Preparing for the TOEFL Speaking Test could be somewhat intimidating for newbies or people who are not very confident in verbal communication. There are so many questions revolving in the minds of people taking the test. For example, what kind of questions will be asked, what topics to be tackled, how long will they be required to speak, and so on and so forth. If you’re also one of those candidates preparing for the TOEFL Speaking Exam and are not sure what topics to prepare for, then you’ve come to the right place! Let’s dive right into it!
List of TOEFL Speaking Topics
The Speaking Exam comprises two sections, one being Task 1 referred to as the independent speaking test, and the other being integrated, called Task 2.
Typically, there are many official questions that you can practice for the Speaking Exam; however, in most cases, you won’t be satisfied by that alone and will need more materials to practice on. So, keep reading to see some example topics for both individual and integrated tasks that could appear in the TOEFL Speaking Exam.
TOEFL Speaking Task 1 Topics
1. Three choices Questions
These TOEFL Speaking topics provide you with three choices along with the question as the name suggests, you can then give details to support your answer. Topics could be:
| QUESTION |
3 CHOICES |
| If you’ve gotten into a hostel and are asked the kind of roommate you would like, what’s the quality that you would prefer that your roommate has? |
A. Quietness
B. Friendliness
C. Cleanliness |
| Which capability of your smartphone do you think is the most beneficial to you as a student? |
A. Listening to Music
B. Camera
C. Recording Lectures |
| Which kind of TV show would you prefer to watch if it relates to students? |
A. Comedy on School Life
B. Debating on Social or Political issues
C. Interviewing Students |
2. Personal Experience Questions
This is a typical speaking exam question. You will be asked about a prior event that you have experienced in your life and you will have to explain it in detail. Example topics are:
- What is your favorite TV show? Give reasons to support your answer.
- Give an experience from School that you initially perceived to be negative but later on realized its positivity.
- Life takes unprecedented turns. Give one experience that you never imagined you would go through.
3. Giving Advice Questions
This section will ask you to give advice to people, usually, it would be your close peers but practically it could be anyone; you should provide multiple pieces of advice but you will have to give reasons for each. Here are some TOEFL Speaking topics:
- Your younger brother has just finished high school and is applying to various colleges. What advice would you give to him and why?
- You realize your friend’s grades are going downhill and his company is not very good lately, what would you advise him?
- Your friend doesn’t take his job seriously and often goes to the office late and forgets about meetings and stuff. What advice would you like to give him?
4. Stating Opinions Questions
Here you will have to speak your mind about different things. Possible TOEFL Speaking topics that could come up include:
- Do you think that there should be fines for people who use their smartphones while crossing pathways or crossings?
- What do you think is better? Democracy or dictatorship? Give reasons to support your answer.
- Is the internet a good or a bad thing for teenagers? Justify your answer fully.
- What do you think is something that people usually do in public but should be banned? Justify your answer.
TOEFL Speaking Task 2 Topics
1. Agree/Disagree Questions
- Do you agree with the statement? To score a high GPA in college, you have to stop going out and not have a social life.
- Do you agree or disagree that male and female students should have different dormitories in universities?
- Do you agree or disagree with the statement that children should start schooling at the age of 2?
2. Explanation/Description Questions
- If a police officer pulls the car over of a person, who is drunk. Should he take the license of the driver? Support your answer with reasons.
- Do you think parents should give proper training to their children on how to manage their money efficiently? If yes, why?
- Should people use surgeries and other operations to look good? Justify your answer.
3. Preference Questions
- There are people who prefer buying used phones instead of new ones. What do you think is a better option?
- Some people buy electronics as soon as they come out while some wait for reviews to come out and then buy it. Which one would you prefer, and why?
- If you could either live near the university with expensive rent or far away but with a cheaper rate. Which one would you choose and why?
4. Imaginary Questions
- What if you were to become the dean of your university for a day? What would be the initial changes you make and why. Explain.
- If you were offered to choose between a huge amount of money for once or a decent regular paying job for a lifetime. Which one would you choose and why? Justify.
- If you had a small amount of money in your pocket for the rest of the month. Would you spend it right away or save it for the rest of the month? Give reasons.
5. Advantage/Disadvantage Questions
- Should colleges allow students to have TVs installed in their individual rooms? What are the advantages and disadvantages of it? Briefly explain.
- Should children be allowed to invest as much time in sports as they do in their studies? Give the advantages and disadvantages of this scenario with proper reasoning.
- Should the government make it mandatory for the shopping marts and other malls to be closed after sundown? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? List them.
We hope that this article on TOEFL Speaking Topics will help you ace your upcoming exam. If you want to know which universities accept TOEFL scores, check out our articles about Universities Accepting TOEFL Scores!
