Did you get a TOEFL example score of 23/30 pts. on the speaking section? If you did, then you will benefit by reading/listening to this lesson. There is also a power-packed video explaining why the student received the TOEFL speaking score she did. Do you have any of these problems in your TOEFL speaking?
TOEFL Example Score of 23 + Speaking Prompt
The student completed a free TOEFL speaking evaluation based on this speaking prompt:
What is your favorite holiday of the year? Use reasons and examples to explain why you enjoy this holiday so much.
TOEFL Example Score of 23: Response to the Speaking Prompt
Here is the student’s response to the prompt. The student that you will listen to needs to score higher than 26 on the speaking section of the TOEFL iBT. Are you in a similar situation as she?
My Feedback/Evaluation to the Student
In the following video, I will give the student a speaking score. In addition, I will explain to her 1) delivery issues (i.e., thought groups and blending), 2) language-use problems (i.e., inappropriate point of view shifts), and topic development difficulties (i.e., imprecise language and lack of focus). Do you have any of these problems that I discuss in the video? How do you know?
Speaking Tips to Help You Score Higher than 23/30 pts.
If you want to avoid getting the score the student received in the video, follow these tips:
1. Use precise vocabulary in the introduction and topic sentences of your speaking response.
- Imprecise: Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year for several reasons.
- Precise: Because of family and delicious food, Christmas is my favorite holiday.
2. Do not give too many reasons in your response without providing supporting detail for each reason.
- Too many reasons: Christmas is my favorite holiday. I can play sports such as snow hockey. Also, I can hang out with my friends and family. Christmas sometimes allows workers to get bonuses with money they can spend on the holidays.
- One reason with supporting detail: Christmas is my favorite holiday because I can hang out with family. For instance, last Christmas I stayed at my family’s house for three weeks. It had been more than 6 months since I had seen them. Therefore, we were able catch up on each other’s lives. Moreover, I was able to announce my engagement with my boyfriend to all the members of my family.
3. Avoid the second person singular point of view. Instead, use the first and third person points of view.
- Second person point of view: Christmas allows you to enjoy food such as fruitcake and eggnog, delicious foods that you ordinarily would not eat at other times of the year.
- First person point of view: Christmas allows me to enjoy food such as fruitcake and eggnog, delicious foods that I ordinarily would not eat at other times of the year.
4. Use a varied tone and make use that you have appropriate thought groups and that you use blending within each thought group.
For more information, click on the below links to learn about some of my TOEFL services:
Good luck to you!
Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com