TOEFL Speaking · Task 161 Independent questions.
61 Independent questions.
Every one timed at 45 seconds.
Task 1 is the only TOEFL Speaking task with nothing to read or listen to first, which makes it the one you can genuinely drill. Each question here has its own page with 15 seconds of preparation, a 45-second recorder, and a model answer written to the length that actually fits.
- Free
- 15s prep, 45s speak
- Original questions
- 110 to 130 word answers
Find one
Filter by topic or word
61 questions
- Some students prefer to study online, while others prefer a traditional classroom. Which do you prefer, and why?education
- Do you think students learn more when they take notes by hand or on a laptop? Explain your choice.education
- Some people prefer a large university, others a small college. Which would you choose, and why?education
- Is it better to study one subject in depth or several subjects broadly? Explain.education
- Some universities require every student to take an art or music class. Do you agree with this policy?education
- If a school could only fund one, should it be history or science? Explain your reasoning.education
- Do you learn more from group projects or from individual assignments?education
- Would you rather live on campus or off campus during university? Why?education
- Some students learn more from lectures, others from reading. Which works better for you?education
- Should students choose their major in the first year, or wait? Explain.education
- Do students benefit more from daily homework or from long-term projects?education
- Should schools be required to teach personal finance? Explain your answer.education
- Should students be allowed to use their phones during class? Why, or why not?technology
- Does social media help or harm real friendships? Use reasons and examples.technology
- Do you prefer reading electronic books or printed books? Explain why.technology
- Some people set strict limits on screen time. Do you think that is a good idea?technology
- Are video calls as effective as meeting face to face? Explain.technology
- At what age should children be allowed their own smartphone, and why?technology
- Do you agree that technology has made everyday life simpler? Explain.technology
- Can someone learn a language well using only an app? Give reasons.technology
- Do you rely on online reviews before buying something? Why, or why not?technology
- Do you work better with background music or in silence? Explain.technology
- Do you prefer to work on projects alone or as part of a group? Explain your preference.work
- Is it better to take a job you enjoy or one that pays more? Explain.work
- Would you rather work from home or in an office? Give reasons.work
- Should employees be allowed to choose their own working hours? Why?work
- Would you rather start your own business or work for an established company?work
- Is it a good idea for full-time students to take a part-time job?work
- Should companies require employees to take all their vacation days?work
- Is an internship more valuable than an extra semester of coursework?work
- Would you rather have a friendly manager or a demanding one? Explain.work
- Would you move to another city for a better job? Why, or why not?work
- What is the most important thing a company can do for a new employee?work
- Should cities spend more money on public transport or on roads?society
- Is it better to raise a family in a city or in the countryside?society
- Should students be required to do volunteer work? Explain.society
- Should museums and galleries be free to enter? Give reasons.society
- Should a city preserve old buildings or build modern ones? Explain.society
- Should recycling be required by law? Why, or why not?society
- Are public libraries still important in the internet age?society
- Should governments spend money on space research? Explain.society
- If a city has spare land, should it build parks or housing?society
- Should single-use plastic bags be banned everywhere? Explain.society
- Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or in the evening? Why?lifestyle
- Do you prefer cooking at home or eating in restaurants? Explain.lifestyle
- Do you prefer to plan a trip carefully or travel spontaneously?lifestyle
- Is it better to save money or spend it on experiences? Explain.lifestyle
- Do you prefer a quiet weekend at home or a busy one with friends?lifestyle
- Is it better to stay in one place for life or move often? Why?lifestyle
- Is it reasonable to keep a pet in a small apartment? Explain.lifestyle
- Would you rather take one long holiday or several short breaks?lifestyle
- Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema? Explain.lifestyle
- If you could only learn one, would it be cooking or driving? Why?lifestyle
- Describe a teacher who influenced you and explain why that person mattered.personal
- Describe an important decision you made and explain how you made it.personal
- Describe a place you would recommend to a visitor and say why.personal
- Describe a skill you would like to learn and explain why you chose it.personal
- Describe a book or film that changed how you see something.personal
- Describe how you like to spend your free time, and explain why.personal
- Describe a challenge you overcame and explain what it taught you.personal
- Describe a person you would like to work with, and explain why.personal
By topic
The whole bank
education
- Some students prefer to study online, while others prefer a traditional cla…
- Do you think students learn more when they take notes by hand or on a lapto…
- Some people prefer a large university, others a small college. Which would …
- Is it better to study one subject in depth or several subjects broadly? Exp…
- Some universities require every student to take an art or music class. Do y…
- If a school could only fund one, should it be history or science? Explain y…
- Do you learn more from group projects or from individual assignments?
- Would you rather live on campus or off campus during university? Why?
- Some students learn more from lectures, others from reading. Which works be…
- Should students choose their major in the first year, or wait? Explain.
- Do students benefit more from daily homework or from long-term projects?
- Should schools be required to teach personal finance? Explain your answer.
technology
- Should students be allowed to use their phones during class? Why, or why not?
- Does social media help or harm real friendships? Use reasons and examples.
- Do you prefer reading electronic books or printed books? Explain why.
- Some people set strict limits on screen time. Do you think that is a good i…
- Are video calls as effective as meeting face to face? Explain.
- At what age should children be allowed their own smartphone, and why?
- Do you agree that technology has made everyday life simpler? Explain.
- Can someone learn a language well using only an app? Give reasons.
- Do you rely on online reviews before buying something? Why, or why not?
- Do you work better with background music or in silence? Explain.
work
- Do you prefer to work on projects alone or as part of a group? Explain your…
- Is it better to take a job you enjoy or one that pays more? Explain.
- Would you rather work from home or in an office? Give reasons.
- Should employees be allowed to choose their own working hours? Why?
- Would you rather start your own business or work for an established company?
- Is it a good idea for full-time students to take a part-time job?
- Should companies require employees to take all their vacation days?
- Is an internship more valuable than an extra semester of coursework?
- Would you rather have a friendly manager or a demanding one? Explain.
- Would you move to another city for a better job? Why, or why not?
- What is the most important thing a company can do for a new employee?
society
- Should cities spend more money on public transport or on roads?
- Is it better to raise a family in a city or in the countryside?
- Should students be required to do volunteer work? Explain.
- Should museums and galleries be free to enter? Give reasons.
- Should a city preserve old buildings or build modern ones? Explain.
- Should recycling be required by law? Why, or why not?
- Are public libraries still important in the internet age?
- Should governments spend money on space research? Explain.
- If a city has spare land, should it build parks or housing?
- Should single-use plastic bags be banned everywhere? Explain.
lifestyle
- Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or in the evening? Why?
- Do you prefer cooking at home or eating in restaurants? Explain.
- Do you prefer to plan a trip carefully or travel spontaneously?
- Is it better to save money or spend it on experiences? Explain.
- Do you prefer a quiet weekend at home or a busy one with friends?
- Is it better to stay in one place for life or move often? Why?
- Is it reasonable to keep a pet in a small apartment? Explain.
- Would you rather take one long holiday or several short breaks?
- Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema? Explain.
- If you could only learn one, would it be cooking or driving? Why?
personal
- Describe a teacher who influenced you and explain why that person mattered.
- Describe an important decision you made and explain how you made it.
- Describe a place you would recommend to a visitor and say why.
- Describe a skill you would like to learn and explain why you chose it.
- Describe a book or film that changed how you see something.
- Describe how you like to spend your free time, and explain why.
- Describe a challenge you overcame and explain what it taught you.
- Describe a person you would like to work with, and explain why.
The other three tasks
What we can honestly practise for Tasks 2 to 4
Task 2 — Campus situation
The test gives you a short announcement to read and a conversation to listen to, then asks you to report one speaker's opinion and their reasons in 60 seconds. sayit supplies neither the reading nor the conversation. Bring your own notes from a full practice set and record the spoken minute here: what you get back is a delivery check, not a check of whether you caught the speaker's second reason.
Task 3 — Academic reading and lecture
A passage defines a concept, a lecture illustrates it, and you explain the concept using the lecture's examples in 60 seconds. The stimulus is not ours to give. What a recording here measures is whether your pace holds for a full minute of explanation and whether the technical vocabulary survives being said quickly.
Task 4 — Academic lecture summary
Listening only: a two-minute lecture, 20 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to summarize. Use your own notes, record the summary here, and read the fluency and pronunciation report. It cannot tell you whether your summary was complete — only how it sounded.
Questions
Straight answers
How many words fit in 45 seconds?
Around 110 to 130 at a natural pace. Every model answer here is written to that length, so if yours runs to 180 words you are writing an essay rather than a spoken answer.
Are these real TOEFL questions?
No. They are original prompts written to the format and difficulty of Task 1. Recycled items are copyrighted, and memorising an answer produces a delivery that raters recognise immediately.
Where are the Task 2, 3 and 4 questions?
Those tasks are built on a reading passage or a lecture, and sayit does not supply either. The task pages explain what we can honestly practise for them, which is the spoken minute from your own notes.
Practise this question
Forty-five seconds, starting now
Pick any question, record it under the clock, and read back the pace, the pauses and every sound. Free, no card.