TOEFL Speaking Task Breakdown: What Raters Are Actually Looking For

Many students feel nervous about the Speaking section, especially because their responses are recorded and evaluated by real raters. But don’t worry, once you understand how the section works and what the raters expect, it becomes much easier to prepare and perform well.

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

In the TOEFL Speaking section, you are not just answering; you need to listen and read as well. When you answer any question, you are being heard. But the question arises, what exactly are the TOEFL raters looking for when they listen to your responses? 

Let’s break down the speaking section in a simpler manner, so that you can prepare and be confident while giving the test.

Understand the TOEFL Speaking Section

The TOEFL speaking section comprises of 4 Questions. This section is designed to assess how well you can speak English in academic situations. The question is split into 2 tasks:

• Task 1: Independent Speaking
• Tasks 2-4: Integrated Speaking

The three key segments that the raters use to score the candidates are Delivery of the speech, Language used while speaking and how well you develop and organise the topic. These segments are explained in detail across all TOEFL prep material provided by ETS, the makers of the TOEFL Test. Across both the tasks (all 4 questions), candidate needs to formulate their answers keeping these important points in mind.

Let’s deep dive into the speaking section tasks

Task 1 is independent speaking, where you can share your personal preference. In this task, you will have two options or situations, and you will make a choice between them. Here you will get 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to speak.

Task 2-4 is integrated Speaking. For task 2, you will be given a situation that can arise in a campus. In this task, you need to carefully combine information from a reading passage and a listening conversation between two students or people, the conversation can be regarding a campus-related issue. Here you will have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. 

For task 3, you need to read a short academic passage and listen to a lecture. Here you will get 30 seconds to prep and 60 seconds to speak.

For task 4, you only have to listen to a lecture and then summarise key points with examples. You will get 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

What do raters look for in your TOEFL reading section?

The reading section is marked by evaluating three main skills:

Delivery of speech

How well and clearly you have delivered the speech. You should follow your natural pace and you should have fluid intonation. Raters will always figure out if you try to change the tonality, so it is always better to deliver the answer in your natural tone.

Language

Use of correct grammar and appropriate TOEFL vocabulary, it will help you score high in the speaking section. Make sure to make very minimal grammatical errors. Also, create different sentences with the use of good vocabulary.

Topic Development

Organise your thoughts with clear logic, and give proper reasoning for the logic that you are presenting. You should express your preference along with the reasons to support it. Prepare for your answer in the first 15 seconds and note down important keywords, which will help you in forming a good and impressive answer.

Pro tip: Practice 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.

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