Score 30/30 on TOEFL SPEAKING | Detailed Practice Test​​

One of the reasons why so many students struggle with the speaking section of the TOEFL is that unlike the reading and listening sections, you can't estimate your speaking score on your own. You need someone to listen to what you say, give you feedback, and tell you what you need to do to score higher. Just to give you an example, as part of the TOEFL prep course we created, I give consultations to students, and during these consultations, we evaluate their speaking and writing responses.

And what I can tell you after listening to thousands and thousands of such responses, both during these sessions and in my one-on-one classes, is that the mistakes all students make are exactly the same. Even people with an advanced level of English make them over and over again, because no one has explained to them what they're doing wrong, and these mistakes will never allow them to score higher than 22 to 23. The interesting thing is that very often, there are just a few minor things that need to be changed so that the same student who just scored 23 would score 26 plus on the speaking section.

I had a student who scored 30 out of 30, while his speaking skills were quite average. So if you're wondering what to do to get a 30 out of 30 on test day, please continue watching this video. We're going to break down the entire speaking section of the TOEFL test so that you can see for yourself all the do's and don'ts.

We'll be using the ETS free sample test, which you can find in the description below. As always, I recommend that you pause the video after each question and try to answer the questions on your own before listening to my responses. This way, you will not only learn new information, but you will really practice and get one step closer to your dream score.

If your TOEFL test is coming up and you want to get to your target score as quickly as possible, click on this link to get access to all the materials and resources you need. And because you're watching this video, we're giving you a discount promo code. So let's pretend that today is the day of your test and get started.

As with all TOEFL sections, you will first see the instructions, then the first task. You will see a question, and you will have 45 seconds to answer it. The important thing is that you only have 15 seconds to prepare.

So don't panic and use this time to your advantage. Let's give it a try. State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement.

Then explain your reasons using specific details in your explanation. Learning through online courses is more effective than learning in the traditional classroom setting. I absolutely agree that online classes are much more beneficial for learning.

First of all, studying online saves a lot of time on your daily commute. I remember when my friend used to take a TOEFL prep course in downtown LA, he had to waste a couple of hours a day getting there and back. However, if he had prepared for the test online, he would have been able to invest all that time in taking practice tests and studying on his own, which would have allowed him to get the score he needed much faster.

Second, distance learning also allows you to take courses from anywhere in the world, regardless of your location. You can earn a certificate or even a degree from top American universities while living in Australia, for example, which definitely opens up new opportunities. This task is usually the hardest for my students for a couple of reasons.

First, they start to panic during the prep time and can't say anything during the answer time. Give me a thumbs up in the comments if this is your problem. Second, some students make the first introductory statement too long.

For example, they might say something like, I absolutely agree that learning through online classes is much more beneficial than learning in the traditional classroom setting. And there are a couple of reasons why I have this opinion. This makes them waste a lot of time and they can't elaborate on their reasons and examples.

Some don't use transitions, such as on top of that, however, as a result. Others pause too much and say something like, I agree that online courses are much more beneficial for two reasons. And most struggle to come up with relevant reasons and examples.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in those 45 seconds, which is why I usually devote most of my time during our consultations to this type of question. Now, let's move on to the second part of the speaking section. The next three questions are called integrated speaking questions because you no longer have to think about what to say.

You must read it, listen, and then summarize what you read and heard. In question two, you'll read a text about a change on campus and then listen to two students discussing this change. Your task is to write down the main idea of the reading, what this change is about, and then listen carefully to one of the speakers in the conversation.

This person will express their opinion about the change and give two reasons for this opinion. For example, I support this change because reason one and reason two. Now, let's get down to business.

No, at least not during the day. I'm pretty sure both of those accidents happened at night when it's harder to see cyclists. They didn't say that in the article.

Oh, that does make a difference. Sure, it does. Maybe at night with low visibility, there's a safety hazard.

But I don't think there's any danger in the daytime, which is when most people need to move around and get to classes. Yeah, that makes sense. Besides, it's such a big campus.

If they do this, it's going to be really hard to get around. Well, we can always take the bus, I guess. But the buses only run once an hour.

That's true. They're not very convenient. No, not at all.

If people have to take the bus, we'll end up sitting around waiting for the next one all the time. And we're all too busy to waste our time doing that. The woman expresses her opinion of the proposed policy change.

State her opinion and explain the reason she gives for holding that opinion. In the announcement, the university shares its plans to soon ban the use of bicycles on campus. Since they are a safety risk, and because the free campus bus service is an alternative way to get around.

The speaker disagrees with this policy. First, she points out that the accidents described in the article took place at night, when visibility is poor, and it's not easy to see cyclists. However, most students ride their bikes during the day, when this problem does not exist.

So, there is no safety threat. Second, she mentions that the campus area is large, and if students cannot use bicycles, commuting between campus buildings will be problematic. Also, the buses only run once an hour, which means that even if the bus service is introduced, it won't be as effective as riding a bicycle, because students will end up wasting too much time waiting for the next bus.

And everyone is too busy for that. These are the reasons why the woman disagrees with the announcement. So, as you can see, you want to give a brief summary of the reading, and then spend most of your time on the listening summary.

A quick tip from me is to use the 20-40 rule. Spend 20 seconds on the reading summary and transition, and then 40 seconds on the conversation summary. The biggest challenges with this type of question are not keeping to the time limit, saying too little about the listening summary, talking too much about the reading, making too many grammar and vocabulary mistakes that make your answer unclear, and again, pausing too much.

Question three. I call this question general too specific. Why is that? Because in this question, you should first read a general text on an academic topic, and then listen to a more specific lecture on the same topic.

The lecture will usually explain the concept from the reading using examples, experiments, or the professor's experience. Then, as in question two, you should summarize what you have heard and read. Let's look at this question.

Here's a little boy or girl who's just starting school. Well, they're not really used to the rules about proper behavior for a classroom. So at the beginning, they might, I don't know, interrupt the teacher, walk around the classroom when they're supposed to be sitting down, you know, just misbehaving in general.

Okay, but what happens? Well, the teacher gets angry with them when they act this way. They might get punished. They have to sit at their desks when everyone else is allowed to go outside and play, and they certainly don't like that.

Soon, they'll learn that this kind of behavior gets them in trouble. They'll also learn that when they raise their hand to talk to the teacher and sit quietly and pay attention during class, they're rewarded. The teacher tells them she's proud of them and maybe puts little happy face stickers on their homework.

Now that their behavior gets a good reaction from the teacher, the kids learn to always act this way in class and not behave the way they used to. Using the example from the lecture, explain what behavior modification is and how it works. The reading passage is about behavior modification, which is when we change the way we behave after learning about the consequences of our actions.

The professor delves deeper into the subject by using the example of children just starting school. He says that at first, kids don't know how to behave in class and may interrupt the teacher, walk around the classroom, or misbehave in some other way. However, after seeing the teacher get angry with them and maybe even punish them for this sort of behavior, like making them sit at their desks while other children play outside, the little ones realize that bad behavior will result in negative consequences for them.

On the contrary, when they behave well, such as raising their hands to speak or sitting quietly and paying attention in class, children are rewarded with praise from the teacher or happy face stickers on their homework, which motivates them to behave that way in class and avoid bad behavior. Well, how was that? As you can see, this question can be challenging for people who have trouble summarizing things quickly and effectively. A typical situation I see with my students is that a person starts talking and either does not include some relevant details or tries to say too much and runs out of time.

A little tip from me, use complex and compound sentences. They always help to get the same message across, but in a much shorter and more concise way. If you feel this is a bit too challenging for you, don't worry.

These questions may seem difficult at first, but with a little practice, you'll be able to crack them like nuts. If you want to learn the special formula for summarizing the lecture in a fast and effective way, join our TOEFL course. We'll practice each question of the speaking section separately and make sure you ace the speaking section.

Last but not least, question four. For this question, you only have 20 seconds to prepare and the same 60 seconds to speak as in question three. This is because you don't have to read the text.

You just listen to a lecture. It usually starts with a professor talking about some topic or issue. Then you will hear two examples that will illustrate this concept.

For example, two types of mammals or two marketing strategies. So your job is just to listen carefully, take notes, and then summarize. Let's give it a shot.

the same. Okay, if people have a choice between two identically priced products, which one will they choose? They choose the one they think is of higher quality, of course. But what does it mean for a product to be a high quality product? Well, business analysts usually speak of two major factors of quality.

One factor is reliability and the other is what we call features. So reliability. What's reliability? Well, a product is reliable if it works the way we expect it to work.

If it can go a reasonable amount of time without needing repairs. If a product, a car for example, doesn't work the way it should and needs repairs too soon, we say it's unreliable. So product reliability means basically the absence of defects or problems that you weren't expecting.

It used to be that when people thought about product quality, they thought mainly about reliability. Today, it's different. People do still care about reliability.

Don't get me wrong. It's just that manufacturing standards are now so high that, we'll take cars for example, today. Today's cars are very reliable.

So reliability is important, but it's not going to be the deciding factor. So if reliability isn't the deciding factor anymore, what is? Features. All those extras.

The things a product has that aren't really necessary, but that make it easier to use or that make it cool. For example, new cars today are loaded with features like electric windows, sunroofs, air conditioning, stereos and so forth. When people are comparing products today, they look at features because reliability is pretty much equal across the board.

And that's why manufacturers include so many features in their products. Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two major factors of product quality and how their role in consumer decision making has changed. The lecture is about two major factors of quality.

Aspects that help customers choose between two similar products. The first factor is reliability, which is when the product works as we expect and lasts long enough without needing to be repaired. She gives an example of cars saying that when you buy a new car, you want it to work the way it should and last a long time without breaking down.

Otherwise, it's unreliable. Simply put, a reliable product doesn't have defects and works the way we expect it to. The second and deciding factor is features.

Features are extra additions that aren't necessary, but make the product easier to use or just cool. To illustrate, new cars come with many extra features, such as sunroofs, air conditioners, stereos, electric windows, and so on. For this reason, consumers look at features when deciding which product to buy.

And so, manufacturers try to include as many features as possible in their products. The key to answering this question is to include details from the lecture. A little tip from me.

If you hear a word that you recognize, but you aren't sure if you'll remember it when you speak, write it down. That way, you have a little list of words to guide you through your answer and help you speak fluently. Also, don't waste too much time in the beginning.

Just introduce the general topic and talk about the two things in turn. Well, that's the end of our speaking section. I hope this video was helpful and you have a better understanding of what the speaking section looks like.

Feel free to share your answers to these questions in the comments below. That way, you'll be able to learn from your peers as well. For those of you who are struggling with the speaking section, click on the link and get all your doubts cleared up.

If your exam is approaching, you can choose the Guru Package and schedule a consultation with me. I'll evaluate your answers and tell you what you need to do differently to score a 26 plus on the speaking section. Also, if you have already taken the test, please share your results in the comments below.

It's always motivating to read your stories. It's also a great way to get to know each other better. Good luck to you all.

Have a nice and sunny day. Until next time.

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Hello everyone, and welcome! Today, we're diving deep into the TOEFL speaking section, a part of the exam where many students often struggle.

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🗣️ The Challenge of TOEFL Speaking

One of the main reasons so many students find the speaking section challenging is that, unlike the reading and listening sections, you can't estimate your speaking score on your own. You need an expert listener to give you feedback and pinpoint exactly what you need to change to score higher.

I've listened to thousands of speaking and writing responses during my consultations and one-on-one classes, and here's a crucial insight: the mistakes students make are universally the same. Even those with an advanced level of English often repeat the same errors because no one has clearly explained what they are doing wrong. These persistent mistakes will typically cap a score at 22 or 23.

The interesting thing? It often takes only a few minor changes for a student who just scored 23 to jump up to 26 plus. I even had one student score a perfect 30 out of 30 despite having what I would consider quite average speaking skills.

So, if you're aiming for a 30 out of 30, keep watching. We're going to break down the entire TOEFL speaking section using the ETS free sample test to clearly show you all the do's and don'ts.

I always recommend that you pause the video after each question and try to answer it on your own before listening to my response. This way, you'll not only learn new information but you'll genuinely practice and get one step closer to your dream score.

(For those with an upcoming TOEFL test who want to reach their target score as quickly as possible, click the link in the description for access to all the materials and resources you need. And because you're watching this video, we're giving you a special discount promo code!)

Now, let's pretend today is your test day and get started!

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📝 Speaking Task 1: The Independent Question

As with all TOEFL sections, you'll start with the instructions, and then you'll see your first task.

• You will see a question, and you will have 45 seconds to answer it.

• The critical point here is that you only get 15 seconds to prepare. So, don't panic; use this time to your advantage.

Let's try one:

State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then explain your reasons using specific details in your explanation. Learning through online courses is more effective than learning in the traditional classroom setting.

Example Response for Task 1

I absolutely agree that online classes are much more beneficial for learning.

First of all, studying online saves a lot of time on your daily commute. I remember when my friend used to take a TOEFL prep course in downtown LA, he had to waste a couple of hours a day getting there and back. However, if he had prepared for the test online, he would have been able to invest all that time in taking practice tests and studying on his own, which would have allowed him to get the score he needed much faster.

Second, distance learning also allows you to take courses from anywhere in the world, regardless of your location. You can earn a certificate or even a degree from top American universities while living in Australia, for example, which definitely opens up new opportunities.

Common Task 1 Pitfalls

This task is often the hardest for students for a couple of reasons:

• Panic during Prep Time: Many start to panic during the 15 seconds of preparation and then can't say anything during the 45-second answer time. (Give me a thumbs up in the comments if this is your problem!)

• Overly Long Introduction: Some students make the first introductory statement too long. For example, "I absolutely agree that learning through online classes is much more beneficial than learning in the traditional classroom setting. And there are a couple of reasons why I have this opinion." This wastes precious time and leaves them unable to elaborate on their reasons and examples.

• Missing Transitions: Not using transitions like "on top of that," "however," or "as a result."

• Excessive Pausing: Pausing too much, saying things like, "I agree that online courses are much more beneficial for two reasons..."

• Lack of Content: Most struggle to come up with relevant reasons and examples.

As you can see, there's a lot going on in those 45 seconds, which is why I typically devote most of my time during consultations to this type of question.

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🎧 Speaking Tasks 2 & 3: Integrated Questions

Now, let's move on to the next three questions. These are called integrated speaking questions because you no longer have to think about what to say. You must read, listen, and then summarize what you read and heard.

👥 Task 2: Campus Conversation (Read & Listen)

In Question 2, you'll:

1. Read a text about a change on campus.

2. Listen to two students discussing this change.

3. Summarize the main idea of the reading and then carefully listen to one speaker's opinion about the change, along with their two reasons.

(We're now moving to the conversation audio...)

...The woman expresses her opinion of the proposed policy change. State her opinion and explain the reason she gives for holding that opinion.

Example Response for Task 2

In the announcement, the university shares its plans to soon ban the use of bicycles on campus since they are a safety risk and because the free campus bus service is an alternative way to get around.

The speaker disagrees with this policy.

First, she points out that the accidents described in the article took place at night, when visibility is poor and it's not easy to see cyclists. However, most students ride their bikes during the day, when this problem does not exist. So, there is no safety threat.

Second, she mentions that the campus area is large, and if students cannot use bicycles, commuting between campus buildings will be problematic. Also, the buses only run once an hour, which means that even if the bus service is introduced, it won't be as effective as riding a bicycle because students will end up wasting too much time waiting for the next bus, and everyone is too busy for that.

These are the reasons why the woman disagrees with the announcement.

Task 2 Quick Tip

As you can see, you want to give a brief summary of the reading and then spend most of your time on the listening summary. My quick tip is to use the 20-40 rule:

• Spend 20 seconds on the reading summary and transition.

• Spend 40 seconds on the conversation summary.

The biggest challenges here are not keeping to the time limit, saying too little about the listening summary, talking too much about the reading, making too many grammar and vocabulary mistakes, and, again, pausing too much.

🎓 Task 3: General to Specific (Read & Lecture)

I call this question "general to specific." Why? Because you first read a general text on an academic topic, and then listen to a more specific lecture on the same topic. The lecture will usually explain the concept from the reading using examples, experiments, or the professor's experience. Then, you summarize what you have heard and read.

(We are now moving to the lecture audio...)

Using the example from the lecture, explain what behavior modification is and how it works.

Example Response for Task 3

The reading passage is about behavior modification, which is when we change the way we behave after learning about the consequences of our actions.

The professor delves deeper into the subject by using the example of children just starting school. He says that at first, kids don't know how to behave in class and may interrupt the teacher, walk around the classroom, or misbehave in some other way. However, after seeing the teacher get angry with them and maybe even punish them for this sort of behavior—like making them sit at their desks while other children play outside—the little ones realize that bad behavior will result in negative consequences.

On the contrary, when they behave well, such as raising their hands to speak or sitting quietly and paying attention in class, children are rewarded with praise from the teacher or happy face stickers on their homework, which motivates them to behave that way in class and avoid bad behavior.

Task 3 Quick Tip

A typical situation I see is a person starting to talk, and they either don't include some relevant details or they try to say too much and run out of time. A little tip from me: use complex and compound sentences. They always help to get the same message across, but in a much shorter and more concise way.

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🎙️ Speaking Task 4: Academic Lecture (Listen Only)

Last but not least, Question 4.

• You only have 20 seconds to prepare.

• You have the same 60 seconds to speak as in Question 3.

• This is because you don't have to read a text. You just listen to a lecture.

The lecture usually introduces a general topic or issue, and then you will hear two specific examples that illustrate this concept (e.g., two types of mammals or two marketing strategies). Your job is to listen carefully, take notes, and then summarize.

(We are now moving to the lecture audio...)

Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two major factors of product quality and how their role in consumer decision making has changed.

Example Response for Task 4

The lecture is about the two major factors of quality—aspects that help customers choose between two similar products.

The first factor is reliability, which is when the product works as we expect and lasts long enough without needing to be repaired. She gives an example of cars, saying that when you buy a new car, you want it to work the way it should and last a long time without breaking down; otherwise, it's unreliable. Simply put, a reliable product doesn't have defects and works the way we expect it to.

The second and deciding factor is features. Features are extra additions that aren't necessary but make the product easier to use or just cool. To illustrate, new cars come with many extra features, such as sunroofs, air conditioners, stereos, electric windows, and so on. For this reason, consumers look at features when deciding which product to buy, and so manufacturers try to include as many features as possible in their products.

Task 4 Quick Tip

The key to answering this question is to include details from the lecture. If you hear a word you recognize but you're not sure you'll remember it, write it down. That way, you have a little list of words to guide you through your answer and help you speak fluently. Also, don't waste too much time in the beginning. Just introduce the general topic and talk about the two things in turn.

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🎯 Conclusion and Next Steps

Well, that's the end of our speaking section breakdown! I hope this was helpful and you now have a much better understanding of what the speaking section looks like and what you need to do to succeed.

For those of you who are still struggling with the speaking section, you can click on the link in the description to get all your doubts cleared up. If your exam is approaching, you can choose the Guru Package and schedule a consultation with me. I'll evaluate your answers and tell you what you need to do differently to score a 26 plus on the speaking section.

Would you like me to provide a full-length sample response for one of the speaking tasks so you can practice your timing and delivery?