TOEFL Speaking section

TOEFL Speaking sectionTOEFL Speaking section tests your ability to express your thoughts on a given topic in English. During 20 minutes of the section you need to answer six questions, which are both simple and integrated.

TOEFL Speaking evaluates your ability to express your ideas clearly. In the integrated tasks you have to read a short passage from the text and listen to the record, and then you need to link this information and give an exhaustive answer to the question.


The peculiarity of this section is that you have to dictate the answer to the microphone. You have only 15 seconds to prepare during the independent task and 30 seconds to prepare for the response in the integrated task. You have only 45 seconds for reading, audio will be about the same length.

In the independent task you’re given 45 seconds for speaking, after this time record stops automatically.

Usually examiners pay attention to four components:

  1. exploring the topic (the logic your speech, ideas, examples, facts, details),
  2. vocabulary (words used and their complexity, use of the synonyms),
  3. verbal fluency, lack of the breaks, etc.,
  4. the overall impression (matching response task itself, the use of the information in the answer that was given in the task).

Tips for TOEFL Speaking

Actually, Speaking is one the most difficult sections of the exam for many reasons:

  1. the language barrier,
  2. the absence of a interlocutor,
  3. a limited amount of time to answer.

However, you should always look for cons pros. For example, the absence of an examiner will save you from unexpected and tricky questions.

Here are some tips for the TOEFL Speaking:

  1. Answer the question clearly, doesn’t go into a lengthy discussion.
  2. Do not make a big entry. Because of it you just do not have time to go to the disclosure of the theme and your speech is interrupted in mid-sentence.

During the preparation for the TOEFL Speaking we suggest to write down your answers to the recorder, and then listen to the next day and do the analysis.

This short video lesson reviews the speaking component in TOEFL iBT test. It discussed all 6 speaking tasks and provides some general tips and strategies on how to do well on these tasks:

Pick out special words, ligaments, introductory words that will help you fill in the gaps between the key components of your speech.

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