TOEFL Speaking Section

The speaking section of the TOEFL takes around 17 minutes. Although this section is the shortest, it is often the more feared among students. To help ease your panic, you should know the structure of the speaking section and what type of questions you will be asked. The test will ask you to respond to four different types of speaking questions. One of the questions will be an independent question and the other three will be integrated. 

Here are the different types of speaking questions you will find on the TOEFL: 

Question #1 (Independent) 

The first question asks you to draw on your own thoughts, ideas, and experiences. You will be given a statement and you will need to state your opinion and defend your choice. This question will allow your 15 seconds to prepare what you are going to say. After the 15 seconds have passed, you will have 45 seconds to respond to the question. 

Question #2 (Integrated) 

This is the first type of integrated question. The question will require you to read a short text that is about a campus related rule, policy, plan, facility, etc. After you have read the text, you will listen to a conversation between students discussing their thoughts on the text you read. You will have 30 seconds to prepare what you are going to say and then 60 seconds to respond. 

Question #3 (Integrated) 

For the second type of integrated question, you will have to read a short text and then listen to a lecture related to the text. Typically, the text will involve a general definition or concept, and the lecture will give a more thorough explanation or examples. You will have 30 seconds to prepare your response and 60 seconds to respond.  

Question #4 (Integrated) 

The last question will only require you to listen to an academic lecture. The lecture topics will vary, but generally, the lecturer will start with a concept or idea and then provide examples of the concept. Your preparation and response time are the same as question number 3. 

The speaking section is tough to prepare for by yourself. If you would like to enroll in our TOEFL preparation course to help you improve your score, email info@aels.edu to get started!

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Published on January 21, 2022

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