TOEFL Speaking Topics

Preparing for the TOEFL Speaking test can feel intimidating for beginners or people who are not very confident in verbal communication. Test takers often have many questions. For example, what kinds of questions will be asked, what topics should they prepare, how long will they need to speak, and how can they practice effectively? If you are preparing for the TOEFL Speaking section and are not sure what to practice, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive right into it!

List of TOEFL Speaking Topics

The current TOEFL iBT Speaking section has two task types: Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview. In Listen and Repeat, you hear short sentences and repeat them exactly. In Take an Interview, you answer questions in a simulated interview related to academic or campus situations. ETS lists the Speaking section as having 11 items and an approximate base time of 8 minutes, not including directions.

The examples below are practice prompts to help you build fluency, organize your answers, and become more comfortable speaking under timed conditions. They are not official TOEFL questions, so use them together with official TOEFL practice resources whenever possible.

TOEFL Speaking Task 1 Topics

1. Listen and Repeat Practice

For this task type, you do not give an opinion or explain an answer. Instead, you listen carefully and repeat the sentence as accurately and clearly as possible. Practice with short academic and campus-related sentences like these:

2. Pronunciation and Clarity Practice

When practicing Listen and Repeat, focus on pronunciation, sentence stress, rhythm, and clear delivery. Try to repeat the entire sentence without adding, removing, or changing words. You can also record yourself and compare your response with the original sentence.

• The university has introduced a new online system for course registration.
• Students who need help with writing can visit the academic support center.
• The biology department is offering several new classes next semester.

3. Listening Accuracy Practice

This task also tests whether you can understand and reproduce spoken English accurately. Pay attention to small words such as articles, prepositions, and verb endings because they can affect the accuracy of your response.

• The assignment must be uploaded to the course website by midnight.
• The new dining hall offers vegetarian meals every day.
• The professor asked the class to read the article before the next lecture.

4. Campus and Academic Vocabulary Practice

TOEFL Speaking scenarios are based on academic and campus-related situations, so it is helpful to practice common university vocabulary. Possible practice sentences include:

• The scholarship application requires a personal statement and two recommendation letters.
• The lecture introduced several theories about human behavior.
• The campus bookstore sells textbooks, notebooks, and other school supplies.
• The advising office helps students choose classes for the upcoming semester.

TOEFL Speaking Task 2 Topics

1. Interview Questions About Preferences

For this task type, practice answering naturally and clearly in an interview-style format. Give a direct answer first, then support it with one or two reasons or examples.

• If you had to choose a roommate, which quality would be most important to you: quietness, friendliness, or cleanliness? Explain your answer.
• Which smartphone feature is the most useful to you as a student: listening to music, using the camera, or recording lectures? Give reasons to support your answer.
• If you could live near the university with higher rent or farther away with cheaper rent, which option would you choose and why?

2. Interview Questions About Personal Experience

• What is your favorite TV show? Give reasons to support your answer.
• Describe a school experience that you first thought was negative but later realized was positive.
• Describe an unexpected experience that changed the way you think about something.

3. Interview Questions About Advice

• Your younger brother has just finished high school and is applying to colleges. What advice would you give him and why?
• You realize that your friend’s grades are getting worse and that he has been spending time with people who distract him from school. What would you advise him to do?
• Your friend does not take his job seriously, often arrives late, and forgets meetings. What advice would you give him?

4. Interview Questions About Opinions

In this type of practice question, state your opinion clearly and support it with reasons and examples. Possible topics include:

• Do you think people should be fined for using smartphones while crossing streets? Why or why not?
• Do you think the internet is generally helpful or harmful for teenagers? Justify your answer.
• What is one thing that people often do in public but should not do? Explain your answer.

5. Interview Questions About Advantages and Disadvantages

• Should colleges allow students to have TVs in their rooms? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
• Should children be allowed to spend as much time on sports as they spend on their studies? Give advantages and disadvantages.
• Should shopping malls and stores close earlier in the evening? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

6. Interview Questions About Imaginary Situations

• If you became the dean of your university for a day, what changes would you make first and why?
• If you were offered either a large amount of money at once or a steady job for life, which would you choose and why?
• If you had only a small amount of money left for the rest of the month, would you spend it right away or save it? Give reasons for your answer.

We hope that this article on TOEFL Speaking topics will help you prepare for your upcoming exam. If you want to know which universities accept TOEFL scores, check out our articles about Universities Accepting TOEFL Scores!