TOEFL Speaking Practice Questions: Topics for Speaking Test

If you want a better score in TOEFL Speaking 2025, you need daily practice with real-like speaking questions and clear templates. The TOEFL iBT Speaking section tests how well you speak English in academic life. It usually has about 4 tasks and takes around 15–20 minutes.

Indian students looking to study in an English-speaking country would have to appear for English proficiency exams as part of their admission process. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL exam) is one of the most sought-after English Language tests for Indian students looking to study abroad.

TOEFL Speaking is one of four sections in TOEFL iBT exam that measures your ability to speak English in academic settings. TOEFL Speaking test lasts 17 minutes and includes 4 tasks covering different types of speaking situations. According to ETS (Educational Testing Service) 2025 data, approximately 3.1 million students takes TOEFL exam globally each year, and speaking section is often considered challenging by 69% of test-takers.

This comprehensive guide provides complete information about TOEFL Speaking practice questions, common topics, preparation strategies, and current statistics to help you achieve high score of 26-30 points in 2025. The TOEFL Speaking section is a crucial part of the exam that check your ability to communicate in English. 

TOEFL Speaking Topics: Test Pattern

Task 1: Independent Speaking (Preparation: 15 seconds, Response: 45 seconds)

Format: You receives one question asking your opinion, preference, or choice on familiar topic. You gets 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to speak.

Question Types:

• Preference Questions (38% frequency in 2025): "Do you prefer A or B?"
• Opinion Questions (37% frequency): "Do you agree or disagree?"
• Choice Questions (25% frequency): "Which option do you think is better?"

Scoring Criteria:

• Delivery: Clear pronunciation and natural pace
• Language Use: Grammar and vocabulary variety
• Topic Development: Coherent ideas with reasons and examples

Statistics: The trends show that only 34% of test-takers uses full 45 seconds effectively. Most stops speaking after 32-38 seconds, losing potential points.

Sample Independent Speaking Questions 2025:

Preference Type:

• Some students prefers to study alone, while others prefers to study with friends. Which do you prefer and why?
• Do you prefer taking online courses or in-person classes? Explain why.
• Would you rather live in big city or small town? Give specific reasons.
• Some people likes to plan their free time, others prefers to be spontaneous. Which do you prefer?
• Do you prefer working from home or working in office environment?

Opinion Type:

• Do you agree or disagree that students should be required to attend all classes?
• Some people thinks artificial intelligence will improve education. Do you agree or disagree?
• Do you agree that parents should monitor their children's social media activities?
• Is it better to have broad knowledge of many subjects or deep knowledge of one subject?
• Do you agree that gap year before university is beneficial for students?

Choice Type:

• If you could study any subject, what would you choose and why?
• What is most important quality in good friend: honesty, loyalty, or sense of humor?
• Which skill is most important for future careers: adaptability, creativity, or technical skills?
• What is best way to reduce stress: exercise, meditation, or spending time with friends?

Questions about remote work, digital learning, environmental sustainability, and AI technology might increase.

Task 2: Integrated Speaking - Reading/Listening/Speaking (Preparation: 30 seconds, Response: 60 seconds)

Format of Task 2:

You reads short passage that is 75-100 words about campus-related topic. Reading time given is 45-50 seconds. After that, you listens to conversation between students for 60-90 seconds talking about same topic. Then you gets 30 seconds preparation and needs to speak for 60 seconds about how listening relates to reading.

Common Topics:

• The TOEFL Task 2 topics usually about:
• University policy changes happening on campus
• Updates to campus facilities
• New academic programs being introduced
• Changes in student services
• Technology integration in campus life (this one NEW in 2025!)

What Task Requires: Your job is summarizing the announcement and then explaining what student's opinion is with their reasons.

Sample Task 2 Scenarios for 2025

Scenario 1 - Digital Library Transition (High Probability Topic)

Reading Passage:

University announces library will transition to mostly digital resources, reducing physical book collections by 60% to create more study spaces. Change happens starting next semester.

Listening Conversation:

Two students discusses this. Female student disagrees because she prefers physical books for deep reading and many students doesn't have reliable internet access at home. She mentions studying from printed books helps her concentration better than screens.

Your Task:

You needs to explain the library announcement and student's opinion with reasons she gave.

Sample High-Scoring Response:

"According to announcement, university library will reduce physical books by sixty percent and transition to digital resources to make more study space. The female student in conversation disagrees with this change. First reason, she prefers reading physical books because it helps her focus better for deep reading compared to screens. Second, she points out that many students don't has reliable internet at home, so they won't be able access digital resources easily. That's why she's against this library transition policy."

TOEFL Speaking Task 3 — Integrated Speaking (academic concept)

Format: You read a short academic passage (75–100 words) in 45–50 seconds.

• You then listen to a lecture example for 60–90 seconds.
• You get 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to reply.

Task need: Define the idea from the reading and show how the professor’s example fits it.

Sample Topic: Camouflage (biology).

Reading says camouflage helps animals hide from predators.

Lecture example: the Arctic fox change fur color brown in summer and white in winter so it blends with snow.

Your job: say what camouflage is and explain the fox story.

Sample Topic: Symbiosis (biology).

Reading says symbiosis is close life together of two different species.

Lecture example: clownfish lives in sea anemone; the anemone protects fish and fish cleans anemone.

You answer: define symbiosis and show how clownfish and anemone help each other.

Sample Topic: Cognitive dissonance (psychology).

Reading: it is mental stress when a person holds two opposite beliefs or actions.

Lecture example: a smoker knows smoking is bad but keeps smoking and tells self that exercise fixes it.

You say: explain the idea and use the smoker example.

Sample Topic: Positive reinforcement (psychology).

Reading: giving reward to make good behavior repeat.

Lecture: parent gives sticker every time child cleans room, child cleans more.

You explain the concept with the sticker story.

Sample Topic: Target marketing (business).

Reading: firms aim at certain groups who likely buy things.

Lecture: sports drink makers target young athletes by ads in sport mags and sponsor local teams.

You explain target marketing with this case.

Candidates can refer to our TOEFL study material for such TOEFL sample question papers. Candidates can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors for assistance with German University admissions on our website. Candidates can also add to the conversation in the comments below.