You have two independent questions on the speaking section:
- Personal Preference
- Personal Choice
This lesson shows you the details and strategies for each question. Follow the template to maximize your score.
Question 1: Personal PreferencePreparation Time: 15 seconds Response Time: 45 seconds |
The Task
Describe a person, place, or thing using specific examples.
Sample Questions
| · Talk about one of your biggest achievements. What made it important for you?
· What is your favourite place to visit on the weekends? Describe it and explain why it is your favourite place. |
How to Plan
- Decide on your choice very quickly (2-5 seconds)
- Choose your answer as fast as possible. You only have 15 seconds to plan, so you can’t take more than 5 seconds to pick an answer. Do not waste time choosing the best possible answer.
- Brainstorm reasons and examples (5-10 seconds)
- Write down the key points you will use for support. You should have 2-3 points to support your answer.
- Prepare your topic sentence.
- A clear start will give you confidence for the rest of your answer. A strong topic sentence also gives you a higher score for the organization marks.
The Speaking Template
| INTRO |
Repeat the question in the topic sentence.
- Question: Who was your favourite teacher in high school and why?
- Topic Sentence: My favourite teacher in high school was Mr. Rodriguez.
Make sure you start the intro effectively. Do not start with hesitations like “um”, “well”, “ah”, or “so”. Begin directly with your topic sentence.
After the topic sentence, introduce the number of reasons for your choice.
- There are several reasons why he was my favourite teacher.
- There are 3 reasons it is my favourite holiday.
| BODY |
Describe one or two reasons for your choice.
- One reason Mr. Rodriguez was my favourite teacher is…
- Another reason is…
Use examples to support your reasons.
- For example,
- For instance,
| CONCLUSION |
Conclude by mentioning the question again.
- This is why New Year’s Day is my favourite holiday.
- These are reasons why Mr. Rodriguez was my favourite teacher.
Sample Answer
| · Describe one of your greatest achievements. Why was it so important to you? |
| One of my greatest achievements was graduating high school. There are a number of reasons this was important to me.
First, it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I worked very hard for four years, so graduating made me very proud. Another reason graduating high school was so important to me was it gave me the opportunity to apply to university. My educational goal was always to attend university and study economics. Finishing high school gave me this chance. The final reason graduating high school was important to me was because I shared it with my friends and classmates. We went to school together for four years. By the time we finished, we felt like a team. These are some reasons why graduating high school was my biggest achievement. |
Question 2: Personal ChoicePreparation Time: 15 seconds Response Time: 45 seconds |
The Question
You must choose between two options given to you and state reasons for your choice.
Sample Questions
- Some people like to study at night while others like to study in the morning. Which do you prefer and why?
- Some students like to work in groups while others prefer individual work. Which do you prefer and why?
How to Plan
- Decide very quickly (2-5 seconds).
- Choose a side as fast as possible.
- There is no right or wrong choice.
- Brainstorm reasons and examples.
- Write down the key points you will use to support your choice.
The Speaking Template
| INTRO |
Repeat the question in the topic sentence.
- While some people like living downtown, I prefer living in the country.
- I prefer to study at night rather than studying in the morning.
| BODY |
Describe one or two reasons for your choice.
- Studying at night is better because…
- Another reason is…
Use examples to support your reasons.
- For example,
- For instance,
| CONCLUSION |
Conclude by mentioning the question again.
- This is why I prefer to study at night.
- These are reasons why I would rather live downtown than in the country.
Sample Answer
| · Some people prefer to study at night, while others prefer to study in the morning. Which do you prefer and why? |
| While I sometimes study at night, I prefer to study in the morning.
The first reason I prefer to study in the morning is my brain is fresh. I can do my most difficult work in the morning. When I wake up I can work at my most productive for a few hours, so this is when I can accomplish the most. Another reason is I know I will finish my studying. Sometimes when I leave my work until the night, something happens and I miss it completely. For example, a friend may drop by or I may get some extra homework to complete. This means I risk losing my time to study. A third reason is the morning is usually the quietest in my house. My roommates like to sleep in, so 7-9 am is quiet. At night, many activities are happening, or my roommates have guests. That makes it tough to study. Those are some reasons why I prefer to study at night. |
TOEFL Independent Speaking Strategies
- Quickly make a choice and stay with it.
You can’t make a wrong choice on these questions. Take only a few seconds to think of your idea. The best choice is not always the one that is true, but the one you can speak about the most easily.
- Have reasons and examples.
Your topic development score is based on having reasons for your choices and examples to back them up.
- Plan your introduction so you make a good start.
A strong start sets you up for the rest of the speaking. If you have time, write out your first sentence, or at least think it out in your head.
- Use transitional words.
Use transitional words between different ideas and examples. Since you are listing reasons, these are the most common:
- First, second, third
- Another
- Final
More TOEFL Speaking Lessons and Strategies
Are you ready for more tips to help you increase your TOEFL speaking score? Try these lessons: