Describe a person you would like to work with, and explain why.
A strong Task 1 answer states the choice immediately, gives two supports or one support with an example, and lands its last word around forty seconds. Fifteen seconds of preparation is enough for the plan, not for the wording.
The prompt and the clock
Describe a person you would like to work with, and explain why.
15 seconds to prepare, up to 45 seconds to speak
A model answer at the right length
112 words — what 45 seconds actually holds.
Answer it yourself first
Record yours first. A memorised TOEFL answer is audible in the rhythm, and raters mark delivery, which is exactly what memorisation damages. Read this afterwards for the shape and the vocabulary.I would choose a designer I worked with on two projects several years ago, and the reason is that she is direct to the point of being uncomfortable at first. She will look at something you spent a week on and say the middle section is doing nothing, and she will be right, with no cushioning at all. Once you realize it is never personal, it becomes the fastest way to work I have found. The rarer quality is that she changes her mind when you give her a good reason, which is much less common than being blunt. I come out of those conversations with a better version and no residue.
The words that carry it
Each one links to how it is pronounced.
How to build the 45 seconds
- 1Name the person and the defining quality.
- 2Illustrate the quality concretely.
- 3Add the rarer second quality.
- 4Say what you get out of working that way.
Sounds to watch
Straight answers
How long should this answer be?
Forty-five seconds, which is roughly 110 to 130 words at a natural pace. The model below is 112. If your version runs past fifty seconds the recording cuts off, and raters hear an answer that stops mid-sentence.
Does it matter which side I take?
No. Raters mark delivery, language use and topic development, never which opinion you chose. Pick one in the first second and spend the preparation time on two supports rather than on deciding.
What does sayit score here?
An estimate from fluency and pronunciation only — not an official band, and not a mark for vocabulary or grammar. The transcript is shown in full, so you can judge your own wording and development yourself.
What the score on your result means
An estimate from fluency and pronunciation only — not an official band, and not a mark for vocabulary or grammar.Drill it until the clock stops mattering
A free account keeps every take, so you can watch your pace settle and your filler count fall across a fortnight.