Are you preparing for the TOEFL exam?
Many test-takers find the speaking section very difficult. However, with the right strategies, you don’t need to have perfect spoken English to achieve a high score on this section of the test. Keep reading for five ways to improve your TOEFL speaking score.
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TOEFL Speaking Tip #1: Learn the 4 Question Types
The TOEFL speaking section contains four different questions. Each question has a different structure. So the first thing you need to do is learn exactly what is expected of you in each question.
Question 1 is an “independent speaking” question. This will be about a general topic, and you will typically be presented with two options and asked to choose which one you prefer and explain why.
Questions 2, 3, and 4 are “integrated” speaking tasks. They require you to either read or listen to something (or both!) and then respond by summarizing or explaining what you read/ heard.
It’s important to understand the structure of each question because that will determine how you respond. One of the main scoring criteria on the speaking test is “topic development.” This is measuring how fully you respond to the question - basically, how well you followed the instructions and responded in the way you were supposed to. For example, Question 4 asks you to summarize what you hear in a lecture. So if you give your own opinion instead of summarizing what the lecturer said, you will not score well.
TOEFL Speaking Tip #2: Take Notes on Key Information
During the TOEFL exam, you will have a piece of paper on which you can take notes. You should definitely take advantage of this opportunity, especially while you are listening to the audio in Question 2, Question 3, and Question 4. Write down key words and important information as you listen so that you will be prepared to stay on task while you give your response.
Practice taking notes so you know how to do this quickly, and so you get used to writing down only what is important and ignoring what is not. If you can, work with a friend of instructor so you can both take notes while you listen. Then compare your notes and see if you wrote down the same things.
TOEFL Speaking Tip #3: Learn a Structure for Your Response
For each question, it’s helpful to have a structure in mind of how you will give your answer. For example, Question 1 requires you to choose between options and give your opinion. A typical Question 1 could be something like:
Some people prefer to shop for clothing and other items in physical stores. Other people like shopping online. Which one do you think is better? Explain why.
At first glance, it may seem easy to give your opinion about shopping. If a friend asked you this question, you probably wouldn’t have much trouble responding. However, when you see this question during the TOEFL exam and you only have 15 seconds to prepare and then 45 seconds to speak (with the clock counting down the whole time!) it can feel very intimidating. If you aren’t ready with a strategy, it’s easy to freeze and spend all your time thinking about what to say and how to say it.
Having a clear structure in mind of exactly how you will answer each question will make you much prepared on exam day.
For example, for Question 1, your structure might be:
State your opinion
Give one reason for this opinion
Give a second reason for this opinion
Give one personal story or example about your experience with this topic
Example response:
“I enjoy shopping in general, but in my opinion, shopping online is best. I like online shopping because it’s convenient. I can buy anything I need without leaving my home. Another reason I prefer to shop on the internet is because I can compare many different stores and options and find the best quality and price. For example, last week, I wanted to buy a jacket. I was able to check the prices of different jackets from four different companies in a very short time. However, that would have taken all day if I had to go to four different stores! When I ordered the jacket, I even received a discount because there was a promotion on the website. The jacket arrived at my home the very next day, and it fit perfectly!”
You can see how this response starts with the opinion (“…shopping online is best”) and then gives two different reasons and a personal story/ example (buying the jacket).
Even if the topic is completely different, you can still use this same structure (opinion / two reasons / personal example) to make your response sound confident and well-organized. Having a structure for your response to each question is like having a map that tells you exactly where to go.
TOEFL Speaking Tip #4: Learn Transition Words and Phrases
You can make your response sound more organized, fluent, and sophisticated by using words that help you transition from one point or idea to another. In the response above, phrases like, “for example,” “however,” “when,” and “another reason,” help to organize the response and show the listener where the answer is going.
You can also use these transitions to make your answers a bit longer if you need some help filling up the time.
Look at the difference between the parts of these two responses:
“I like online shopping better because it’s convenient and I can compare many different stores and options.”
“First of all, I like online shopping better because it’s convenient. Another reason I like online shopping is because I can compare many different stores in a short amount of time. Plus, websites often have special discounts for new customers that normal stores don’t have…”
Do you see how the second response is expanded with transition phrases like “first of all,” “another reason,” and “plus”? This will help you add more information to your response and provide support for your answer.
TOEFL Speaking Tip #5: Learn Some “Emergency” Phrases
No matter how much you prepare for the TOEFL speaking test, you still might forget a word, get stuck in the middle of a sentence, or get a question you aren’t sure how to answer.
In case this happens, it’s a good idea to have some phrases ready that will help you get back on track.
Learn a few key phrases that help you communicate if you happen to forget a word, such as “it’s slipping my mind at the moment…,” “it’s a word that’s similar to…” or “it’s that thing you use to…”
Compare the difference between these two responses:
“I prefer shopping online because websites often give…. hmmm…ummm….. uhh…..I don’t know.”
“I prefer shopping online because websites often give…umm… well, the word is slipping my mind at the moment, but I mean that special thing where the price is lower than normal.”
In both cases, the speaker forgot the word discount. In the first version, the speaker didn’t have any “emergency phrases” to use, so there was a lot of hesitation and the speaker came across as uncomfortable and not very fluent.
In the second version, the speaker still forgot the word, but she was able to use her “emergency phrases” to keep going in a fluent, confident way.
On the TOEFL exam, you aren’t being tested on your ability to remember every single English vocabulary word you’ve ever learned - even native speakers forget words sometimes! What you ARE being tested on is your ability to communicate clearly and confidently, even if things don’t go exactly as planned. Hopefully, you won’t need to use your “emergency phrases,” but you’ll be very glad you have them if you do!
