Free TOEFL Speaking Exam Questions and Answers

A test taker repeats the sentence 'The seminar starts at nine.' Which delivery choice makes the repetition most clearly intelligible?

• AA. Giving every word the same length and the same stress
• BB. Ending the sentence with rising pitch as in a question
• CC. Stressing the content words and reducing the small function words
• DD. Pausing briefly after each word to say it carefully

The interviewer asks: 'Tell me about a time you had to adjust to a new schedule at school or at work.' Which response best answers the question?

• AA. I do not enjoy changing schedules, and I think most students feel the same way about it every semester.
• BB. I have always kept a good schedule, so I have never really needed to adjust to anything new at school or work.
• CC. Last fall my lab section moved to 8 a.m., so I started sleeping earlier and planning my study sessions the night before.
• DD. Schedules are important for students because they help people organize classes, work and other activities in daily life.

Take an Interview. The topic is reading habits. The interviewer asks: 'How often do you read for pleasure, and what do you usually read?' A test taker begins: 'I read many things. I read books and I read articles. I read them a lot.' Which revision of this answer uses the most precise vocabulary and accurate grammar?

• AA. I reading novels most evenings, and news articles I read on my bus ride to the campus.
• BB. I read novels most evenings, and I skim news articles on the bus ride to campus.
• CC. I read novels sometimes, and I am also reading news articles on the bus since many years.
• DD. I read novels most evenings, also news articles are what I read during bus ride to campus.

Take an Interview. The topic is urban life. The interviewer asks: 'Do you think young people benefit more from living in a big city than in a small town?' Which response best states and supports an opinion?

• AA. I lived in a small town for ten years, and the town had a river and a park.
• BB. Yes, because cities are big and have many things, and a lot of people like that.
• CC. Yes, because a city offers more internships. I found my part-time job at an office near my dorm.
• DD. Cities and small towns are both interesting places, and it depends on many factors.

Take an Interview. The topic is reading habits. The interviewer asks: 'Some people say that reading on paper is better than reading on a screen. What do you think?' Which response gives the most convincing support for its opinion?

• AA. I prefer paper because I remember more of it. On a tablet, I often check messages and lose my place.
• BB. I prefer paper because it is better, and I think most people agree that paper is better than screens.
• CC. I prefer screens because I have a tablet, and I bought it last year at a store near my home.
• DD. Both are good, so I read on paper and on screens, and readers should choose what they like.

The interviewer asks: 'How did you decide which subject to study at university?' A test taker answers: 'I chose chemistry. Chemistry is good. I like chemistry. It is a good subject for me.' What is the main weakness of this response?

• AA. It repeats one idea in simple sentences and gives no reason or example, so the topic is not developed.
• BB. It describes plans for the future instead of the past, so the verb tenses do not match the question.
• CC. It answers a different question about the subject itself instead of the decision the interviewer asked about.
• DD. It uses vocabulary that is too advanced for the question, so the listener has difficulty following the answer.

You are at the campus health center. You hear: 'Students who feel unwell should visit the clinic before they go to the pharmacy.' A test taker says: 'Students who feel sick should visit the clinic before the pharmacy.' Which statement best describes this repetition?

• AA. It is not exact because one word was replaced and a phrase was dropped, although the general meaning is close.
• BB. It is exact except for pronunciation, because every word in the original sentence was said in order.
• CC. It is exact because the meaning of the sentence was fully kept and only a small word was changed.
• DD. It is inaccurate because the order of the two places was reversed, which changes what the student must do.

Speaking-style practice. The narrator says: 'You are at the campus pharmacy.' You hear: 'The pharmacy near the campus gate stays open until ten on weekends.' Two candidates respond. Candidate 1: 'The pharmacy near the gate stays open until ten on weekends.' Candidate 2: 'The pharmacy near the campus gate is open on weekends until ten.' Which statement about the two repetitions is accurate?

• AA. Candidate 2 is exact, because moving the time phrase to the end keeps the meaning the same.
• BB. Both are exact, because each one gives the place, the time and the days that the speaker mentioned.
• CC. Candidate 1 is exact, because the missing word 'campus' does not change what the sentence means.
• DD. Neither is exact: Candidate 1 leaves out a word, and Candidate 2 changes the verb phrase and the order.

Speaking-style practice. A candidate has just made a point about study habits and wants to add a specific example. Which expression is used to introduce an example?

• AA. For instance,
• BB. In the end,
• CC. On the other hand,
• DD. As a result,

The narrator says, 'You are at the student union.' You hear: 'The bookstore doesn't open until noon on Sundays.' Which response is an accurate repetition?

• AA. The bookstore opens at noon on Sundays.
• BB. The bookstore doesn't open until noon on Saturdays.
• CC. The bookstore doesn't open until noon on Sundays.
• DD. The bookstore didn't open until noon on Sundays.