catch that first word and know what it asks for.
4 quick questions before any teaching. Try them first: the ones you miss show which cycle needs most of your attention.
Question 1 of 4
Listen. What must a good reply to this question tell you?
Audio
How often does the pool have lap swim on weekends?
Answer: C. A number of times, like twice a day
How often asks for a frequency: how many times something happens in a period (twice a day, every Saturday).
Question 2 of 4
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
Whose charger's plugged in by the couch?
Answer: B. It’s Arjun’s.
Whose + a noun (charger) asks for the owner, so the reply names a person with ’s: Arjun’s charger.
Question 3 of 4
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
Where can I get a replacement student ID?
Answer: D. The card office in the student union.
Where asks for a place, and this names one. It repeats student, and that’s fine: a repeated word doesn’t make a reply wrong when the reply answers the question.
Question 4 of 4
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
Who's teaching the evening statistics section?
Answer: B. No one’s been assigned that section yet.
Who’s asks for a person, and the honest answer is that nobody has the job yet: it isn’t decided. It starts with No, but it isn’t a yes/no answer; No one is the person word.
Listen to this page
A wh- question asks for one kind of information, and the wh- word at the start tells you which kind: a person, a thing, a place, a time, a reason or a measure. The rest usually just narrows the topic.
So a reply can be on topic and still not answer: “When’s the chemistry review?” “In the library.” That answers where.
Word order.
In most wh- questions an auxiliary (do, be, have or a modal) comes before the subject: “Where do I return the projector?”
But when who, what or which + noun is the subject, there’s usually no do: “Who called the front office?” The wh- word already sits in the subject’s place, so nothing moves.
| Wh- form | Asks for | Question | A reply that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| who / who’s | a person | “Who’s leading the lab tour on Friday?” | “Dr. Mensah, I think.” |
| whose + noun | the owner, or the person responsible | “Whose idea was the bake sale?” | “Grace’s.” |
| which + noun / which of | one from a known set | “Which of these rooms has a whiteboard?” | “The corner one.” |
| what + noun / what kind of | a specific thing or type | “What kind of calculator do we need?” | “Any scientific one.” |
| when / what time | a time or date | “When’s the lab report due?” | “Next Thursday by noon.” |
| where | a place, or where to go for something | “Where can I print in color?” | “In the media lab, just past the café.” |
| why / how come | a reason | “Why’s the elevator making that noise?” | “They’re replacing the cables.” |
| how + adjective or adverb | a measure: time, frequency, distance, count, amount | “How many chairs do we need?” | “Twenty-five, one per guest.” |
Who did call the front office?
Who called the front office?
Who is the subject here (someone called), so a plain question has no did (only for emphasis: Who DID call?). In “Who did you call?”, who is the object, so did is needed.
The how family
Listen to this page
How + an adjective or adverb asks for a measure, and the second word decides which one. Two pairs cause most mistakes.
How long and how often both involve time, but how long wants a duration (“two hours”) and how often wants a frequency (“twice a week”).
How far and how long can share an answer, because people often give distance as travel time (“a ten-minute walk”).
How long can also measure a thing: an essay (“twelve pages”) or a waitlist (“a dozen people”). How many goes with plural nouns (a count); how much goes with uncountable nouns and prices.
| Phrase | Asks for | Typical reply shapes | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| how long | a duration, or the length of a thing | about an hour, until Friday, twelve pages, a dozen people (on a list) | “How long does the orientation tour last?” → “About an hour.” |
| how often | a frequency | every Monday, twice a week, once a semester | “How often do you meet your advisor?” → “Once a month.” |
| how far | a distance | two kilometers, a ten-minute walk, just around the corner | “How far is the stadium from the dorms?” → “About a ten-minute walk.” |
| how many | a count | three, a dozen, only a few, one each | “How many seats are left in the seminar?” → “Just two.” |
| how much | an amount or a price | twenty dollars, not much, plenty of time | “How much is a locker for the semester?” → “Twenty dollars.” |
| how soon | the earliest time | by tomorrow, within an hour | “How soon can you send the draft?” → “Tonight, probably.” |
So when you hear how, hold on for the next word before you decide what the reply must give. How on its own asks about the way something happened or went: “How did the interview go?” “Really well, I think.”
How long does the library hold a book you’ve requested?
Reasons
Listen to this page
How come means why, but it’s informal and often sounds surprised. Unlike why, it keeps statement order: “How come the library is closed?”, not “How come is the library closed?”.
It’s a shortened form of How did it come about that…?, so a whole statement follows it.
In replies, a reason often doesn’t start with because. Speakers give an activity in progress, a fact or habit, a past event or a purpose (see the table). If a reply explains the situation, it answers why, with or without because.
| Reason shape | Reply to “Why’s the language lab closed today?” |
|---|---|
| because + clause | “Because the heating’s broken.” |
| an activity in progress | “They’re installing new booths.” |
| a fact or habit | “It closes for cleaning every January.” |
| a past event | “A pipe burst last night.” |
| to + verb (a purpose) | “To give the staff a training day.” |
Worked example
“How come the Tuesday seminar’s been moved to the big lecture hall?”
Answer: (B) “Enrollment nearly doubled this year.”
Listen to this page
After which, whose and what, a noun tells you what the reply must pick out. Which chooses from a set you both know (“Which of these…?”); what + noun is more open (“What kind of…?”). Replies usually don’t repeat the noun.
A which reply often uses one (“the blue one”) or just names the choice. A whose reply names a person with ’s, or uses mine, yours, hers, theirs, often softened with I think or probably. A what kind of reply names a type.
So the right reply may share no words with the question, and a trap may repeat the noun in another sense.
| Question | Reply that fits | Why it answers |
|---|---|---|
| “Which section are you in?” | “The Tuesday one.” | one = section |
| “Which of these mugs is yours?” | “The green one.” | It picks one from the set. |
| “Whose bike is blocking the door?” | “Mine, sorry. I’ll move it.” | mine = my bike |
| “Whose job is it to order the snacks?” | “Olu’s, this week.” | a person + ’s |
| “What kind of snacks should we bring?” | “Something without nuts.” | a type, not a place or a time |
Try it
Mei asks, “Which of the two study rooms is quieter?” Choose the reply that fits.
Answer: C. The one upstairs, I think.
Which + noun asks you to pick one from a set, and “the one upstairs” picks one of the two rooms. One stands for room.
Listen to this page
Most of these slips come from one habit: you hear the topic words clearly, lose the short first word, and pick a reply about the topic. The fix is always the same: name what the first word asks for, then test the reply against it.
“Whose slides are first?” “In room 204.”
“Whose slides are first?” “Lena’s.”
Whose asks for the owner, so a place doesn’t answer it. The best reply is the possessive: Lena’s (slides). “Lena is” would say the slides are Lena; the reply should say who they belong to (Lena’s, or just Lena).
“How often is the writing workshop?” “About ninety minutes.”
“How often is the writing workshop?” “Every Monday afternoon.”
How often asks for a frequency. Ninety minutes is a duration: it answers how long.
“Where do I return the projector?” “Yes, you can.”
“Where do I return the projector?” “At the media desk by the main entrance.”
The question asks for a place, not for yes or no, so Yes, you can leaves it unanswered.
How come is the library closed?
How come the library is closed?
How come keeps statement order: subject, then verb. Why does invert: “Why is the library closed?”
“How far is the bus stop?” “At ten o’clock.” → doesn’t answer, because it’s a clock time
“How far is the bus stop?” “About a ten-minute walk.” → answers it
People often give distance as travel time, so a walking time is a normal answer to how far. A clock time is not.
Yes and no. A wh- question asks for information, so a reply that just answers yes or no misses it. But read past the first word: No can begin a real answer.
“Who’s bringing plates?” “No one yet. Can you?” tells you who: nobody so far.
Try it · question 1 of 2
Read this reply:
“Every other Friday, usually.”
Type the two-word question phrase, starting with how, that it answers.
Answer: how often
how often (or how frequently). “Every other Friday” says how many times something happens in a period: a frequency.
Try it · question 2 of 2
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
How many copies of the handout should I print for Friday?
Answer: B. One for each person on the list.
How many asks for a count, and “one for each person on the list” gives it without a number.
Question 1 of 7
What kind of information does each question ask for? Whose asks who something belongs to. You can use a label more than once.
Label each one: A person (who does or is something) / An owner (who something belongs to) / A place / A time / A reason / A number or amount
How come the vending machine won’t take cards?
Whose notes are these on the table?
What time does the career office close?
How many credits is the Spanish course?
Who’s running the chess club this year?
Why’s the shuttle so late today?
Where do I drop off a late assignment?
When does the gym open on Sundays?
Question 2 of 7
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
How often does the campus radio station need volunteers?
Answer: B. Every Thursday evening.
How often asks for a frequency, and “every Thursday evening” says how many times: once a week.
Question 3 of 7
Read only this reply:
“About a ten-minute walk.”
Type a two-word question phrase, starting with how, that it answers. More than one phrase can fit.
Answer: how far
Yes. A travel time can answer how far (people give distance as travel time) or how long (how long it takes). How close works too.
Question 4 of 7
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
Which lab section still has space?
Answer: D. The Thursday section does.
Which + noun asks you to pick one section, and this picks the Thursday one. It repeats section, and that’s fine: a repeated word doesn’t make a reply wrong when it answers the question.
Question 5 of 7
In real speech, the question word sometimes comes after a long opening. Tap the question word.
With the room change and everything, when are we meeting for the group project now?
Answer: when
when asks for a time. The opening only sets the scene.
Question 6 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
How come the ceramics studio's locked on a weekday?
Answer: C. The studio’s kiln is being repaired.
How come means why, so the reply must give a reason. The kiln (the oven that hardens clay) is being repaired, which explains the locked studio with no because.
Question 7 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
What time's the training for new writing tutors?
Answer: A. Right after lunch on Monday.
What time asks when something happens, and “right after lunch on Monday” gives a point in the day.
Listen to this page
In natural speech the wh- word is stressed and the auxiliary after it shrinks. Where did you becomes Where’d you (“wair-juh”), and When is becomes When’s. The meaning lives in that first, loud syllable, so train your ear to grab it before anything else.
The weak part still helps. ’s is is or has. Been or got after it means has (“Where’s Ana been?”), and so does a past participle for something the subject did (“Where’s everyone gone?”).
If the participle describes a state or something done to the subject (“Why’s the gym locked?” “Who’s invited?”), ’s is is. Otherwise it’s usually is.
’d is usually did in a question about something that happened (“Where’d you go?”), but would before like or rather (“Where’d you like to sit?”). If you miss the first word, don’t guess from the later topic words: the traps repeat exactly those.
| You hear | Full form | Clue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who’s | who is / who has | an ‑ing verb → is; been, got or a past participle for something the subject did → has; a state or something done to the subject (invited) → is | “Who’s giving the talk tonight?” |
| Whose | belonging to whom | usually a bare common noun, maybe after an adjective (no the, a or your) | “Whose umbrella is this?” |
| Where’s / When’s / Why’s | + is / has | been, got or a past participle for something the subject did (gone) → has; a state or something done to the subject (locked) → is; otherwise usually is | “When’s the quiz?” |
| Where’d / What’d / Why’d | + did (sometimes would) | subject + base verb follows (Where’d you buy…?) → did; like or rather after the subject → would | “Where’d you buy that lamp?” |
| How long’s / How far’s | + is (or has) | is before a noun phrase (How long’s the break?); has when been comes after the subject (How long’s Maria been waiting?) | “How far’s the bus stop?” |
| What’s | what is / what has | been, got or a past participle for something the subject did (done) → has; a state or something done to the subject (What’s included?) → is | “What’s been happening in the group chat?” |
Listen for the loud Where’d and the quick “juh”:
Audio example
Where'd you find that cheap desk lamp↘?
You heard: “Where’d you find that cheap desk lamp↘?” In full: “Where did you find…?” The lamp is already bought, so ’d is did. A reply gives a place: “At the thrift store.”
Listen to this page
Who’s and whose sound exactly the same. You can’t hear the difference, but you can hear the next word. A bare common noun (bag, idea, turn), even after an adjective (“Whose blue bag…?”), usually means whose: belonging.
An ‑ing verb, been, got, an adjective on its own (ready), a place, the / a / your + noun (“Who’s your advisor?”), or a name (“Who’s Kofi?”) usually means who’s: who is or who has.
If is comes straight after (“Whose is this?”), it must be whose, because who’s is isn’t possible. The reply changes too. Whose wants an owner: Maya’s, mine.
Who’s wants a person: Maya, Maya is, I am.
| What follows the sound “hooz” | So it’s | Question | Reply that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| a bare common noun, maybe after an adjective (bag, blue bag) | usually whose | “Whose bag is on the chair?” | “Pedro’s.” |
| an ‑ing verb | who’s = who is | “Who’s bringing the snacks?” | “Hana said she would.” |
| been / got | who’s = who has | “Who’s got a spare pen?” | “I do. Here.” |
| an adjective on its own, or a place | who’s = who is | “Who’s ready to present?” | “I am.” |
| the / a / your + noun | who’s = who is | “Who’s your lab partner?” | “Arjun.” |
| a name (Kofi) | who’s = who is | “Who’s Kofi?” | “My lab partner.” |
| is, with no noun first | whose | “Whose is this?” | “Mine, thanks.” |
Hear both questions. The sound is the same; the next word decides.
Audio example
Line one: “Who’s got the key…?” Got follows: who has. Line two: “Whose key is this…?” A bare noun follows: whose.
Worked example
You hear:
“Hooz presentation’s first on Monday?”
Which reply fits:
Answer: (A) “Mei’s, I think.”
Listen to this page
A normal wh- question usually falls at the end ↘, because the speaker wants new information. An echo question keeps statement order and puts the wh- word where the missing part was: “You’re meeting her where?” It usually rises ↗.
The speaker heard you but missed, or can’t believe, one part, and wants it again.
Hear a normal question, then an echo:
Audio example
Where's the nearest place to print something↘?
Audio example
In the echo, where takes the place of at the boathouse.
Reply by repeating that part: “At the boathouse.” If the speaker sounds surprised, confirm first: “Yeah, the boathouse.”
Pitch can be hard to hear in a recording, so use word order too: a wh- word at the end of a full sentence is almost always an echo.
| Normal question ↘ | Echo question ↗ | What the echo wants |
|---|---|---|
| “Where are you meeting her?” | “You’re meeting her where?” | the place again |
| “When does it start?” | “It starts when?” | the time again |
| “What did he order?” | “He ordered what?” | the thing again, often with surprise |
| “Who did you invite?” | “You invited who?” | the person again |
Listen to this page
In the test you hear the question once. Decode it in a fixed order: the first loud syllable (the wh- word), then the weak part (the tense), then the topic. Only then think about the answer.
This order stops the topic words from taking over. They’re the loudest words after the wh- word, and they’re what the traps repeat.
Why’d they move the seminar online?
Tip. The moment the question ends, name the gap in two words: “a place”, “a reason”. That keeps it in memory while you read.
Now a full example. Listen first.
Worked example
Audio
What'd the professor say about the second essay↘?
You hear:
“What’d the professor say about the second essay?”
Which reply fits?
Answer: (A) “That it can be shorter than the first one.”
Listen to this page
Four slips come from fast speech. Each one has a quick fix.
Who’s laptop is this?
Whose laptop is this?
A bare noun (laptop) follows, so it must be the possessive whose. Who’s = who is, and “who is laptop” makes no sense.
“Where’d you park?” heard as “Where do you park?” → “Usually behind the gym.”
“Where’d you park?” = Where did you park? → “Behind the library, this morning.”
Here ’d is did: one past action, not a habit. The habit reply answers a different question.
“You’re leaving when↗?” “Because the bus is cheaper.”
“You’re leaving when↗?” “On Thursday, two days early. The bus is cheaper then.”
An echo asks for the same part again, here the time. Repeat it first. A reason can follow, but on its own it doesn’t answer.
Hearing “When’s the…” and waiting to see what the question is about
Hearing “When’s the…” and thinking “a time” at once
The first word is the loudest; if you wait, the topic words push it out of memory.
Try it · question 1 of 2
Which word fills the gap?
“___ coat is on the radiator?”
Answer: A. Whose
A noun, coat, follows, so it’s the possessive whose: “Whose coat is on the radiator?”
Try it · question 2 of 2
Read the exchange. The arrow shows Diego’s voice rising. What does Diego want?
Amara: “The book club’s reading a 900-page novel next.” Diego: “They’re reading what↗?”
Answer: C. Amara to say it again: he’s surprised
What sits where a 900-page novel was, at the end, and the voice rises: an echo. Diego wants that part again, probably because he can’t believe it.
Question 1 of 7
Listen. What does the first word of the question mean?
Audio
Who's been using the big whiteboard in room six?
Answer: B. Who’s = who has
Been follows, so it’s who has: “Who has been using…?” A reply names a person: “The chess club, I think.”
Question 2 of 7
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
Whose jacket's hanging on the studio door?
Answer: A. Diego’s, probably.
Whose + a noun (jacket) asks for the owner, so the reply needs ’s: Diego’s jacket.
Question 3 of 7
Listen. Type the question phrase at the start: the how phrase and the short verb joined to it. Type it one way only: as you hear it, or in full.
Audio
How long's the break between the two exams?
Answer: how long's
How long’s = how long is (either form counts). It asks for a duration: “About twenty minutes.”
Question 4 of 7
Listen. Type the question word, the short verb joined to it, and the subject after it. Type them one way only: as you hear them, or in full.
Audio
Where'd you put the extension cord after yesterday's meeting?
Answer: where'd you
Where’d you = where did you (either form counts). ’d + the base verb put, about yesterday’s meeting, is did: a past action.
Question 5 of 7
Read the exchange. The arrow shows Sofia’s voice rising. What does Sofia want?
Kenji: “The chemistry review is in the atrium.” Sofia: “It’s in the what↗?”
Answer: C. She wants the place repeated or explained.
What sits where atrium was (she kept the), at the end, with a rise: an echo question. Sofia missed that word, or doesn’t know it, and wants it again.
Question 6 of 7
Listen, then repeat the question as a normal wh- question: stress the question word and let your voice fall at the end.
Model sentence
Where do we pick up our tickets for the jazz concert↘?
Model
Where do we pick up our tickets for the jazz concert↘?
Check your response
Question 7 of 7
Listen to the exchange. Choose the first speaker’s best next line.
Audio
Answer: D. Yeah, the planetarium, of all places.
Where comes at the end, in the place of in the planetarium, and the voice rises: an echo. She wants the place again, because it surprised her. Yeah confirms she heard right, and the reply repeats the place.
Listen to this page
You hear one short question or statement, once, then read four written replies and choose the one that fits. There’s no replay and no transcript. Many of the questions are wh- questions in fast, informal speech.
The wrong replies are built from the question itself: a reply to a different question word, an echo trap that repeats a word from the question but talks about something else, or a yes/no answer. So a reply that “sounds connected” proves nothing.
The right reply may repeat a question word or share none. Judge each reply by what it tells you.
| Reply type | What it looks like | Keep or cross out | Example for “Where’s the lost and found?” |
|---|---|---|---|
| direct answer | names the information | keep | “In the student center, by the info desk.” |
| indirect: someone else knows | points to a person or place to ask | keep | “The front desk can tell you.” |
| indirect: not available yet | says the information doesn’t exist yet | keep | “They haven’t set one up in the new building.” |
| wrong question word | on topic, but a different kind of information | cross out | “It’s open until six.” |
| echo trap (or sound-alike) | repeats a word (or its sound) but talks about something else: a new meaning or a different topic | cross out | “I found my keys in my coat.” |
| yes/no answer | answers yes or no instead of giving the information | cross out | “Yes, there is one.” |
Listen to this page
Name the answer’s type before you read the replies. If you read first, the reply with the most familiar words pulls you in. The routine takes about three seconds once it’s a habit, and it works even when you catch only the first two words.
| Step | What you do | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Catch | the wh- word and its contraction (the first one to three words) | while listening |
| 2. Name the gap | in two words: “a person”, “a place”, “a reason”, “a count” | right after the question ends |
| 3. Test | each reply: does it give that, directly or indirectly? | while reading the replies |
| 4. Cross out | yes/no answers, echo traps and replies to another question word; if two remain, keep the one that answers the wh- word, not just the topic | before you choose |
Read past the first word.
A direct wh- question isn’t asking yes or no, so cross out a reply that only answers yes or no. But No can start a real answer: “No one’s signed up yet” answers who, and “No idea. Ask Priya” says who knows.
After a polite wrapper (Do you know where…?) or an echo question, Yes or Yeah can come before the information.
Reading the four replies first, then trying to remember what the question asked
Naming the gap (“a place”) first, then reading the replies with that gap in mind
The replies are built to sound connected. If you meet them before you’ve named the gap, the most familiar words win.
Listen to this page
Real people often don’t know the exact answer, so good replies are often indirect. A reply is right if it gives the information, tells you who has it, says it isn’t decided yet, or gives a reason that replaces the answer.
Don’t reject a reply only because it has no name, place or time in it. Ask: would a real person accept this as an answer?
One limit: an indirect reply must still be about the thing asked. “Ask the club” fits “When’s the tournament?”; “The club meets in Room 4” doesn’t, because it gives a place.
| Question | Direct | Someone else knows | Not decided yet | Replaces the answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “When’s the chess tournament?” | “Saturday the 12th.” | “It’s on the club’s website.” | “The club hasn’t picked a date.” | “It’s been canceled this year.” |
| “Who’s cooking for the potluck?” | “Olu and Mei.” | “Ask Fatima; she made the list.” | “No one’s signed up yet.” | “We’re ordering pizza instead.” |
| “Where’s the review session?” | “Room 210 in Hart Hall.” | “Dr. Lee’s email has the room.” | “The room isn’t confirmed yet.” | “It’s online this time.” |
“Where can I return a library laptop after hours?” (A) “Before nine tomorrow.” (B) “The drop box by the main doors takes them.” (C) “Ask at the help desk; they’ll know.” (D) “I returned my charger yesterday.”
A real item has only one right reply. This example keeps two, to show a direct and an indirect answer side by side.
Strategy walkthrough
Listen to this page
The full routine on a test-style question. Listen first.
Worked example
Audio
Where are the auditions for the spring play being held?
You hear:
“Where are the auditions for the spring play being held?”
Answer: (C) “The drama club hasn’t booked a room yet.”
Here the right reply shares no words with the question. That often happens, but it isn’t a rule: in the next example, the right reply repeats a word too.
Listen to this page
Now a how come question. Listen first.
Worked example
Audio
How come the campus café's so quiet this morning?
You hear:
“How come the campus café’s so quiet this morning?”
Answer: (A) “There’s a big exam in the main hall this morning.”
| Trap | How it hooks you | Your defense |
|---|---|---|
| wrong question word | It’s on topic and sounds helpful. | Check it against the gap you named. |
| echo trap (or sound-alike) | Sounds stay in memory longer than meaning. | Check that a reply with a repeated word is still about the thing asked and fills the gap. |
| yes/no answer | It sounds like natural talk. | A direct wh- question isn’t asking yes or no. |
| the right reply looks “empty” | It has no name, place or time. | Does it explain, redirect or say “not yet”? |
“Who’s designing the poster for the book fair?” “The poster looks great.”
“Who’s designing the poster for the book fair?” “Kenji offered to.”
Repeating poster doesn’t answer who. “Kenji offered to” names the person.
“When’s the field trip?” “At the science museum.” → answers where, not when
“When’s the field trip?” “Nobody’s told us yet.” → a real answer
Saying the information isn’t available yet is a real answer.
“Where’s the new bike repair stand?” “Yes, it’s open now.”
“Where’s the new bike repair stand?” “Behind the gym, next to the racks.”
Where asks for a place. “Yes, it’s open now” answers a question nobody asked: Is it open?
“How often does the jazz society meet?” “About fifty people came last time.”
“How often does the jazz society meet?” “Every other Wednesday.”
A number isn’t enough: how often needs a frequency, and fifty people is a count.
Try it
Listen to this page
Run the routine on each one: catch the first word, name the gap, test each reply, cross out the traps, and keep an indirect reply that a real person would accept.
Try it · question 1 of 3
Listen. Choose the reply that fits.
Audio
Who's organizing the volunteers for the park clean-up?
Answer: B. The environmental club would know.
Who’s asks for a person. This reply doesn’t name one, but it tells you who has the answer: someone else knows.
Try it · question 2 of 3
Read the question, then choose the most appropriate response.
“Which of the two dorms is closer to the science labs?”
Answer: C. Hartwell’s closer, by a few minutes.
Which of the two dorms asks you to pick one, and Hartwell is one of them. It repeats closer in the same meaning, so the repeated word is no problem.
Try it · question 3 of 3
Tomás asks, “How often does the film society meet?” Label each reply. An echo trap repeats a word from the question but talks about something else.
Label each one: Fits / Wrong question word / Echo trap
For about two hours.
I saw a great film there last week.
Twice a month, usually.
The society meets every other Thursday.
In the lounge next to the theater.
I’d love to meet the director of that film.
Once a week, but only in the fall term.
Question 1 of 7
Listen to the question. Each row is a different reply someone might give. Label each one. An echo trap repeats a word from the question but talks about something else.
Audio
What time does the math tutoring center open on Saturdays?
Label each one: Fits / Wrong question word / Echo trap
The math exam was tough.
The center opens at nine on Saturdays.
In the basement of Kerr Hall.
Three tutors, usually.
Not until ten.
I opened the window to let some air in.
It’s closed on weekends now.
Question 2 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
Who's in charge of booking rooms for the debate club?
Answer: A. Fatima books the rooms, I think.
Who’s in charge asks for a person, and this names one. It repeats book and rooms in the same meaning, so the repeated words are no problem here.
Question 3 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
Where are we supposed to hand in our lab notebooks?
Answer: D. Professor Okafor hasn’t said yet.
Where asks for a place. This reply has no place, but it tells you why: the instructor hasn’t announced it yet. That’s a real answer.
Question 4 of 7
Listen once and fill in your notes.
Listen once
How far's the new climbing gym from campus?
Which reply fits?
Which reply fits? About fifteen minutes by bike. Travel time is a normal way to answer how far.
Your notes caught How far’s and named the gap: a distance, which people often give as travel time.
Question 5 of 7
Listen. Each sentence below is a different reply. Tap the one that answers the question.
Audio
Why's the dining hall serving lunch so late today?
Answer: The kitchen staff had a training session this morning.
Why’s asks for a reason, and a morning training session explains the late lunch, with no because.
Question 6 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
Which of the study rooms has a projector that works?
Answer: A. The front desk keeps track of that.
It doesn’t name a room, but it tells you who knows: someone else has the answer. That’s a real reply to which.
Question 7 of 7
Listen, then choose the most appropriate response.
Audio
How long's the waitlist for a single room in the dorms?
Answer: A. About a dozen people, last I heard.
The long thing here is a list, so its length is counted in people: about twelve. How long doesn’t always want a time.
These words come from the real questions this lesson is built on. Each has its meaning, an example, a common collocation and its word family.
to add your name to a list to join something
You can sign up for the pottery workshop at the front desk.
the process of officially signing up for something
Registration for spring classes opens on Monday morning.
to do someone else’s work while they are away
Can you cover my shift at the library on Saturday?
to lock the doors of a building when you leave
The last person to leave the lab has to lock up.
a person’s chance or duty to do something in order
It’s Hassan’s turn to bring snacks to the study group.
to close an area off with a rope
Staff roped off the front steps while the paint dried.
a part of a building that extends from the main part
The new science wing has six labs and a study lounge.
a lot of; more than enough
Don’t rush. We have plenty of time before the bus leaves.
first; existing at the beginning
The original plan was to meet on Friday, but we moved it to Monday.
a little farther than; beyond
The bike shop is just past the post office on Main Street.
Catch the first word, name what it asks for, and choose the reply that gives it, even if it shares no words with the question.
| Wh- form | Asks for | Reply shapes |
|---|---|---|
| who / who’s | a person | a name; Ask…; No one yet |
| whose + noun | the owner or person responsible | Lena’s, mine, probably Diego’s |
| which + noun | one from a known set | the Tuesday one, or the choice’s name |
| what + noun / what kind of | a thing or type | something without nuts |
| when / what time | a time or date | next Thursday, not until ten |
| where | a place, or where to ask | at the security office, the front desk can tell you |
| why / how come | a reason | because…; they’re + ‑ing; a fact; a past event |
| How + a second word | Asks for | Reply shapes |
|---|---|---|
| how long | a duration, or a length | about an hour; a dozen people (on a list) |
| how often | a frequency | every Monday, twice a week |
| how far | a distance | two kilometers, a ten-minute walk |
| how many / how much | a count / an amount or price | just two / twenty dollars, plenty of time |
| how soon | the earliest time | by tomorrow |
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Wh- word + auxiliary + subject + verb | Where do I return the projector? |
| Subject questions: no do | Who called the front office? |
| How come keeps statement order | How come the library is closed? |
| Who’s = who is / has (‑ing, been, got, the + noun or a name usually follows); whose + bare common noun = usually belonging | Who’s got a pen? / Whose pen is this? |
| ’s + been, got or a past participle for something the subject did = has; a state or something done to the subject (locked, invited) = is; otherwise usually is | Where’s everyone gone? / Why’s the gym locked? |
| ’d + base verb = usually did (would with like, rather) | Where’d you park? = Where did you park? |
| Normal question: wh- word first, usually falls ↘. Echo question: wh- word late, usually rises ↗, wants that part again | Where are you meeting her? / You’re meeting her where? |
| Reply type | What to do |
|---|---|
| Direct answer; someone else knows; not decided yet; a reason that replaces the answer | keep |
| Wrong question word | cross out |
| Echo trap: repeats a word (or its sound) but talks about something else (a new meaning or topic) | cross out (a repeated word alone decides nothing) |
| A yes/no answer to a direct wh- question | cross out, but read past the first word (No one…) |
Routine: catch the first word, name the gap in two words, test each reply, then cross out the traps.
In the course, this step runs on a test screen modeled on the 2026 TOEFL. Here is the walk-through set from this lesson. Answer each question yourself first, then open the answer to see what to notice, the move to make and why the trap attracts.
Where do I sign up for a plot next season?
Recording
Where do I sign up for a plot next season?
Choose the most appropriate response.
Answer: C. Registration hasn't opened yet.
The speaker asks where to register for a garden plot. The best reply explains that it is not possible yet because registration has not opened; the others answer 'when', play on 'sign', or describe the plots.
“Where do I sign up for a plot next season?” Where asks for a place to register, and next season shows it’s about the future.
Name the information first: a place to sign up. Then accept a reply that explains why no place can be given yet. “Registration hasn’t opened yet” answers by saying there’s nowhere to sign up at the moment.
“Sometime in early March” fits the topic and next season, so it sounds helpful, but it answers when.
“The sign blew over in the wind” catches you with the sound of sign, and “Most plots get plenty of sun” repeats plot without saying where to register.
Guided practice and the Check
The rest of this step is part of the full TOEFL course. You practice on test screens modeled on the 2026 TOEFL, then take a short Check under test conditions.
TOEFL plan from $29/month. See plans
Name what the wh- word asks for (a person, place, time, reason or measure) before you read the options. With how, wait for the second word: how long wants a duration, how often a frequency.
A normal wh- question usually falls and asks for new information. A wh- word left at the end of a sentence, usually with a rise, is an echo: it asks you to repeat that part. Use the word order as well as the tune.
A reply that repeats a word from the question, or its sound, needs a second look. Check that the word keeps the question’s meaning and that the reply fills the gap, not that it sounds like the question.
“Ask Priya” and “They haven’t decided” are real answers. Keep a reply that explains why the information isn’t available, or who has it.
Catch the first word, name what it asks for, and choose the reply that gives it, even if it shares no words with the question.
That was lesson 12 of 41
The full TOEFL course has 41 lessons like this one across all four sections, each with guided practice and a Check on a test screen modeled on the 2026 TOEFL, plus full-length practice tests.
See what every lesson covers in the full course outline, or read the outline of the next lesson, Yes/no, choice, tag and negative questions.