For you to earn the highest scores in the Speaking Section, your responses must fulfill the demands of the task given with only minor mistakes or lapses. The test graders are looking for a highly intelligible and sustained conversation. There are three main factors that comprise scoring for the Speaking Section.

TOEFL Speaking Purposes

1. Information Processing – You need to be able to synthesize and summarize what you have read in your textbooks and heard in and outside of the class.
2. Viewpoints Formation – You need to form your own opinion in response to the information you have processed.
3. Delivery – Your speech should be clear and have a well-paced flow with only minor lapses in pronunciation or intonation patterns.
4. Language Use – Your responses should demonstrate effective use of grammar and vocabulary.
5. Topic Development – Your responses are sustained and sufficient for the task. They are well developed and coherent. A clear progression of ideas is also necessary for a high score.

Speaking Section Format

Question Types by Format and Content (Source: ETS)

Category I - Independent Tasks

1. Personal Preference

This question asks the test taker to express and defend a personal choice from a given category—for example, important people or places, or events or activities that the test taker enjoys.

2. Choice

This question asks the test taker to make and defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviors or courses of action.

Category II - Integrated Tasks

II (A) Read/Listen/Speak

3. Campus Situation Topic: Fit and Explain

	A reading passage (75–100 words) presents a campus-related issue.
	A listening passage (60–80 seconds, 150–180 words) comments on the issue in the reading.
	The question asks the test taker to summarize the speaker’s opinion within the context of the reading passage.

4. Academic Course Topic: General/Specific

	A reading passage (75–100 words) broadly defines a term, process, or idea from an academic subject.
	An excerpt from a lecture (60–90 seconds; 150–220 words) 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.

II (B) Listen/Speak

5. Campus Situation Topic: Problem/Solution

	The listening passage (60–90 seconds; 180–220 words) is a conversation about a student-related problem and two possible solutions.
	The question asks the test taker to demonstrate understanding of the problem and to express an opinion about solving the problem.

6. Academic Course Topic: Summary

	The listening passage is an excerpt from a lecture (90–120 seconds; 230–280 words) that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate it.
	The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of how the examples relate to the overall topic.