Academic speaking Skills

Students should be able to speak English successfully in and outside the classroom. The Speaking section measures your ability to speak effectively in academic settings.

In classrooms, students must:

• respond to questions
• participate in academic discussions with other students
• synthesize(1) and summarize what they have read in their textbooks and heard in class
• express their views on topics under discussion

Outside of the classroom, students must:

• participate in casual conversations
• express their opinions
• communicate with people in such places as the bookstore, the library, and the housing office

description

The Speaking section is approximately 20 minutes long and includes six tasks.

• The first two tasks are independent speaking tasks on topics familiar to you. They ask you to draw upon your own ideas, opinions, and experiences when responding. However, you can respond with any idea opinion, or experience relevant to completing the task.
• The remaining four tasks are integrated tasks where you must use more than one skill when responding. Two of the tasks require you to read, listen, and then speak in response by relating the information from the reading and listening material. The other two tasks require you to listen and then speak in response. You can take notes and use those notes when responding to the speaking tasks.

Like the other sections of the test, the Speaking section is delivered via the Internet. For all speaking tasks, you use a headset with a microphone. Speak into the microphone to record your responses. Responses are digitally recorded and sent to ETS, where they are scored by certified raters.

Speaking Task Types

Task Type	Task Description	Timing
SPEAK
1. Personal Preference	This question asks the test taker to express and defend a personal choice from a given category— for example, important people, places, events, or activities that the test taker enjoys.	• Preparation time: 15 seconds • Response time: 45 seconds
2. Choice	This question asks the test taker to make and defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviors or courses of action.	• Preparation time: 15 seconds • Response time: 45 seconds
READ / LISTEN / SPEAK
3. Campus Situation Topic: Fit and Explain	• A reading passage presents a campus-related issue. • A listening passage comments on the issue in the reading passage. • The question asks the test taker to summarize the speaker’s opinion within the context of the reading passage.	• Preparation time: 30 seconds • Response time: 60 seconds
4. Academic Course Topic: General / Specific	• A reading passage broadly defines a term, process, or idea from an academic subject. • An excerpt from a lecture provides examples and specific information to illustrate the term, process, or idea from the reading passage. • The question asks the test taker to combine and convey important information from the reading passage and the lecture excerpt.	• Preparation time: 30 seconds • Response time: 60 seconds
LISTEN / SPEAK
5. Campus Situation Topic: Problem / Solution	• The listening passage is a conversation about a student-related problem and two possible solutions. • The question asks the test taker to demonstrate an understanding of the problem and to express an opinion about solving the problem.	• Preparation time: 20 seconds • Response time: 60 seconds
6. Academic Course Topic: Summary	• The listening passage is an excerpt from a lecture that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate that term or concept. • The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the examples and the overall topic.	• Preparation time: 20 seconds • Response time: 60 seconds

Vocabulary:

1. Synthesize: To combine information from two or more sources

If you need information about TOEFL iBT preparation, please check the following link

Works Cited:

• Educational Testing Service. (2012). The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test – Fourth Edition. McGraw-Hill.