To score high on the speaking section, you need to have organized TOEFL speaking responses. To help you toward this goal, an overview of the TOEFL speaking section will be explained. In addition, you will listen to some speaking responses.
These TOEFL speaking responses are scored from 1-4 according to the official TOEFL iBT speaking rubrics. In addition, you will listen to some random speaking responses. You will practice scoring those responses. Finally, you will be able to complete a free TOEFL speaking practice test. This will help you see how your current TOEFL speaking compares to the samples you are listening to.
Table of Contents
Overview of the TOEFL Speaking Section
A while back, I wrote an article previewing the new speaking section. To learn more about what speaking tasks you will need to complete, CLICK HERE.
TOEFL Speaking Responses
Education Testing Service uses official rubrics to score your speaking tasks. To score high, you will need to perform well in three main categories: delivery, language use, and topic development. As you can learn here, you need to use specific speaking strategies. Learning them will help you score you high in the three categories of the rubric. Below are four examples of four independent speaking tasks receiving scores of 4, 3, 2, and 1. How do you think you compare to these speakers?
Score 4.0
Speaking Prompt: Which do you prefer: living on campus in dorms or off campus in apartments? Use reasons and examples to support your choice.
Score 3.0
Speaking Prompt: Should children be given cell phones? Use examples and reasons to support your answer.
Score 2.0
Speaking Prompt: Describe a place you visited as a child. Explain a favorite memory that you have when you visited that place.
Score 1.0
Speaking Prompt: What is a place that you like to visit on the weekends? Use details and reasons to explain why you enjoy visiting that place.
Score 0.0
Speaking Prompt: Some politicians believe that all people in a society should be given a living wage, even if they are unwilling to work. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
TOEFL Speaking Reponses Quiz 1: Random Practice
Listen to these TOEFL speaking responses and then score them from 4 to 1. Think like a TOEFL iBT human rater. Score each response using the above rubrics and example TOEFL speaking responses as guides.
1. Badly behaving children should be punished. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Use examples and details to support your argument.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
2. What is your most important possession? Describe it and explain why it is important t you.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
3. Cell phones should be turned off in public places likes museums, movie theatres, and restaurants. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give example and reasons to support your opinion.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
4. Your friend is nervous about a job interview. What advice will you give him/her?
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
TOEFL Speaking Reponses Quiz 2: Random Practice
Listen to each response and then score it from 4 to 1.
1. If you had to move to another city, which city would you move to and why? Use specific examples and reasons to support your choice?
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
2. Some students like to study in groups when they are preparing for exams. On the other hand, other students prefer to study alone. Which method of study do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your point of view.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
3. Talk about an event which has affected your life positively. Give specific examples and reasons to support your choice.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
4. What is the most important characteristic of a co-worker? Explain why that quality is important in the workplace.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
TOEFL Speaking Reponses Quiz 3: Random Practice
Listen to each response and then score it from 4 to 1.
1. What is your favorite recreational activity? Explain why you enjoy doing it so much.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
2. Your friend needs to purchase a car. Should your friend buy a new or used car? Give reasons and examples to support your choice.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
3. Some students like to study in groups when they are preparing for exams. On the other hand, other students prefer to study alone. Which method of study do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your point of view.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
4. What was your favorite subject in high school? Explain why that subject was so fun for you. Use details and examples to develop your response.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
TOEFL Speaking Reponses Quiz 4: Random Practice
Listen to each response and then score it from 4 to 1.
1. Your friend needs to purchase a car. Should your friend buy a new or used car? Give reasons and examples to support your choice.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
2. What is the most difficult part of learning a new language? Use examples and details to illustrate your response.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
3. Do you like taking risks and trying new things? Use examples and reasons to support your answer.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
4. Some pet owners prefer to have cats, whereas others think that dogs make better companions. In your opinion, which is the better pet: cats or dogs? Give examples and reasons to support your choice.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
TOEFL Speaking Reponses Quiz 5: Random Practice
Listen to each response and then score it from 4 to 1.
1. Some pet owners prefer to have cats, whereas others think that dogs make better companions. In your opinion, which is the better pet: cats or dogs? Give examples and reasons to support your choice.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
2. What is your favorite holiday? Give reasons and examples to explain why you enjoy this holiday so much.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
3. Imagine that you won a sum of 10 million dollars in the lottery. In addition, you were required to donate 1/2 of those winnings to either a local hospital or a school. Which one would you donate the money to and why?
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
4. Describe a place you visited as a child. Explain a memory you had while visiting that place. Be sure to use descriptive details to describe the place and to explain your favorite memory.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
5. Some people believe that you should not be honest if it hurts someone else’s feelings. Other believe that you should be honest no matter what. Which belief do you prefer and why? Give examples and reasons to support your belief.
A. 4.0
B. 3.0
C. 2.0
D. 1.0
E. 0.0
Free Speaking Practice Test Evaluation
Now that you have a pretty good idea of what TOEFL speaking responses of 4, 3, 2, and 1 sound like, why not take a free speaking practice test?
- Find your speaking level right now.
- Get delivery, language-use, and topic development feedback.
- Learn what you need to do to score higher than 26.
Good luck!