# 1 Listening Section

The tests in this section are used to measure listening and comprehension skills. Dialogue and
academic lectures. The exam will consist of 2-3 student dialogue (there are 5 questions in each
conversation) and 3-4 lectures or academic discussions (there are 6 questions in each conversation).
The topic and content of the lecture is diverse. But the test taker does not need to have specific
knowledge about the content to be able to answer questions. The question will be like multiple-choice:
main ideas, details, function, stance, inferences and overall organization
New: 2-3 conversations will have 5 questions / 3-4 dialogue will have 6 questions / story, take 41-57
minutes to take the exam.

# 2 Speaking Section
Used to measure independent speaking skills and integrated content linking. Speaking Section consists
of 4 tasks as follows
Task 1 Candidates must answer questions in personal preference, showing personal opinions and
reasons for their choices from many Choice of the problem or compare the advantages and
disadvantages of the alternatives that the problem requires
Task 2 and 3 candidates will read short articles. And listened to the narration answering questions
about various issues that has been read and listened to.
Task 4 Candidates will hear academic lectures. And must summarize important points from what they
have listened to
New: 4 Task 3 integrated / 1 independent, takes 17 minutes to complete the exam.
Speaking Question
1. Personal Choice (question one)
2. Campus Announcement (question two)
3. General to Specific (question three)
4. Academic Lecture (question four)
Style One: Paired Choice
This is the most common style used. You must pick between two contrasting choices. It looks like
these samples:
“There are many different approaches to academic studies, and all of them have specific benefits. Do
you prefer to study for tests in a group, or to study alone? Include details and examples to support your
explanation.”
"Some people like to watch television news programs every day, while others like to watch them only
now and then. Which do you prefer? Include details and examples to support your explanation."
Style Two: Multiple Choice
In this style, you must pick one of three (or four) options from a list. It looks like these samples:
"If a museum is planning to host an exhibition for children, which of the following themes do you think
will be most attractive to its audience:
 robotics technology
 ancient dinosaurs
 space exploration
Include details and examples to support your explanation."
"Nowadays, people are more concerned than ever before about staying healthy. As a result, they
participate in a wide range of activities. Of the following methods of staying fit, which do you prefer:
 joining a fitness class with people you know
  riding a bicycle to work or school instead of driving
 participating in a team sport like baseball or soccer
Include details and examples to support your answer."
Style Three: Agree/Disagree
In this style, you are given a statement (usually a single sentence) and asked whether you agree or
disagree with it. It looks like these samples:
"State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then explain your reasons using
specific details in your argument. Teachers should assign daily homework to students."
“Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should help their parents with
household chores as soon as they are old enough. Use details and examples in your response.”
Style Four: Advantages/Disadvantages
This is the least common style, and it requires a special answer template (provided below). It looks like
these samples:
“Some people like to take classes online instead of attending them in person. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of this choice? What do you prefer? Use details and examples in your response.”
“Your university is planning to make class attendance optional. What is your opinion and why? What
are some advantages and disadvantages? Use details and examples in your response.”

Answer Template for Styles 1-3

For the first three question styles, you can organize your answer using a speaking template, which
should look something like this:
Main Point (pick one)
 "I agree/disagree with the idea that..."
 "In my opinion, it is better to..."
 "I believe that..."
Transition (optional)
 “I feel this way for several reasons."
First Reason
 “First…” + “For example…” (and a personal example)
Second Reason
 “Second…” + “To be more specific…” (and a few more details)

Tips and Tricks

 Avoid Repeating Words. Vary your vocabulary as much as possible.
 Use discourse phrases like “as a result,” “consequently," “moreover,” “therefore" to link ideas.
 Use a mix of simple and compound sentences.
 Don’t copy from the prompt, especially at the beginning.
 Avoid using idioms.

Sample Question and Answer

(“Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should help their parents with
household chores as soon as they are old enough. Use details and examples to support your answer.”)

Main Point
I agree with the idea that kids should help with housework right away.
Transition
I feel this way for several reasons.
First Reason
First, doing household tasks will teach them really valuable skills. For example, I was required to
prepare breakfast for my little brother before school, so when I grew up and moved away to attend
college, I had no problem preparing healthy meals for myself. As a result, I stayed really strong and fit
when I was a student.
Second Reason
Second, shared responsibilities can create bonds between family members. To be specific, young
people are sometimes shy, but if they spend a lot of time with their parents doing chores, they might
open up a bit. Accordingly, they will be more likely to discuss their feelings.

Answer Template for Advantages and Disadvantages Questions

Introduction
 “There are certainly both pros and cons of _____.” (state the issue)
Advantage
 “First of all, one advantage is _____.” (+1-3 sentences of elaboration)
Disadvantage
 “However, a major disadvantage is _____.” (+1-3 sentences of elaboration)
Opinion
 “Overall, though, I guess it’s better to _____.” (quickly state your choice)

Sample Answer for Advantages and Disadvantages Questions

(“Some people like to take classes online instead of attending them in person. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of this trend? Use details and examples in your response.”)
Introduction
There are certainly both pros and cons of choosing to study online instead of taking classes on
campus.
Advantage
First of all, one advantage is that we can get an education even if we have a job. Usually, classes on
campus occur during the daytime, which makes it almost impossible to balance employment and a
busy academic schedule. In contrast, if we use the internet we can learn when we get home from work
in the evening.
Disadvantage
However, a major disadvantage is that we won't interact very much with classmates. Sharing our ideas
with like-minded peers is a big part of an education, but this won't happen if we don't go to a
university in person.
Opinion
Overall, though, I guess it is better to take online classes.
TOEFL Speaking Question Two
read a short campus announcement, an article in a campus newspaper, or a letter published in a
campus newspaper. It will describe some change that is happening, or it will propose some
change. There will be two reasons that explain why the change will be made (or should be made). You
will have 45 seconds to read it.
Next, you will hear two students talk about what you read. One of the students will agree with the
change, disagree with the change, or (rarely) have a mixed opinion. He/she will give two reasons for
their support or opposition. These reasons will address the reasons for the change mentioned in the
reading, though sometimes the connection might be tough to pick up on.
After hearing the conversation, you will have 30 seconds to prepare your answer, and 60 seconds to
speak.

The Reading
The reading part is about 100 words long, and you are given 45 or 50 seconds to read it and take
notes.
The changes could be something like:
 A change in a university policy or the introduction of a new policy
 Changes to the requirements of a class or major, or the introduction of a new requirement for
students in a specific department
 Changes related to a university facility or the introduction of a new facility.
The Listening
The conversation is about a minute long. The structure of the conversation is usually something like:
 Introduction of the topic (something like “Hey, did you see this…”)
 First reason for the opinion
 Reaction from the other speaker
 Second reason for the opinion
 Reaction from the other speaker
The question prompt will be something like this:
“The woman expresses her opinion of the university’s plan. State her opinion and the reasons she
gives for holding that opinion.”
Your answer can look something like this:
Reading Main Point
 “According to the announcement/article/letter…”
Reasons from Reading
 “This is because ___ and ___."
Transition
 "There are two reasons why the man supports/opposes this change."
 "The woman/man has a mixed opinion of this change." (mixed opinion only)
First Reason
 “First of all, he argues that…”
Second Reason
 “Moreover, he mentions that…”
 "On the other hand, he mentions that..." (mixed opinion)

Tips and Tricks

 Link ideas by using discourse phrases like “as a result,” “consequently," “moreover,” and
“therefore.”
 Spend about 10-13 seconds talking about the reading... at most. Remember that most of your
score is based on the listening part.
 If you are a slow speaker, don't mention the reasons for the change.
 Create compound sentences using conjunctions.

Sample Answer
Reading Main Point
According to the article, the school’s sculpture program will be eliminated.
Reason from the reading
This is because there isn’t much interest in it, and the university’s budget is limited.
Transition
There are two reasons why the man opposes this.
First Reason
First of all, he argues that enrollment is low because students are busy taking required classes, not
because they are disinterested. These mandatory classes are mostly about painting and drawing,
however if they are changed more students will take sculpture classes.
Second Reason
Moreover, he mentions that the budget problem can be solved by hiring a part time professor.
Additionally, many current instructors have a secondary field, so one of them could probably teach
the class. In fact, some of the current painting teachers are also great sculptors
TOEFL Speaking Question 3
short reading about an academic term, process or idea. This will usually relate to biology, psychology
or business. 45 or 50 seconds to read it.
Next, you will hear a short lecture about the same term, process or idea. The lecture will contain either
one or two examples. The example(s) might be from the personal life of the speaker. Note that if there
is one example it will probably have two “parts” (before/after, cause/effect, etc.).
You will be given 30 seconds to prepare your answer, and 60 seconds to speak.
The Reading
The reading is about 100 words. The structure of the reading is usually:
 A clear and specific title
 An introduction (1-3 sentences that clearly state the topic of the reading)
 Details (3-5 sentences that elaborate on the topic)
The Listening Part (Lecture)
The lecture will be about one minute or 90 seconds. It will mostly focus on the example or examples.
The question prompt will look like one of the following:
1. “Describe what _____ is, and how the professor’s example illustrates this phenomenon.”
2. “Describe how the example of the ____ illustrates the concept of ____.”
3. “Explain the concept of _____ using the examples of ____ and ____ given in the lecture.”
4. “Using the examples from the lecture, explain the concept of ______.”
Your answer should look something like this:
Stating the Topic of the Reading
"_____ is defined as _______" (state the topic and quickly define it)
Giving some Detail
“The reading states that…” (state a quick detail from the reading)
Transition
“The lecturer elaborates on this by providing an example/two examples.”
First Example/First Part
“First of all, he mentions…”
Second Example/Second Part
“Secondly, he says…”
Tips and Tricks
 Use discourse phrases like “as a result,” “consequently, “moreover,” and “therefore” to link ideas.
 Spend 10-13 seconds at most talking about the reading. Most of your score comes from the
lecture part!
 If you are a slow speaker, cut the “giving the detail” part. Cut the transition if you need even more
time.
 Create compound sentences to link ideas and show off your grammar skills.
Sample Answer
Stating the topic
Revealing coloration is defined as how animals use colors to protect themselves from predators.
Giving the detail
The reading states that some animals suddenly reveal a bright color to confuse predators and escape.
Transition
The lecturer elaborates on this by providing two examples.
First Reason
First of all, he mentions that the front wings of the peanut bug blend in with the environment, but its
back wings have very colorful spots. These back wings are usually closed, but when it is attacked it
quickly opens them to startle the predator while it escapes.
Second Reason
Secondly, he says that parts of the morpho butterfly’s wings are very shiny and can reflect sunlight.
These parts are usually hidden. However, when a bird approaches it flaps its wings to reflect light and
confuse the bird. The bird can only see the light reflected from the wings, and therefore the butterfly is
able to get away.
TOEFL Speaking Question 4
Lecture that is about 1.5 to 2 minutes long. It will be about an academic term or concept. This will be
illustrated using two examples, or one example with two clear parts (before/after, cause/effect, etc.).
The example could be from the speaker's life. The lectures in this section are most often about biology,
sociology, business, or history.
The lecture starts with a short introduction that states and defines the subject (3-5 sentences). After
the introduction the example(s) are given. When it finishes, you will be asked a specific question about
the lecture that mostly requires that you summarize the example(s).

You will be given 20 seconds to prepare, and 60 seconds to speak.

The Question Prompt

1. “Using the example of ______ from the lecture, explain two ways that (LECTURE SUBJECT) is
beneficial for animals”
2. “Using the points and examples from the lecture explain (LECTURE SUBJECT)”
3. “Using the example of _____, explain the possible effects of (LECTURE SUBJECT).”
4. “Using the examples of ______ and _____, explain two ways that animals use (LECTURE
SUBJECT).”
Your answer should look something like this:
Stating the Lecture Subject and detail
 The lecture is about (LECTURE SUBJECT), which is (QUICK DETAIL).
First Example/First Part (3-5 sentences)
 First, the professor notes that (DETAILS). For example, (EXAMPLE).
Second Example/Second part (3-5 sentences)
 Secondly, he says that (DETAILS). For instance (EXAMPLE).

Tips and Tricks

 Use discourse phrases like “as a result,” “consequently, “moreover,” “therefore.”
 Focus on the example(s) most of all. Summarize the “introduction” in just one sentence that takes
no more than ten seconds to say.
 Create compound sentences with conjunctions like “and,” “but,” and “so.”
 Summarize, summarize, summarize. This isn’t a place for your own thoughts or logical conclusions.

Sample Answer
Stating the Problem
The lecture is about how companies determine the initial price of a product, which is the price of
something when it first goes on sale.
First Example/First Part
First, the professor notes that companies sometimes set a high initial price, which is later lowered.
The high price gives consumers a positive impression of the product. They know the price will go
down later but are willing to pay more to get it right away. For example, the professor mentions
certain high-tech products. Although things like video cameras, video recorders and cell phones were
all pricey at first, they became much cheaper later on.”
Second Example/Second Part
Secondly, he says that companies sometimes set a very low starting price for their goods. This is
done when the market is crowded, and they need to undercut their competitors. For instance, he
mentions a new computer that needs to get market share. As a result of its low price, it will attract
people not usually interested in computers. The company can make more money later by selling
parts and accessories to these customers.”