What does TOEFL iBT Speaking test?
ETS assesses clear and effective speech in academic situations. Listen and Repeat asks you to reproduce exactly what you hear; the interview asks you to respond to questions about your experiences and opinions using appropriate language and a natural pace. The TOEFL iBT Speaking Section (ETS) (opens in a new tab)
In practice, ask two separate questions: did I say what I needed to say, and could someone understand me easily? A good idea does not make an inaudible sentence ending clear; clear pronunciation does not fix an irrelevant answer.
In the score
Speaking receives a score from 1 to 6, which contributes to your overall score along with the other sections. A self-assessment or reading a sample answer cannot determine an official score. Understanding your scores (ETS) (opens in a new tab)
The score calculation, in the TOEFL guideWhat does Speaking look like in 2026?
Type 1
Listen and Repeat
Listen to short sentences and repeat them exactly, speaking intelligibly.
Type 2
Take an Interview
Answer questions in a simulated interview about experiences and opinions.
Two task types listed on ETS’s current Speaking page. The TOEFL iBT Speaking Section (ETS) (opens in a new tab)
Responses are recorded through a microphone. Academic and campus situations do not require specialized knowledge; focus on understanding the prompt and delivering your response. The TOEFL iBT Speaking Section (ETS) (opens in a new tab)
How should you practice Listen and Repeat and the interview?
Upsilar-created materials, with no built-in recording. The sentences and questions below help you prepare and analyze a response. Reading a sentence and reciting it practices written memory; it does not recreate understanding an unfamiliar audio model.
Keep the specimen trays upright while carrying them into the greenhouse.
For this written workshop, divide the sentence into meaningful groups. Then ask a partner to read it naturally while you keep the text hidden. Repeat what you hear and compare your recording with the original sentence.
One possible approach, step by step
- Understand the message. The message is to keep the specimen trays upright while transporting them into the greenhouse. Both the required position and destination matter.
- Organize without changing anything. One possible way to break it up: “Keep the specimen trays upright / while carrying them / into the greenhouse.” These groups help you process the sentence; they do not let you replace a word with a synonym.
- Compare what you repeated. Look for omissions, substitutions, additions, and words that are difficult to understand. Replacing “upright” with “upside down” reverses the instruction. If you leave out “specimen,” your sentence is shorter than the model.
- Try a new model sentence. Work through the difficulty with this sentence, then try an unfamiliar one. Recalling it after several attempts is not the same as processing a new sentence on the first listen.
Key takeaways
Listen and Repeat requires preserving the words and their order; a clear paraphrase is still a paraphrase.
Tell me about a time when you changed your study routine because your original plan was not working. What did you change, and why?
Give a spoken response based on an experience you can explain clearly. Describe the problem, the change you made, and what you learned from it.
One possible approach, step by step
- Answer directly. Choose one specific enough situation to answer the question about changing your approach. A general statement about the importance of work does not address it.
- One possible response. “During my first statistics course, I spent most evenings rereading my notes. The pages looked familiar, but I struggled when I had to solve a problem without them. I changed my routine by starting each session with one problem and checking my notes only after my first attempt. This showed me exactly which step I did not understand. I learned that feeling familiar with a lesson is different from being able to use it.”
- Notice what develops the response. The sample names an observable difficulty, explains the change, and connects the conclusion to the experience. It makes the improvement clear without stacking up anecdotes.
- Produce your own version. Use an example you can describe with your own vocabulary. Record yourself, then listen to see whether the problem and change are clear without consulting your outline. The sample above illustrates an organization; do not memorize it.
Key takeaways
One specific experience and its explanation develop the answer better than a list of generalities.
Some students prefer to receive written feedback on their work; others prefer a short conversation with the teacher. Which would you choose for a difficult assignment, and why?
State your preference and explain it with a concrete reason or example. You may mention a limitation of the option you choose.
One possible approach, step by step
- A clear preference. You might prefer oral discussion because it lets you immediately check your understanding of feedback. The main point is the ability to ask a question, not that teachers are helpful.
- One possible response. “For a difficult assignment, I would prefer a short conversation. If a teacher writes that my argument is unclear, I may not know which link is missing. In a conversation, I could explain what I meant and ask whether the problem is my evidence or my conclusion. I would still take a few notes afterward, because spoken advice is easy to forget.”
- A useful nuance. The final sentence recognizes a limitation without giving up the preference. You could also argue for written feedback by explaining a concrete benefit, such as being able to reread it while revising.
Key takeaways
Explain why your choice fits the situation; a qualification should clarify your answer, not replace it.
What strategy should you use for Speaking?
Two Upsilar routines, because repeating a model and developing an answer require different skills.
- For Listen and RepeatListen for meaningful groups, keep them in order, and reproduce the sentence without rewriting it. When reviewing, identify missing words and where your comprehension broke down.
- For the interviewGive a direct answer, explain one reason or experience, then describe its effect. Keep the structure flexible: it should serve the question, not a memorized script.
- For both tasksMake sentence endings audible and keep a pace that is easy to understand. Aim for a steady rate instead of rushing and swallowing words.
The pitfall to avoid
Using the same strategy for every task. Paraphrasing can help explain an opinion, but it changes the model in Listen and Repeat. Conversely, reciting a familiar paragraph may not answer a new interview question.
How can you analyze a recording without inventing a score?
- The promptDid I answer the exact question or tell a related story? For Listen and Repeat, did I keep every word from the model?
- IntelligibilityWhich words would a listener need to hear again? Note a specific difficulty instead of saying “my accent is bad.”
- DevelopmentIn the interview, can a listener identify a reason, an example, and how they connect to my answer?
- FluencyWhere did I lose the sentence, restart, or speed up? Decide whether the problem came from the idea, a missing word, or sentence structure.
Work on one priority at a time, then try a new question. A corrected script can help you learn; keep it separate from your first recording, which shows what you could produce on your own.
Use official preparation materials to practice with real audio and prompts. Reading the written practice sets is a supplement, not a measure of your speaking performance. Prepare for the TOEFL iBT (ETS preparation page) (opens in a new tab)
What resources can extend your Speaking practice?
To distinguish exact repetition from paraphrasing, start with the Listen and Repeat practice set. Listen and Repeat on the TOEFL iBT: method and practice
To answer questions about experiences and opinions without reciting a script, continue with the simulated interview. TOEFL iBT Take an Interview: a method and worked examples
If the message is there but remains hard to understand, focus on intelligibility and words that become ambiguous. TOEFL iBT Speaking: work on pronunciation
If you stop despite having clear ideas, work on steady delivery instead of maximum speed. TOEFL iBT Speaking: improve your fluency
To develop a brief opinion into an explanation, add a reason and a specific example. TOEFL iBT Speaking: develop a response with an example
Use the self-assessment rubric to turn your recordings into next steps. TOEFL iBT Speaking: self-assessment with two listening checklists
TOEFL Speaking FAQs
Is it an interview with a live examiner?
ETS describes a simulated interview, with responses recorded through a microphone. Be ready to answer the prompt without expecting an improvised conversation with an examiner.
Can you rephrase in Listen and Repeat?
The task asks you to repeat the sentence exactly as you hear it. A paraphrase may preserve the idea but still change the response expected for this task.
Do sample answers guarantee a level or score?
No. These are Upsilar learning examples, not calibrated by ETS. Your actual response, its intelligibility, and its relevance cannot be inferred from text you read.
How can you work on your own with this section guide?
For the interview, answer aloud and record yourself before reading the sample. For Listen and Repeat, use an unfamiliar audio model; reading the script first changes the exercise.