ESL Aisle

TOEFL SPEAKING SKILLS

 

After numerous tutoring sessions with students, I thought about creating a streamlined way to explain what the TOEFL Speaking Section is asking its test-takers to do.  The following reveals what each of the six questions is about and how you should answer them.

Part of your success in passing this test is knowing how they will 'hit' you with questions, so you

can 'hit' back and knock them out!

 

Question 1: Open topic. Personal choice and answer about personal things.

Prep Time: 15 sec             Recording Time: 45 sec

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Question 2:  Two options (compare & contrast) and you have to choose one of the two and explain why

Prep Time: 15 sec             Recording Time: 45 sec

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question 3:  Background information in the reading.  Listening focuses on a discussion about the information in the reading.  Summarize the listening (Report their opinion & explain the reasons they give)

Prep Time: 30 sec             Recording Time: 60 sec

Question 4: Reading gives a definition or a meaning about something.  Listening gives an example of the topic in the reading.  You will have to explain the definition and the example from the reading and relate that to the listening.

Prep Time: 30 sec             Recording Time: 60 sec

Question 5:  Conversation between two people (Usually a campus conversation).  Describe what was talked about, including the suggestions. Then give your opinion and why.

Prep Time: 20 sec             Recording Time: 60 sec

Question 6:  A listening of how something works or how something is classified into groups.  You will have to describe the main points and explain the details.

Prep Time: 20 sec             Recording Time: 60 sec