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TOEFL Speaking Tips (with bonus TOEFL Speaking PDF)

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September 5, 2020

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Though the TOEFL Speaking section is the shortest section of the TOEFL test, many students struggle with it the most. Speaking in English, into a microphone, under a time constraint, in a room full of other test-takers … it can be stressful if you’re not prepared. Luckily, you have time to prepare! By understanding the format of the TOEFL Speaking section and some strategies for making good use of your time, you’ll be able to answer all four speaking questions in the allotted time. Read on for TOEFL Speaking tips, TOEFL Speaking practice, and a TOEFL Speaking PDF.

Table of Contents

Click the links below to go to each section of our TOEFL Speaking Guide.

TOEFL Speaking Infographic
TOEFL Speaking vs. The Rest of the TOEFL
TOEFL Speaking Section Structure
TOEFL Speaking Practice: Mock Test
TOEFL Speaking Scores
TOEFL Speaking Tips
TOEFL Speaking PDF and Other Practice Resources

What You Need to Know About TOEFL Speaking: Infographic

Check out our new TOEFL Speaking Infographic for useful information and helpful tips!

And after you’re done reading the infographic, check out Magoosh TOEFL for six practice tests with sample answers, explanations, strategies and tips for every question!

(Click the image to open in a new window and zoom in and out.)

TOEFL iBT Speaking Section: Where does it fit into the whole TOEFL?

The Speaking section is just one of four sections on the TOEFL exam. The four sections are: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing (in that order).

Here is a breakdown of how you will spend your time during the TOEFL:

Reading
- 54-72 minutes
- 30-40 questions

Listening
- 41-57 minutes
- 28-51 questions

Break
- 10 minutes

Speaking
- 17 minutes
- 4 tasks

Writing
- 50 minutes
- 2 tasks

The Structure of the TOEFL iBT Speaking Section

The TOEFL Speaking section actually tests more than just your English speaking skills. It tests your ability to read, listen to and understand recordings by native English speakers, pronounce words correctly, use appropriate grammar, and manage your time wisely. This section also tests exam-taking strategies, such as your ability to remain focused and take brief notes.

Though you won’t be speaking directly with another person, you will be speaking out loud into a microphone. No one will be listening to you in the moment, but your recordings will be graded at a later date. Hopefully, you will find this to be less nerve-wracking than speaking to a live person – you could even do it with your eyes closed! 🙂

TOEFL Speaking Questions

The Speaking section is made up of four tasks, which require you to give personal opinions, summarize lectures and conversations, and speak about the opinions of others. TOEFL Speaking topics vary, but the format of the section is always the same.

There are two categories of questions in the Speaking Section:

Independent (Task 1)
Integrated (Tasks 2 – 4)

Independent Task 1:

You’ll be asked a general question about your your opinion on a topic.
Expect familiar topics. You’ll be asked general questions about broad social issues.
You’ll have a relatively short time to take notes and gather your thoughts.
You’ll respond into the microphone.
Preparation time is 15 seconds and response time is 45 seconds.

Tip 1: Your answers and opinions don’t have to be true! No one is going to fact-check your response, so go ahead and be creative if it saves you time and angst.
Tip 2: The structure of each of these questions is very similar. Most often the question will read “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Use details and examples to explain your answer.” But even when you don’t get that exact wording for the question, your basic task remains the same: take a position and give specific reasons for your position.
Tip 3: Be sure to check out our in-depth guide to TOEFL Speaking Task 1 topics.

Integrated Tasks 2 & 3:

You’ll be asked to read a short passage and listen to a recording on the same topic.
- In Task 2, you’ll hear a listening passage where students discussing their opinions on the reading passage. Both Task 2 passages deal with campus situations.
- In Task 3, you’ll listen to an audio clip of a professor’s lecture on the topic of the text.
You’ll be given 45-50 seconds of reading time, depending on the length of the passage. If you finish reading early, you’ll have a little extra time to think about the subject matter before you listen to the audio clip.
You’ll be given 30 seconds of preparation time and 60 seconds of speaking time.
You’ll explain what you read and heard.

Tip: Use your 30 seconds of prep time to identify key information. Don’t try to include every single detail in your response! You’ll run out of time.
And make sure you take a look at Magoosh’s free Speaking Task 2 Guide and Speaking Task 3 Guide.

Integrated Task 4:

You’ll listen to a recording of a short lecture by a professor, but this time there will be no accompanying text for you to read. (This short audio clip is all you need to pay attention to!)
You’ll be given 20 seconds of preparation time and 60 seconds of speaking time.

Tip: This is the longest audio track in the Speaking section, but the structure of the lecture is very predictable. The professor will make one main point and give two supporting detials. Listen for these features and make note of them.
Go here for even more information on TOEFL Speaking Task 4.

TOEFL Speaking Mock Test

Lucas, Magoosh’s TOEFL prep expert, has made a full mock test on video. This test was made in 2017, so it has two additional tasks that used to be in TOEFL Speaking. However, this video still works as a mock test for the new TOEFL. Below, I’ve taken Lucas’s original video, made clips of each of the four current TOEFL tasks. For a TOEFL Speaking experience very similar to the one you’ll have on test day, complete each Speaking task linked below. (These links include onscreen instructions and an onscreen timer very similar to the one on the real test. You’ll also get an answer explanation that includes a sample reponse.)

Task 1 (click to access the task)

(Listed as question 2 in video)
Click here for answer explanation.

Task 2 (click to access the task)

(Listed as question 3 in the video.)
Click here for answer explanation.

Task 3 (click to access the task)

(Listed as question 4 in the video.)
Click here for answer explanation.

Task 4 (click to access the task)

(Listed as question 6 in the video)
Click here for answer explanation.

Although the whole original video includes a question type or two not currently found in the TOEFL Speaking section, it’s still quite useful. It contains helpful commentary from Lucas, and Questions 1 and 5 from that video, while no longer part of the real exam, still provide some extra practice in the general speaking skills needed for the exam. So feel free to click and play the entire original video below.

TOEFL Mock Test: Full Video (skip tasks 1 and 5 for an experience that is accurate to test day)

This full video, while slightly outdated, is still worth watching. It includes additional commentary from Lucas about these sample questions and the question types they represent.

Scoring the TOEFL Speaking Section

For each task, you will receive a score between 0 and 4. These scores will be scaled, and your combined Speaking score will be out of a total of 30 points. Here’s how to rate the quality of your score:

Weak: 0-9 points
Fair: 10-17 points
Good: 18-25 points
Excellent: 26-30 points

The scores are calculated based on a rubric and certain standards. For more information on scores for the TOEFL Speaking section, see Magoosh’s roundup of resources for TOEFL Speaking scores.

So, how can you boost your score on the TOEFL iBT Speaking section?

TOEFL Speaking Tips

This blog is jam-packed with strategies for succeeding in the TOEFL Speaking section. Let’s break down the six best TOEFL Speaking tips we have:

1. Take Awesome Notes

TOEFL lectures are dense, so taking brief notes while you listen can help you stay focused and thinking about the main ideas. They are also great to revisit when you’re planning your response.

2. Relax

Between tasks, take a 10 or 15 second break. Close your eyes, sit back, and take a few deep breaths. Sometimes you need to let your heart rate go back to normal before you can think straight. Being nervous is completely normal, but don’t lose points because you’re panicking.

3. Stay Focused

The test center can get noisy with everyone speaking at the same time. Try not to listen to your fellow test-takers. Try doing some TOEFL Speaking practice with distractions in the room so you can get used to tuning out the chaos.

4. Use a Template

Structuring your answer ahead of time can help you outline your response faster, and prevent test-day stress. Create a template with structure words for each task. A phrase like, “Besides that, the student also points out that…” will help organize your answer. But beware…

5. Don’t Plagiarize!!

This should be obvious. Remember that TOEFL Speaking templates can be useful on the test, but be very careful. If you memorize sentences and use them on the TOEFL exam, suspicion of cheating could lead to cancelled scores.

6. Block Out Distractions

If you can’t focus, try momentarily covering your ears and closing your eyes to clear your head.

It’s OK to Stumble a Little

Mistakes are more acceptable in English speaking than in writing. If you stumble over your words but correct yourself, this won’t necessarily have a negative effect on your score. You don’t need perfect phrases or pronunciation, as long as you sound natural and confident.

Get Feedback From Others

While there are resources to score your own TOEFL Speaking, there’s no substitute for having another human being judge your TOEFL Speaking responses. Hire a tutor if you can, but if you can’t, don’t worry. You can also join a study group, online and off, for TOEFL. Getting feedback from peers and studying with them can also help you prepare for the kinds of group learning you’ll do during your university education. (For that matter, online courses for TOEFL can be a great way to connect to peers and instructors.)

Ready to Ace TOEFL Speaking? Here are Some TOEFL Speaking Tips

Remember that the Speaking section is only one part of the TOEFL exam, and that you aren’t expected to speak English like a native speaker. Try to practice speaking English as much as possible in the days leading up to your test, so that you become more comfortable coming up with quick responses.

For similar reasons, TOEFL Speaking section practice is also vital, of course! Careful preparation can help you overcome the challenges this section presents. That’s why it’s important to practice with TOEFL Speaking materials as much as possible. Practicing will also help you feel less nervous on the day of your exam.

And with that in mind, we created a TOEFL Speaking PDF with practice tasks and model answers.

TOEFL Speaking Practice PDF (Questions & Answers)

Part of what makes this resource so great is that it embodies all of the best parts of Magoosh’s premium prep. The questions, answers, and explanations were created by TOEFL Experts with many years of experience helping students AND writing Magoosh’s practice questions. So, if you like this resource, you can always find more Magoosh practice in our 1 week free trial.

In this TOEFL Speaking PDF, you will find:

Task 1 – Independent: question and answer
Task 2 – Integrated: passage, conversation, question and answer
Detailed explanations of each answer

Other good sources of TOEFL Speaking Questions

As you work on your TOEFL speaking practice, you may find that you don’t have much time to come up with and structure your responses, and you really have to think quickly! It can be easy to be caught off-guard at the official exam if you haven’t prepared enough, or if you prepared with the wrong materials.

The right practice materials for TOEFL Speaking (like the ones created by Magoosh in the TOEFL Speaking PDF above) will have at least two different tasks: one Independent and one Integrated. Look for clear and thorough explanations of what ideal answers contain so that you can keep pushing your score even higher.

And here are some additional practice questions and answers:

ETS’s free full-length TOEFL Practice Test
ETS’s TOEFL Practice Sets, Including their TOEFL Speaking PDF
Quick Prep from ETS (This is an older resource, archived outside of the ETS website. See Magoosh’s guide to using older TOEFL Prep.)

And if you want more guidance, Magoosh TOEFL has six practice tests with sample answers, explanations, strategies and tips for the every TOEFL speaking question!
You might also download our free TOEFL speaking app for your iPhone or Android. The app simulates the real TOEFL speaking test with free practice speaking materials. You can even use it in offline mode any time you need more practice.

Happy speaking!

Still have questions about TOEFL Speaking? Let us know in the comments.

Author

Rita Neumann

Rita brings 18 years of tutoring, mentoring, and test prep experience to her role as Senior Content Marketing Manager. Rita earned her BA from UC San Diego and her MA from UCSD’s School of Global Policy Studies. Over the years, Rita has tutored all subjects in the CA middle and high school curricula, and coached students studying for the GRE, SAT, and ACT—she even coauthored ACT Prep by Magoosh. Rita has written dozens of blog posts related to test prep, and even some articles for fellow marketers, such as Conversion Optimization For Your Blog. Connect with Rita on LinkedIn!

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42 responses to “TOEFL Speaking Tips (with bonus TOEFL Speaking PDF)”

omar

March 19, 2015

thank you for these genuis and good informations

Reply
1. Lucas
  
  March 19, 2015
  
  You’re welcome, and thanks for the kind words!
  
  Reply
Peter

March 19, 2015

Hello Lucas,

I wonder whether or not using synonyms or some of the words or phrases from the conversations or lectures back and forth can be consider as plagiarism?

Is there any other ways to avoid repetition during the speaking and formulate our own thoughts coherently? What about our notes? How we can make use of notes more efficiently?

In case, if the test requires us to make a substantial argument, what we should do?

What ‘s about the TOEFL speaking part related to GRE verbal sections? Do we need to conpare and contrast the formates from these sources? Is there something in common between the two tests? I try to think about it, but not come up with the exact answers yet. Please clearify my points.

Thank you very much for your great kindness:)

Reply
1. David Recine
  
  March 26, 2015
  
  Hello Peter,
  
  So many good questions.
  
  The general rule for avoiding paraphrasing is that the more you change the original wording, the better. (So long as you don’t change the original *meaning* itself, of course!) Using some words or phrases from the original language can be acceptable, but using synonyms is better. And changing some of the grammar of the original statement (again without changing the meaning) can also help. For examples of good paraphrasing, see Kate’s post here: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/paraphrasing/ . My biggest advice for you on paraphrasing is to practice, practice, practice. Paraphrasing in your first or second language is a mental habit. The more you do it, the more naturally the skill will come to you on test day.
  
  Avoiding repetition in TOEFL speaking also involves paraphrasing skills. In this case you want to paraphrase yourself! Know your synonyms (good post on that here: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/the-importance-of-using-synonyms/). To make your thoughts connect coherently, be able to use transition and opinion words (https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/toefl-teaching-material-transitions-and-opinions-worksheet/) as well as reporting verbs (https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/reporting-verbs-and-simple-present-tense/). And of course, learn to plan your TOEFL Speaking well (https://magoosh.com/toefl/category/speaking/planning-for-speaking/) and practice English speaking a lot so you get very comfortable with it (https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/practicing-toefl-speaking-skills/).
  
  The two TOEFL tasks where you really need to make substantial arguments are the Independent Writing and Independent Speaking tasks. Fortunately, we also have some great blog posts on how to develop these arguments. (Magoosh has blog posts for everything!)
  
  Independent Writing posts: https://magoosh.com/toefl/category/writing/independent-writing-task-writing/
  Independent Speaking posts: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/toefl-speaking-task-1-independent/ , https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/toefl-speaking-task-2-independent/
  
  Finally, regarding the difference between GRE Verbal and TOEFL. GRE Verbal tasks are definitely more complicated and involved than the TOEFL. But there are also a lot of similarities between these two exams. Check out Kate’s comparison of the language demands for SAT, GRE and TOEFL: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/comparing-the-writing-sections-of-standardized-tests/ . I’ve also written a post on how to study for GRE Verbal and the TOEFL at the same time, using the similarities and differences between the tests to your advantage: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/how-to-study-for-the-gre-and-the-toefl-at-the-same-time/
  
  Reply
Pratika

March 28, 2015

Hi
One question needs to be answered,I gave my toefl today I could remember 5 questions out of 6 in speaking section,I’m having a bad feeling that I might have skipped answering a question no. 1 or 2,Is there any possibility to happen so…?coz its all automatic.If I were asked to speak I would or it could be that I must have a forgotten the question.

Reply
David Recine

March 31, 2015

Hello Pratika,

That’s a very good question. Fortunately, it’s pretty much impossible to accidentally skip a TOEFL Speaking task. You are given a set amount of time to prepare for each question, and a set amount of time to speak. There is no button you can push to skip or shorten these times. If you are asked to speak, you must either speak or sit through long silences when you should be speaking.

I’ve seen a lot of students have trouble remembering all the details of their TOEFL exam experience. Taking the TOEFL is stressful, and stress can cause your memory to be a little unclear at times. It’s very likely that you did complete every speaking task, and just don’t have perfect recall of the section.

I suppose there’s a small chance of computer error, with the computer itself skipping the answers. If it seems like that has happened once you get your score report, you’ll want to contact your testing center or directly call ETS. But that’s very unlikely.

Reply
Theresa

September 27, 2015

hi, I took the toefl exam yesterday. The speaking section was difficult for me. I couldnt complete any of the speaking tasks on time. For example, ive left all the last sentences of my tasks hanging..Dats a bad thing right? Will that affect my scores tok much?

Reply
1. David Recine
  
  September 29, 2015
  
  Sorry to hear that you struggled with Speaking on test day— that must have been very frustrating. The bad news is that getting cut off before you can say all of your last sentence really IS bad, and really will affect your score.
  
  The good news is that this kind of pacing mistake doesn’t always have a *big* effect on your score. It depends on how complete you answer is, even without a full final sentence. If your answer was pretty well-developed throughout, you could be OK. You will lose minimal points if the TOEFL scorer is still able to basically understand what your answer is, even with some words missing at the end.
  
  Reply
Shivant

February 3, 2016

Hi,

I plan to take the TOEFL some time soon, but just have a quick question. Do you have to use ALL the time allotted to you… or can you do well on the speaking assignments using half the time (around 30-35 seconds)?

Thanks

Reply
1. David Recine
  
  February 4, 2016
  
  Shivant, you definitely want to speak close to the full allotted time. If you’re more than 5 seconds short, you run the risk of giving an answer that seems incomplete or underdeveloped. And test-takers nearly always lose points if they’re 10 seconds under the limit. It’s a delicate balance of course— you don’t want to get cut off at the time limit before you’ve finished. But it is good to get as close to the maximum time as possible.
  
  Reply
Luis

March 16, 2016

Is it necessary to use the time precisely in question 1 &2 to get a score of 4? can you get interrupted but your idea is stated clearly with what is said in the first 45 seconds

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  April 4, 2016
  
  Luis,
  
  I generally recommend that my students speak for at least 40 seconds and no less than 45 seconds if possible. As for going slightly over time and getting cut off, yes— you can get slightly interrupted and still get a decent score if your answer overall is very clear and well-constructed. But it’s risky. It’s probably better to be just a few seconds under time than to get cut off.
  
  Reply
Katrine

March 23, 2016

Hello!

Thank you so much for a great and helpful blog!

I have a question about the structure of the speaking section. Do I have 15-30 seconds in EACH of the tasks to prepare my answer and then 45-60 seconds in EACH of the tasks to speak? I mean, for instance in task 5-6, do I first listen to the student(s) in task 5 and then have 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak – and afterwards I’ll listen to the lecture in task 6 and then have 20 seconds to prepare and then 60 seconds to speak? Or do I have to listen to both task 5 and 6 before I give my answer?

Maybe it’s a stupid question but I’m a little confused about it!

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  March 30, 2016
  
  Katrine,
  
  Not a stupid question at all. As Rita said, this is a pretty complex section, in spite of how short it is. It really can be hard to keep track of how the exam works.
  
  To answer your question, each task is done completely individually. You’ll listen to Task 5 and reply to task five before moving on to Task 6. Each task is like that— you don’t move on to the next task until you’ve fully finished the previous task.
  
  Reply
2. Ali
  
  September 16, 2020
  
  The question number 3 has to sections ( read and listen to answer) , I didn’t read the passage at all ,but I listened to the audio and answered, what’s the score would be, as I heard from my friend, the section will be zero even if you answer one side, is that right or they will score the side that I answered.
  
  Reply
  1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
    
    October 28, 2020
    
    Hi Ali, you will lose points if you do not respond to the passage as well as the audio, but I don’t think your score will be zero. If you look at the rubric for the speaking section, responding to only one side will bring down your score in “general completeness” and “topic development”.
    
    Reply
Eyob

April 6, 2016

Hello Magosh,

i have just one question. Can i take notes in the TOEFL speaking section?

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  April 7, 2016
  
  Hi Eyob,
  
  Good news! You can definitely take notes for the speaking section. We recommend you do so both when listening to the lecture/reading the text and quickly as you plan your main points so you can hit the topics you intend to hit. 🙂
  
  Reply
Bajel

May 14, 2016

hi
am took the tofel exams before a week a go and now i cants not get my scoring, how do i? sorry for bads englishing talk am nots great englishing talker

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  May 14, 2016
  
  Hi Bajel,
  
  Happy to help! 🙂
  
  According to the ETS website, “For TOEFL, usually it takes around 4 to 6 weeks (outside US) to get your score report (hard copy) after it is mailed, which is done 13 days after your test date. The scores will be available online within 10 days approximately after your test date.” I hope that helps!
  
  Reply
Stefanie

May 31, 2016

Hi,
I have a question about the toefl speaking section. You said that it is important not to speak for too long or give an answer that is too short. While I speak will I see a time somewhere so I know how long I already spoke for and when I should try to come to an end or say some more?
Thank you very much for your help.

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  June 6, 2016
  
  That’s a great question. Yes, the timer will be clearly visible on the TOEFL iBT test screen.
  
  Reply
ed

June 21, 2016

Hi, my question is regarding the speaking section. Unfortunately my score was below the minimum required to validate my credentials.
Can I just take the speaking section alone or do I have to take everything again?

thanks & regards
ed

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  June 22, 2016
  
  Hi Ed,
  
  Unfortunately, you have to take the exam in its entirety. You cannot take just a single section. :/ But now that you know what is coming, you can definitely do it! Good luck. 🙂
  
  Reply
Jenna

July 1, 2016

Hi, I have a question about the TOEFL speaking section.
I have taken a practice test in the past which was said to be very similar to the actual TOEFL test itself. In the practice test, you were able to record again if you accidentally messed up one of your answers.
I was wondering if this is possible for the actual test? Or do you only get one chance to record each answer?

Thank you for your help!

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  July 5, 2016
  
  On the actual test, you only get one chance to record, sadly.
  
  Reply
David

August 2, 2016

I’m still interested in knowing those key expressions for the several tasks regarding to the speaking section.

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  August 6, 2016
  
  I recommend looking at our free TOEFL Speaking Template ebook. In this book, we list some good key words and phrases to use in each different TOEFL Speaking Task.
  
  Reply
Axel

August 30, 2016

My biggest nightmare is the speaking part, for me the preparation time is not sufficient can’t find ideas for tasks (1 & 2) and i can’t organize my speech. I am training on this since 2 weeks but i get stuck on a score of ~15/30. Could you advices some advices?
Thanks a lot for response

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  September 5, 2016
  
  Thinking fast and having enough to say really is a big challenge in TOEFL Speaking. A lot of students come to Magoosh for help with this aspect of TOEFL Speaking. In fact, so many students need to work on these skills that the Magoosh TOEFL Blog has created an article on thinking fast and having enough to say in TOEFL Speaking, just for students like you. 🙂 Check out that article, and certainly let us know if you have any other questions.
  
  Reply
Deni

January 30, 2017

I hated the speaking section. Specially the integrated part. I speak, listen and write english everyday, but this test is annoying:

1.- Topics are boring. How can you focus if you are listening about the behaviour of turtles or penguins and you are considering this test to study business administration?

2.- Time for preparing the answer is too short. There’s a difference between speaking fluently and preparing an opinion and solution for the problems of turtle mating. First you don’t care, second, I don’t even think native speakers can prepare a detailed answer with that short time. You need to have a cheap strategy about preparing a quick opinion.

3.- The section is too short, you can’t make mistakes. I don’t even speak coherently in my native language! When I speak in my native language I also have grammar mistakes, I get stuck on giving a coherent opinion. It’s normal but doesn’t mean I can’t understand a class about a complex subject, or speak about it. I think I had a good performance in the speaking section, but I panicked in one question and that made my score lower, which was a critical requirement for the university I am applying on. So I have to pay for the TOEFL again. That sucks.

Reply
1. David Recine
  
  January 31, 2017
  
  Hi Deni,
  
  Thank you for this comment. You’ve touched on a lot of frustrations that TOEFL test-takers experience. And I think a good discussion of this can help all of our readers. Let me address your concerns one-by-one:
  
  1) The topics in TOEFL Speaking (and on the whole test) are based on undergraduate general education classes. There are also a disproportionate number of TOEFL topics about animal science. (Birds, penguins, etc… As Lucas has remarked, the TOEFL loves animals!)
  
  This range of topics is relevant for students who are going for their bachelor degree. But such topics aren’t relevant for a lot of grad students, or for people who are taking the TOEFL for medical licensing and other non “general education” purposes. Unfortunately, most English-language grad programs ask for the TOEFL, even though the topics on the exam aren’t a perfect match for grad studies.
  
  2) The TOEFL Speaking Section really is very fast-paced. The answers you give need to be quite short. And it can help to use templates and formulas to come up with answers quickly. If you were asked a similar question outside of the TOEFL, you’d probably speak for much more than 45 or 60 seconds.
  
  With its fast pace, the TOEFL Speaking section is trying to test impromptu speech– short speeches with little or not planning. Since the TOEFL is a standardized test and not a real English speaking environment, TOEFL Speaking can’t capture this kind of speech in a way that’s completely natural. Instead, you can think of the TOEFL Speaking section as a training simulation for the real impromptu English speaking you’ll do in your future studies.
  
  3) I’m sorry to hear that your TOEFL Speaking score wasn’t where it needs to be. That sounds frustrating! 🙁 And yes, it is also a bummer that you have to retake the whole exam again. (I wish the TOEFL would just let students retake a single section!)
  
  For your TOEFL retake, I have some advice: Use the “boring” nature of TOEFL Speaking to your advantage. Every TOEFL Speaking task has a very predictable structure. Understand task structure and giving a good answer will be simple, even if the tasks themselves aren’t interesting. Here on the blog, we’ve actually created some tutorials to help students understand the structure of each task. Lucas has explained the structure of TOEFL Speaking Tasks 1 and 2, with sample topics. And I’ve written about the structure of each TOEFL Integrated Speaking Task.
  
  Reply
Sebastian

March 22, 2017

Hi there,

I just have one question about this section: Am I in control regarding when to move forward from one Task to the next one in the Speaking section? For example, in the tests for the Official TOEFL guide, I am completely in control of this. In other words, when I finish one Task, I need to click Next to move to the other (it is not automatic). If I wanted, I *could*¨take some short break there and I even write my templates for the next task.

I am asking this question because of your piece of advice #2 (Relax: take a 10 or 15-second break).

In other words, do I need to click Next to move on to the next task in order to move forward (allowing me some seconds to have a break) or the Speaking section is completely automatic and I am in no control of the pace?

Thank you so much!

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  March 24, 2017
  
  Hi Sebastian,
  
  On the speaking section, you are in control of the pace. On the exam you click “next” before you go to the next question. The questions do not automatically follow each other. And yes, this can give you some time to potentially collect your thoughts and prepare for the basic format of the next question. (But not for the actual specific content of each question, of course.)
  
  If you want to see a pretty good free simulation of the TOEFL exam, I suggest downloading the official TOEFL Interactive Sampler. Hope this helps 🙂
  
  Reply
Dolika

September 8, 2017

Hi,

I am appearing TOEFL in 2 weeks but I am having a problem in speaking section. I tend to repeat the exact same thing that is written in the article or being said in the conversation or lecture.

Will it lower my score if I say the exact same thing? I am finding it very difficult to paraphrase in such a short time and think coherently.

What can I do to overcome this difficulty? Are we allowed saying the same thing without the risk of lowering our score?

I’d be happy to get a reply from you.

Thank you!

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  September 8, 2017
  
  Hi Dolika,
  
  It is not problematic if you repeat some of the language in the conversation or lecture or articles. If you can properly use direct quotes from these sources, that helps support the idea that you understood and can integrate it into your own speech. So don’t worry! 🙂
  
  Make sure you don’t ONLY repeat things that were previously said, but don’t worry about some repetition. That’s normal and totally okay.
  
  Reply
Ali

March 29, 2018

Hello,

My question is that can I speak more than a minute in speaking section. Do it will affects my score?

Thanks.

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  March 30, 2018
  
  Hi Ali,
  
  I think that this blog post will answer some of your questions! The quick answer is that no, you cannot speak more than a minute. If you go over time, or if you have top stop in the middle of a sentence, then it can hurt your score a lot. You should try to finish the speaking task with a few seconds to spare. It takes a lot of practice to get your timing right on the speaking section, but with some time and effort you will succeed!
  
  Reply
Mohid

October 16, 2018

I wrote 2 official TOEFL Practice Tests (V30 and V31) in Timed Mode. Got a 117 on V31 and 115 on V30.

However, I noticed that on both these Practice Tests, it allowed me to record my responses again in the speaking sections. It literally has a page where it asks you to confirm your response or record it again. Is this option also available on the ACTUAL TOEFL ?

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  October 26, 2018
  
  Hi Mohid,
  
  No–in the actual TOEFL, you will be able to record your response only once. This is a well-known peculiarity or bug of the TOEFL practice tests, but it doesn’t reflect what will happen in the actual TOEFL 🙂
  
  Reply
Alessandro

April 20, 2020

Thank you very much! I am studying and looking for material to teach my student to have a good grade and you helped me a lot!

Reply
Rohan

September 11, 2020

Hi,

I am Rohan, and i am taking my TOEFL HOME Edition Test in a couple days. The reading, writing and the listening sections are going well but the speaking section is proving to be huge roadblock for me to score above 110. I have practiced quite a lot of questions and I was able to identify my predominant obstacles in the speaking section.

1. My thoughts aren’t organized and because of flow gets interrupted during the time period of 60 seconds.
2. Socially I am a very cut-off person and providing real-life examples for the questions gets really tough most of the times and i end up making new random examples, but the downside of this method is I struggle to build on these examples and end up taking pauses to develop my example.

Both of them are freaking me out and i somehow manage to mess up the speaking section of my test all the time. So far my highest on the speaking section has been 23. So can you please suggest some methods using which i can improve my speaking score by at least 3-4 points?

Reply

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