How to answer the TOEFL Speaking Section 1

ScottsEnglishScottsEnglish Administrator Posts: 1,296 admin ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 2017 in TOEFL Test

How should you prepare and answer the TOEFL Speaking, Section 1?

The instructions for this speaking exercise are:

In this part you have to speak for 45 seconds about a topic.

Look at the topic below for 15 seconds. You may make notes if you wish


  1. Formulate an answer. You only have 15 seconds, so write down the first topic that comes to you. Don't worry if it is the best possible answer. Just put something on paper to work with.
  2. Write down some key words. You do not have time to write out sentences. Write down some key words that you can speak about.
  3. Speak as clearly as possible. Pronounce every word and leave some space after each sentence. Avoid fillers such as 'uh, uhm, like, you know' which do not convey any meaning.
  4. You will need about 10 sentences in order to speak for 45 seconds.

For example, if the topic is "your favorite vacation" you might write:

  • My favorite vacation was in Tokyo when I was 11
  • Took the train
  • Visited museums
  • Went to the old city
  • Stayed in a hotel 
  • So many people
  • So many cars
  • So much noise

And then, when you speak, make each point into a sentence. You might say, "This was the first time that I had ever stayed in a hotel. The hotel wasn't very expensive, but for me it was exciting to be somewhere different from my house."

Use the exercises on answers.scottsenglish.com to help you! Perhaps start here


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