Part II: Tips for TOEFL, the Speaking Section

by  Mia Della Pietra (native New Yorker)

Mia teaches TOEFL Preparation and other courses at NYLC's Upper West Side location. She was born and raised in NYC and lived in Thailand for two years training Muay Thai (Thai boxing) and teaching English.  Now she enjoys meeting students from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds and loves finding the humor in the challenges of learning English. In her free time, she watches mixed martial arts, hangs out with her two cats, and eats as much boxed macaroni and cheese as she can.   

The speaking section of the TOEFL is comprised of 6 different tasks.  Each one of them will test you on a slightly different skill.  The six tasks always follow the same order, so you can anticipate what kind of question is coming, although you cannot anticipate the topic.  Here is a breakdown of the six tasks, and how to deal with each one!

Tasks 1 and 2: Independent Speaking

The Independent Speaking questions will ask you to respond to a question about a familiar topic.  Task 1 will ask for a response to an open ended question eg: If you could travel to any city in the world, where would you go?  

Task 2 will give you two options, and you will have to choose one and defend why you have chosen it eg: Do you think it is better for men and women to study together, or do you think they should be educated separately?

Tip for tasks 1 and 2: Do not make a list! You only have time to make 1 point, and develop it.  So don’t go through all the different reasons why you want to visit Bangkok, the food, the people, the culture, the history etc.  Instead focus on one thing, and then talk about why that would be important for you.  Be as specific as possible with your examples.  The more narrow the focus, the more likely you will have enough time to discuss it fully.  

Tasks 3 and 4: Integrated Speaking

The Integrated Speaking questions will present a short reading passage and a lecture or conversation on the same topic.  Task 3 will have to do with life on a US college campus, but will not have to do with an academic subject.  These questions will focus on issues such as student health insurance or parking on campus. Task 4 will have a similar format but it will be rooted in an academic subject.  These subject can be anything from botany to music history.  Keep in mind the passage will DISAPPEAR once you are done reading it! 

Tip for task 3: Familiarize yourself with college life in the USA.  Even if your vocabulary is great, the words used to describe uniquely academic experiences might be new to you.  Try watching television or movies that take place on a college campus, and take a look at the academic vocabulary section of your TOEFL book.

Tip for task 4: Take notes, and draw!  Any test preparation course or book will stress the importance of note taking.  However, something that I believe in quite strongly is also the importance of drawing in your notes!  Frequently task 4 will involve a description that is much better understood in a diagram or drawing than in notes.  These drawings don’t need to be masterpieces, but they can really help!

Tasks 5 and 6: Listening for Speaking

The last two tasks will present you with a conversation and lecture to listen to, and then you will answer a question about them Task 5 has a very straight forward formula.  You will listen to a conversation.  A student will describe a problem and then be presented with two different options of how to solve it.  When you speak you will report the problem, the two solutions and then which one you think is the best option. Task 6 has a bit more variety to it.  It will have an academic subject matter, and you will have to answer a question about the lecture, but the topic again varies greatly. 

Tip for task 5: Follow the formula!  Your notes should be labeled Problem, Solution 1, Solution 2, Opinion, and once you have filled in this information you will simply report it in that order.  And don’t forget to give your opinion!

Tip for task 6: Keep drawing!  I know this is the same as the other tip. But I’m serious!  Drawing is universal, it can be understood in any language, so it’s an excellent tool to make sure that your brain is shifted out of its native language.  It might feel juvenile or simplistic, but I promise it really works! 

Vocab: (to be) rooted in, masterpiece

Hopefully these tips will give you the tools you need to deal with the speaking section with confidence.  The best speaking practice is to speak!  So make sure to interact and even make friends with classmates, friends and colleagues who don’t speak your native language.  Good luck!