TOEFL Speaking topics: sample Take an Interview questions and Listen and Repeat
Facts last checked against official sources on October 11, 2026.
Short answer
In the 2026 TOEFL iBT, Speaking takes about 8 minutes and has two task types: in Listen and Repeat you repeat sentences exactly as you hear them; in Take an Interview you answer a series of questions on one topic with no preparation time. Scores are on the 1–6 band scale. The questions below are Prepina’s own, not ETS’s real questions.
Listen and Repeat
You hear short sentences about campus or daily life and repeat each one as you heard it; they move from short to long. What is measured is comprehension, memory and pronunciation: leaving no words out, stressing the right words and speaking at a natural pace earn marks. To practise: “The library opens at eight on weekdays.” “Please leave your bags in the lockers near the entrance.” “If you have questions about your schedule, visit the student services office.”
Take an Interview: sample question sets
An interviewer asks several questions on the same topic; you answer each directly and add a reason and a short example. With no preparation time, reusing the question’s words in your first sentence keeps you fluent.
- Study habits: Where do you usually study, and why? Do you prefer studying alone or with others? What is one study habit you would like to change?
- Technology in daily life: Which app or device do you use most every day? Has technology made it easier or harder for students to focus? Should universities limit phone use in classrooms?
- Hometown: What is your hometown best known for? What would you change about it if you could? Would you like to live there in the future?
- Work and careers: What job would you like to have in ten years? Is it better to choose a job you love or a job that pays well? Should students work part-time while studying?
- Free time: How do you usually spend your weekends? Do you think people today have less free time than their parents did? What is one activity everyone should try?
- Environment: What do people in your area do to reduce waste? Should governments make public transport free? Can one person really make a difference?
How is it scored?
Like the other sections, Speaking is reported on the 1–6 band scale (in half steps); the overall score is the mean of the four sections. ETS weighs intelligibility (pronunciation and fluency), language use (vocabulary and grammar) and content (a relevant, coherent answer) together. Short but complete answers score better than long, rambling ones.
Three rules for practice
- 20–30 seconds per answer: answer + reason + example; instead of silence or “uhm”, use a short opener (“That’s a good question. Mostly…”).
- On opinion questions pick a side and acknowledge the other view in one sentence.
- Record yourself and listen back: missing words and speaking too fast are the two most common ways to lose marks.
With Prepina
On Prepina you can record Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview tasks and get AI feedback on TOEFL’s 1–6 scale; the recordings are yours.
Sources
Dates and rules can change. Check the organiser’s official page before you apply; that page is binding.
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