Dos and Don’ts for TOEFL iBT Speaking Test

The TOEFL iBT Speaking test checks how well you speak English in academic situations. Indian students aiming for study abroad must prepare this part well. Here are some dos and don’ts for TOEFL Speaking section to help you speak with confidence.

If you are planning to take the TOEFL iBT test, then you must know that the speaking section is one of the most important sections of the test. Specially for Indian students aiming to take admission in foreign universities where English is the core language. 

The TOEFL iBT Speaking section measures your ability to speak English effectively in academic settings. The four questions or tasks resemble real-life situations that you might face in an academic setup in universities abroad.

Let’s understand the important dos and don’ts to help you ace the TOEFL Speaking section with confidence and clarity.

Do’s for the TOEFL Speaking Section

Practice Daily 

A very important thing about the speaking section is regular practise by speaking daily and practicing it out loud. The more you practise, the more confident you become. Use TOEFL sample tests from the free prep section on TOEFL official site. 

With the help of mock test, samplers, guides you can practise at your own pace. Practise speaking out loud to improve fluency of your answer. This will also help in reducing the hesitation.

Speak Naturally 

Speak very clearly in your original tone and at a normal pace. The raters can easily notice forced or false accents. Let your voice sound natural and expressive through good vocabulary and effective sentence construction. Just like you would speak while explaining something to a friend. One of the very effective way to practise is to watch English movies or listen to English music, which if you try out loud can help in memorising words and improve accent.

Structure Your Responses

 When answering the question, one should create a proper structure. Your answer should have proper beginning, middle section and conclusion. State your opinion clearly and support it with reasons or examples. Summarise key points from the reading or audio in a logical flow. Here are a few videos to help you with the TOEFL Speaking section.

Build a strong Vocabulary

Use a variety of words and phrases to express yourself. Learn synonyms, transition phrases and connector words like Moreover, However, That’s why etc. 

Prep time is crucial

In every TOEFL Task, there is time of 15–30 seconds to prepare. Use it smartly! Focus and note down keywords or transition words, it will come in handy while answering the question. Do not write full sentences while creating notes for your answer. Attempting to write full sentences will slow you down.

Use TOEFL Test Prep Resources

Practise as much as you can from the Mock Test Samplers and resources on the TOEFL Test Ready to develop your speaking skills. Understand what exactly raters are looking for. Clear delivery, proper language use, and strong topic development. With regular practice using the Beginners Guide, TOEFL Masterclass, and all the prep material provided by ETS on their website, you can perform on test day with confidence.

Don’ts for TOEFL Speaking Section

Do not take long gaps or pauses 

When you use words or sound like “Umm, uh, like…” it makes your response weak. This shows that you did not understand the question or you are not sure about your answer. If you need time to think you should take a short pause to align your answer.

Do not ignore Grammar

 Even if the context of your answer is correct but you are making grammatical mistakes, there is a very high possibility that you will score low. Keep your sentences short and simple. It will allow you to form grammatically correct sentences.

Do not speak very fast or very slow

 When you speak fast, you are more likely to make grammatical errors and the rater might lose the gist of the answer. When you speak very slowly, it might make you sound unsure of your answer. Aim for a normal and confident pace like how you explain things to your friends or colleagues in daily life.

TOEFL Test Day Prep

Stay calm. Stay confident. The TOEFL Speaking section is not about sounding like a native speaker. It only assess the candidate about communicating effectively in an academic environment.

Explore a variety of official prep offerings to practice your English-speaking skills with TOEFL® TestReady™. Get insights and feedback on your speech rate, pronunciation, grammar, and more.