SPEAKING SECTION TEMPLATES TASK 1

What Types of Questions Are on TOEFL Speaking?

There are three different types of TOEFL Speaking questions, two tasks for each type. In this section, we explain the format and content of the tasks and give an official example question and response tips for each question type.

Independent Tasks 1: PERSONAL RESPONSE TYPE

The first two tasks are independent speaking tasks that draw on the student’s own ideas, opinions, and experiences when responding.
For each of these questions, you’ll be given 15 seconds to prepare and need to speak for 45 seconds.

EXAMPLES OF QUESTION STYLES

FIRST STYLE- PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

1. Describe a time in your life when you felt especially proud of an academic achievement.        Explain why you felt that way.
2.Describe a time when you overcame an obstacle in your life.

3.Describe a memorable experience you had while on a vacation. Why was the experience     so memorable? 

SECOND STYLE - MULTIPLE CHOICES:

1. Which of the following, in your opinion, is the best method to prepare for a test?
a) studying alone, b) studying with a friend, c)Asking a teacher for help.Why do you feel that?

2. Which among these is the most important in choosing a university, campus facilities, the tuition fees, or the location? 

THIRD STYLE - PERSONAL ADVICE: 

1. A friend of yours is having frequent arguments with his parents. What advice would you give to your friend to resolve this issue?

2. Your friend feels extremely nervous when giving presentations in his class. What would you suggest he do to overcome this fear?

FOURTH STYLE - PERSONAL OPINION:

1. Your university has decided to reduce the fund they spend on sports activity. What is your opinion about it? Why do you feel that way? 

2.What is the most important characteristic of a good co-worker? Why is this characteristic so important?

STANDARD TEMPLATE:

Topic:           A time when I…                     The most memorable day / event in my life would be…                      In my opinion..                      I would advise my friend to.. Transition:  This was memorable / challenging for two main reasons..                     I feel this way for two main reasons…                     I would make this suggestion for two main reasons… 1st Reason: First of all + To be more specific… 2nd Reason: Secondly + For example… Conclusion: ONLY IF NEEDED

SAMPLE ANSWERS USING TEMPLATES:

FIRST STYLE- PURE EXPERIENCE: Describe a time in your life when you felt especially proud of an academic achievement. Explain why you felt that way. ANSWER: A time when I felt very proud of an academic achievement was on the day of my graduation ceremony. I feel this way for two main reasons. First of all, I was always an average student during my initial academic years. But, after receiving motivation from my professors, I worked extra hard during my final year and I Graduated with honors.It was a matter of great pride for me. Secondly, my whole family had attended my graduation ceremony. The tears of joy in my mother’s eyes and look of pride on my dad’s face made my degree even more valuable than it was. That is a day I’ll never forget in my life. It was my most priceless academic achievement ever.

SECOND STYLE - MULTIPLE CHOICES: Which of the following, in your opinion, is the best method to prepare for a test?   a) studying alone, b) studying with a friend, c)Asking a teacher for help. Why do you feel that? ANSWER: In my opinion, studying with a friend is the best method to prepare for a test. I feel this way for two main reasons. First of all, having a friend as your study partner can prove beneficial to both.To be specific, both students can share their notes and pool in more study resources. This could help both of them excel their tests. Secondly, both the students can keep each other motivated all the time. For example, one of the major reasons I could ace my SATs were the constant motivation of my friend who was also my study partner. He never let me get demotivated, even when I felt like giving up. Thus, I can conclude from my own personal experiences that studying with a friend is the best way to prepare for an exam.

THIRD STYLE - GIVING ADVICE: A friend of yours is having frequent arguments with his parents. What advice would you give to your friend to resolve this issue? ANSWER: I would advise my friend to have an open communication with his parents regarding the issues they are facing. I would make this suggestion for two main reasons. First of all, often, issues crop up in families due to generation gap or miscommunications. Having an open discussion with his parents can make him aware of what his parents expect from him and why do they feel let down. Secondly, I strongly believe that there’s nobody in the world, who knows you better than your own parents. They’re someone who can blindly rely on. They’re someone you know who will always love you, no matter what, without any judgment. Thus, the best people to open up with would be his own parents, rather than any outsider. Thus, I would strongly advise him to talk to his parents and resolve their differences.

FOURTH STYLE - OPINION: What is the most important characteristic of a good co-worker? Why is this characteristic so important? ANSWER: In my opinion,the most important characteristic of a good co-worker is that he’s trustworthy. I feel this way for two main reasons. First of all, knowing you can trust your coworker creates a safe work environment. It boosts team-spirit, which is very beneficial to a company’s productivity. Secondly, your co-workers are the people you spend a major part of your day with. Knowing you can trust them, gives you the sense of camaraderie while working together. Such relations can also bloom into long-lasting friendships. For example, I am on great terms with all my co-workers and I can trust them completely.This makes us a great team. Thus, I strongly stand by my opinion, that trust is the mot important characteristic of  a good coworker.