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TOEFL® Speaking 1 Practice 1

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In this question of the TOEFL Speaking Task 1, you'll speak about a familiar topic. Your response will be scored on your ability to speak clearly and coherently about the topics. You'll have 15 seconds to prepare your answer and 45 seconds to speak.

We recommend you practice taking notes with a pen and paper like you will during your TOEFL exam.

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Should schools engage in character education to instill morals and values in children?
Should schools engage in character education to instill morals and values in children?
You have 15 seconds to prepare your answer.
Should schools engage in character education to instill morals and values in children?

You have 45 seconds to record your answer. Click the record button to begin.

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Step 1: Prepare your answer

Question: Should schools engage in character education to instill morals and values in children?


You have 15 seconds to prepare you answer


00:15
Step 2: Record your answer

Question: Should schools engage in character education to instill morals and values in children?

You have 45 seconds to speak

Submit Answer
Sample Response 4/4

While it is a controversial topic, I do believe that schools should engage in character education to instill morals and values in children. I believe in the old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”, which means that the child is raised by parents and people in the community. To begin, some parents are forced to work long hours and may not get as many opportunities to teach their children the difference between right and wrong. If educators are able to pick up some of the slack and teach children what it is important, the world may be a better place. Unfortunately not everyone has good morals. If your parents are thieves, you may grow up thinking that stealing is acceptable. A teacher can intervene and hopefully be a good role model. These are the two main reasons why I believe that schools should engage in character education at school.


Sample Response 4/4

Alongside teaching the basics of liberal arts, schools should try to encourage character education to ensure socially responsible education. To begin with, schools deal daily with children when they are at their most fragile and moldable. This is a time when kids are most impressionable towards being good productive people, and schools can influence that alongside teaching reading and math. Secondly, schools are often the epicenter of bullying and social experimentation, so it serves as ground zero for encouraging positive social interactions and personal relationships. So, to ensure that education is productive and socially responsible, schools should always be engaging in character education.


Key Words Found in this practice
Related Words

Get your speaking response scored with audio feedback and a detailed score report.
Take a closer look at the sample speaking review below.

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SAMPLE TOEFL Speaking Report

SAMPLE Score Summary
2.1 / 4
Task Fulfillment
Pronunciation & Intonation
Flow & Speech
Correct Grammar Usage
Vocabulary Usage (Appropriacy and Range)
Support & Development
SAMPLE Audio Feedback

Listen carefully to your audio feedback. The reviewer will correct your pronunciation, intonation, and flow of speech. We recommend you listen to it several times to fully understand each point and correction made by the reviewer.
SAMPLE Criteria Score Reports

Task Fulfillment   2/4

The response is mostly connected to the given task/question, but has limited ideas and explanation or some ideas that are not directly related to the task/question

Task Fulfillment is about how well you respond to the question you are given. TOEFL raters are looking for...

How to Improve

To do well on Task Fulfillment for Speaking Task 1, you first need to understand...

Pronunciation & Intonation   3/4

The response may require effort by listener at times, though speech is generally clear, with: some sound and cluster pronunciation mistakes occasional unnatural word and sentence stress occasional unnatural intonation

Pronunciation and intonation is about how you form English sounds and how you use natural English intonation. Your pronunciation and intonation can damage your score if...

How to Improve

Watch the following pronunciation video lessons to improve your pronunciation.

Vowel Video Lesson
Vowel ɪ and i ...
Vowel ɛ and æ ...
Vowel ə and ʌ ...
Vowel ɔ and ɑ ...
Vowel ʊ and u ...

Consonants Video Lesson
Consonant b and p ...
Consonant d and t ...
Consonant g and k ...
Consonant dʒ and tʃ ...
Consonant v and f ...
Consonant ð and θ ...
Consonant s and z ...
Consonant ʃ and ʒ ...
Consonant m, n and ŋ ...
Consonant l and r ...
Consonant h, w and y ...
...
...

Flow & Speech   3/4

Sustains mostly natural rhythm, though at times breaks it with unnatural linking or stress has some unnatural pausing and hesitation

Flow and speech is about how quickly you can speak and how much pausing and hesitation you use. You don’t have to speak quickly, but...

How to Improve

To improve your speech flow...

Unnatural Pauses and Hesitations Reduction Exercise

Practice any TOEFL question and record your answer. Then listen to your recording and...

Speech Pacing Exercise

An important key to earning a high score on Speech delivery is pacing in your speech. A good pacing means using proper pauses and word stresses. Here is a step-by-step exercise that can help you improve the pacing in your speech:

  1. ...
  2. ...
  3. ...

Correct Grammar Usage   1/4

Meaning is often difficult to understand because of significant and frequent errors with:nouns verb tenses adverbs and adjectives, including some phrases word order articles, pronouns, quantifiers, prepositions gerunds, infinitives

Correct grammar usage is about how you use English grammar and sentence structure. Raters want to see...

How to Improve

Using right tenses is important in TOEFL speaking. Every time you are not sure about what tense you should use, refer to our sample answer and...

Grammar topic Lesson
All past tenses ...
Present perfect tense ...
How to talk about future using right tenses ...
Mixed Verb Tenses in English: Conditionals and IF clauses ...

Vocabulary Usage (Appropriacy and Range)   4/4

Uses generally correct word forms with only minimal errors effectively uses a wide range of words and phrases, which may include phrasal verbs and idioms includes generally accurate word choice and at times demonstrates sophistication in vocabulary

Vocabulary usage is about how you use English words. Raters are looking for responses that use...

How to Improve

To improve your vocabulary usage for task 1, practice...

We suggest you complete the following speaking tasks 1 and 2 lessons...

Support & Development   2/4

Has some relevant main ideas but not enough to be fully developed has some but not enough explanation of reasons to support the main ideas, or the explanation does not always relate directly to main ideas has some but not enough details and examples to help the listener understand the main ideas

Support and development is about...

How to Improve

To improve your support and development you have to...

A great exercise to improve note-taking is...




No Speaking Answer Found

You must submit a speaking response before using this training exercise.



No Answer Found

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Sample Answer 1

While it is a controversial topic, I do believe that schools should engage in character education to instill morals and values in children. I believe in the old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”, which means that the child is raised by parents and people in the community. To begin, some parents are forced to work long hours and may not get as many opportunities to teach their children the difference between right and wrong. If educators are able to pick up some of the slack and teach children what it is important, the world may be a better place. Unfortunately not everyone has good morals. If your parents are thieves, you may grow up thinking that stealing is acceptable. A teacher can intervene and hopefully be a good role model. These are the two main reasons why I believe that schools should engage in character education at school.


Sample Answer 2

Alongside teaching the basics of liberal arts, schools should try to encourage character education to ensure socially responsible education. To begin with, schools deal daily with children when they are at their most fragile and moldable. This is a time when kids are most impressionable towards being good productive people, and schools can influence that alongside teaching reading and math. Secondly, schools are often the epicenter of bullying and social experimentation, so it serves as ground zero for encouraging positive social interactions and personal relationships. So, to ensure that education is productive and socially responsible, schools should always be engaging in character education.

TOEFL speaking LessonsCompleted: 0 / 77
play_circle_outlineWelcome to TOEFL Tutor
In TOEFL Independent Speaking 1 section, you will see the following two types of questions.
1. Some people like to A. Other people like to B. Which of these do you prefer? Why?
2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? .________________

When you answer the question, you should spend 5 ~ 10 seconds to state your preference or your opinion on the statement. Then, you should spend about 15 - 20 seconds to present your first reason and another 15 - 20 seconds to present your second reason. The use of conjunction is important while connecting different reasons. Finally, you should leave the last 5 seconds to summarize your opinion or your preference.

Below are some phrases that you can use to express your preference.
Phrases
Although some people ___, I prefer ___ because ___
Although there are many good reasons why ___, I prefer ___ because ___
Although there are many good reasons why ___, I favor ___ because ___
Although there are many good reasons why ___, my preference is___ because ___
Although a good judgement can be made for ___, my preference is ___ because ___

Below are some phrases that you can use to express your opinions.
Support the opinionOppose the opinion
I believe (that) ..I don't believe (that) ..
I think (that) ..I don't think (that) ..
In my opinion, students should be permitted to..In my opinion, students should not be permitted to..
I agree with the statement that..I disagree with the statement that..
It is my belief that students should be allowed to..It is my belief that students should not be allowed to...
It is my view that students should be required to..It is my belief that students should not be required to...

For a question like "Do you agree or disagree with that music classes are not necessary?", you can use the following phrases to express your opinion.
PhrasesExample sentence
In my opinion, there is no need to ..In my opinion, there is no need for students to wear uniforms
In my opinion, it is necessary for .. that..In my opinion, it is necessary for schools to provide club activities
In my opinion, it is unnecessary for .. that..In my opinion, it is unnecessary for students to do household tasks
In my opinion, it is essential that ..In my opinion, it is essential that students are exposed to the music
In my opinion, it is vitally important that ..In my opinion, it is vitally important that people use cellphones during school hours
In my opinion, it is critical that ..In my opinion, it is critical that primary school teachers have good communication skills..
In my opinion, it is crucial that ..In my opinion, it is crucial that students focus on a particular field of study..

While rating your responses on the Speaking questions, ETS test scorers evaluate how well you develop your topic and deliver your message. To get a high score (26-30) on the Speaking Section, you should know how to use conjunctions to connect sentences and create complex relationships between ideas.
ADDITION CONTRAST CAUSE EFFECT EXAMPLE SUMMARY TIME SEQUENCE
And

Also

Moreover

Furthermore

In addition

Additionally

Besides

 But

However

Although

Even though

Though

Despite that

In spite of

Despite of

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

In contrast

On the contrary

Conversely

On the other hand

Whereas

While

As opposed to

Contray to

 Because

For

Since

Now that

 So

Consequently

As a result

Therefore

Hence

Thus

 For example

For instance

To illustrate

As an illustration

 In conclusion

To sum up

To conclude

For these reasons

in conclusion

in short

to summarize

on the whole

in simpler terms

 First of all

Firstly

Secondly

Last but not least
MASTER TOEFL SPEAKING TASK 1
The TOEFL Independent Speaking Task will present you an issue and two opposite opinions towards the issue. You have to choose between the two options the prompt states out. You will have 15 seconds to prepare for an answer and 45 seconds to make your speech. The key to this question is to stay firmly on the side of the option you choose.
Prepare for all 5 question styles
TOEFL Independent Speaking Task 1 has 5 question styles:
  1. Agree or Disagree
  2. Preference
  3. If/Imaginary
  4. Description or Explanation
  5. Advantage and Disadvantage

If / Imaginary Questions
If you had a small amount of money, would you spend it right away or save it? Use details and examples to support your explanation.

Agree or Disagree Questions
Do you agree or disagree that students should bring a cellphone to school? Use details and examples to support your explanation.

Preference Questions
Do you prefer finding information by reading books or searching the Internet? Use details and examples to support your explanation.

Description or Explanation Questions
Should new university students all be required to read the same book in the summer before they start their first course of study? Explain your answer.

Advantage and Disadvantage Questions
Your university is planning to allow students to watch TV in their dormitories. What is your opinion and why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV in dormitories? Include reasons and examples to support your response.

You’ll have 45 seconds to make your speech. The structure of the response can be the following:
1. Your main idea or your main opinion
2. The first main idea and supporting details and examples
3. The second supporting idea and supporting details and examples
4. Conclusion.

"Agree or Disagree" questions
The first question style is Agree or Disagree. These questions will give you a certain statement and ask whether you agree or disagree with it. You will also have to provide specific reasons and examples to support your position.

Here are a few examples:
  • Do you agree or disagree that students should bring their cellphones to school? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Do you agree or disagree that a celebrity should set a good example for young people? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Do you agree or disagree that a higher education means a better career? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
To answer these questions, you can use the following expressions to begin your response.

I agree/disagree that ...
I agree/disagree to the idea that ….
I agree/disagree with S + Verb-ing
Some people believe that …, but I disagree.
Here are a few examples of beginning responses:

I agree that students should bring their cellphones to school.
I agree to the idea that students should bring their cellphones to school.
I agree with students bringing their cellphones to school.
Some people believe that students should bring their cellphones to school, but I disagree.
"Preference" questions
The second question style is Preference. A preference question will give you a choice between two options and ask which option you prefer. You will need to provide specific reasons and examples to explain why you prefer that option.

Here are some examples of preference questions:
  • Do you prefer finding information by reading books or searching the Internet? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Do you prefer to eat at home or restaurants? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Would you prefer to have a higher-paying job with longer hours or a lower-paying job with shorter hours? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Do you prefer to work in a team or work alone? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
To answer this question, you can use the following expressions to begin your response

I prefer to ___ (V + O).
To me, ____(X) is far preferable to ____(Y)
I prefer ____(X) to/over ____(Y)
I would rather ____(V + O) than ___ (V + O)

I prefer to find information by reading books.
To me, eating at restaurants is far preferable to eating at home.
I prefer having a higher-paying job with longer hours to having a lower-paying job with shorter hours.
I would rather work in a team than work alone.


Here in the third sentence, many students use "than" instead of "to" as in the following sentence Incorrect! I prefer having a higher-paying job with longer hours than having a lower-paying job with shorter hours.

That is wrong! Remember the pattern: "prefer X to Y" or "prefer X over Y".

correct! I prefer having a higher-paying job with longer hours to having a lower-paying job with shorter hours.
"If / Imaginary" questions
An "If / Imaginary" question will give you a hypothetical – an imagined situation and ask what you would do or what you would choose. Rather than choosing between two things or two opinions, you are typically not limited in your choice. That is, you can choose anything that fits the situation.

Here is an example:
  • If you had a small amount of money, would you spend it right away or save it? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
When you write your response to an "If / Imaginary Question", remember that you should use the Conditional Sentence Type 2 so you can start your response like the following:

If I had a small amount of money, I would choose to save it for a number of reasons.
"If / Imaginary" questions
A "Description or Explanation" question will ask you to describe a certain type of person – especially the good qualities of a person – or explain something in the world. You might have to choose something to explain or you might be given something specific to explain. Questions may also ask you to explain why something is beneficial, important, or significant or you might have to explain the reasons for or effects of something.

Here are some examples:
  • Should using cell phones be permitted while driving? Use details and examples to support your explanation.
  • Should new university students all be required to read the same book in summer before they start their first course of study? Explain your answer.
  • Do you think bicycles will still be widely used in the future or replaced by other means of transportation?
  • What is an important benefit that an employer can offer to make sure employees are happy and healthy? Explain your answer.
  • Should college students be required to take at least one class in Philosophy?
To answer this question, you need to first form your opinion on the topic. You can use the following expressions to form your opinion.

In my opinion, _____
I strongly/firmly believe that _____
In my view, _____
As far as I am concerned, _____
It is my belief that _____

In my opinion, not all university students should be required to read the same book before entering their first year of study.
I firmly believe that the use of cellphones should be prohibited while driving.
In my view, bicycles will become obsolete due to the emergence of other means of transportation.
As far as I am concerned, the most important benefit that an employer can offer to make sure employees are happy and healthy is a great health care package.
It is my belief that it should not be a requirement that all college students take at least one philosophy class.
"Advantage and Disadvantage" questions
The last style of question is "Advantage and Disadvantage". These questions ask you to give your opinion on a topic and specifically tell you to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the topic. Look at the following example questions:
  • Should universities allow students to watch TV in their dormitories? What is your opinion and why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV in dormitories? Include reasons and examples to support your response.
  • Should young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports? What is your opinion and why? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
So this style of question requires you to know various ways of talking about advantages and disadvantages. It is helpful to be familiar with all the different synonyms you can use for advantage and disadvantage.
  • Advantages and disadvantages
  • Upsides and downsides
  • Benefits and drawbacks
  • pros and cons
  • Positive aspects and negative aspects

For a sentence like this "Living in a small city has advantages and disadvantages" can be expressed as the following:
- Living in a small city has pros and cons.
- Living in a small city has upsides and downsides.
- Living in a small city has benefits and drawbacks.
- Living in a small city has positive and negative aspects.
Let's have a look at a template you can use for this style of question.

____ has an advantage and a disadvantage.
The advantage of ___ is ____. …..(add more details about the advantage)
On the other hand, there is a disadvantage to ____ (Verb-ing + o). …… (add more details about the disadvantage)
In conclusion,____ has pros and cons, but the advantage outweighs the disadvantage (or the disadvantage outweighs the advantage).
Therefore, I think ___ .
Should university allow students to watch TV in their dormitories? What is your opinion and why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV in dormitories? Include reasons and examples to support your response.
Allowing students to watch TV in their dormitories has an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage of students watching TV in their dormitories is that the TV can help them escape from stress and relax. This will more or less help their grades and their lifestyles. On the other hand, there is a disadvantage to watching TV in dormitories for students. TV can be extremely distracting. Some students will have a hard time concentrating on their studies while watching TV. Other students might be affected by the noise of TV while studying. In conclusion, watching TV in dormitories has pros and cons, but the disadvantage outweighs the advantage. Therefore, I believe that schools should not allow students to watch TV in their dormitories.
Tips to get a high score
1. Read your response out loud clearly and be enthusiastic with your response.

2. You can paraphrase the prompt to give your first sentence.

3. Be specific about your supporting details and examples. The trick is to use sentence structure like "If I...., I..." or "When I ..., I ..." when providing supporting details and examples.
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