TOEFL IBT

1. TOEFL IBT Speaking Section

2. Speaking Overview Third Section of test Follows a 10 minute break 6 tasks / 20 minutes total First 2 tasks independent Last 4 tasks integrated Skills tested Generate ideas quickly Listen and read actively Speak from notes Summarize in own words

3. Strategy 1 – Speak from notes, not a transcript • Don’t practice with whole sentences. Use words or phrases as clues • Example – Describe the qualities of a good parent. • Notes – • Good – patient, responsible, helpful • Patient-problems, not angry easily, calm • Resp – duties, always there, don’t forget / run away • Help – advice, explanation

4. Strategy 2 – Organize as a paragraph • Make your point relatively quickly 45 sec. – 1 min. response • 1st sentence – topic sentence • Next sentences – main ideas and details • Last sentence - conclusion

5. Strategy 3- Use familiar vocabulary • Use vocabulary that you would normally use in a friendly conversation about an academic topic. • Don’t try to use long, unfamiliar words to sound like a professor. You will end up making more errors.

6. Strategy 4 – Use short, simple sentences • English speaking uses a more casual, relaxed style than writing, even in academic discussions. • Use sentences with 1-2 clauses • Ex. – My grandmother has been a very important figure in my life. She’s always given me excellent advice and encouraged me. For example, when I was in my senior year of high school, I was unsure about university. I couldn’t decide between chemistry and math. My math marks were higher, but I loved using the test tubes and mixing chemicals in the lab. My grandmother told me…

7. Strategy 5 – Vary your vocabulary and sentence structure. • Use different word forms when discussing the same idea • Example – The student is frustrated with her partner. She is frustrated because she does more work than…Because she’s frustrated about her partner, she wants. • The student expresses a lot of frustration about her partner. She feels frustrated because she does more work than…She is so upset about this that she wants… • When practicing, try using the same notes but say it in different ways

8. Strategy 6 – Use cohesive devices • Add unity to your response with • Personal pronouns • Demonstrative pronouns • Adjectives • Articles • Synonyms • Transitions • Word families • I disagree for several reasons that the city should build a highway through my neighborhood. First, the equipment will create noise and dirt. Forexample, the dump trucks and jackhammers are loud, and they will disturb the residents. Second, the highway will be dangerous. The highway will be very close to some homes, so children might be killed if they try to cross it. Also, people’s pets might be killed as well.

9. Strategy 7 – Use transitions • Use for • Sequence (first, next, etc…) • Similarity (moreover, furthermore) • Contrast (however, but) • Examples (for example, for instance) • Explanation (therefore, because, due to) • However don’t overuse them as they can confuse the reader

10. Strategy 8 – Be concise • A good leader is a person who is confident. Also, a good leader is someone who is educated. Workers are inspired by this kind of leader. • A good leader is confident and educated. Workers are inspired by this kind of leader. • Concise means a lot of information in a small amount of time. • Some students will try to speak faster to fit all their ideas into the response. This is a mistake. You should speak at a natural comfortable speed. Speaking too fast will lead to confusion and more errors.

11. Strategy 9 – Use idioms but not slang • Using 1 or 2 idioms in your response can raise your score, but be careful to use only idioms that you are familiar with using. Incorrect usage will lower your score. • Ex. – pass with flying colors • Don’t use slang. It’s inappropriate for the TOEFL. • Ex. – Dude, that’s whack!

12. Strategy 10 – Practice your pronunciation • Vowels / Consonants • Syllables / Stress • Prefixes / Suffixes • Reduced vowel sounds • Content words / function words

13. Strategy 11 - Speak at an even pace with regular rhythm • Nerves may make you speak at a faster speed. Be conscious about speaking at a regular pace. • Rhythm means stressing content words and reducing function words. • Example – I enjoy volleyball because I likeoutdoor sports and group activities. • Identify which words / syllables are stressed. • The woman disagrees with the new fees. She thinks that they are too high and unnecessary.

15. Strategy 12 – Group words and pause appropriately • You should group your words and pause between the groups. • The woman wants to be a dancer and she has to work after school to pay for her tutorials. Although she’s on a scholarship, it doesn’t pay for everything. Dancing is very demanding which is why she needs a tutor.

16. Strategy 13 – Link and glide between pauses • Linking- the combination of the last consonant of one word with the first vowel of the next word • He needs a book on the Civil War. • He needs-a book-on-the Civil War. • Glide – an extra consonant added between two vowels in unstressed words next to each other • Information is essential to investors. • Information –is-essential to-w-investors. • Time should be important as well • Time should be-y-important-as well.

17. General Strategies Integrated Tasks 4 Integrated tasks Read and / or listen before speaking

18. Strategy 1 – Use abbreviations, symbols, fragments in note taking. • Fragments omit articles preposition and any assumed or implied words • Abbreviations no longer than 4 letters • Government=gov , want=wt, believe=blv • Initials • Isaac Newton=IN, Federal Bureau of Investigation=FBI • Symbols • +, =, <, > • to, too=2, before=b4

19. Practice taking notes • Man: Professor Miller’s biology class moves too quickly. I’m always lost and I’m not the only one. • Woman: Why don’t you ask him to explain more? • Man: Well, it is an advanced class, and nobody made me take it. I think I was too ambitious. • Woman: What about Professor Taylor’s class? It’s more of an introductory type thing, and I think there’s room. • Man: That sounds like my cup of tea. • Pr M bio = 2 fast, alw lost, + • Ask expl? • Advcl,notreq, 2 amb • Pr T? = intro + space • Pr T yes

20. Strategy 2 – Paraphrase • Your score depends on your ability to express the same ideas in different words and structures. Don’t copy the speaker’s exact words.

21. Practice paraphrasing • Though trains saw widespread use over the course of the 19th century, the 20th century saw nothing but a decline in the use of rail roads in the United States and a rapid growth in American car culture. This progressive loss of interest in trains and the growing love affair with the automobile can be explained by convenience, versatility, and variety. • Train use 19th • 20th trains + cars • Conv, vers, var

22. Strategy 3 – Recognize organization • Lectures are organized like paragraphs • Thesis should be in first paragraph • Main ideas should be followed by details and examples • Conclusion should restate thesis

23. Strategy 4 – Identify main idea and key points • Remember – the main idea always connects the details • Identify how all the information works together • Ask. “Why is this mentioned?”