NEW TOEFL Speaking Task Practice Test #1

Instructions

In this part of the new TOEFL (January 2026 update) Speaking module you participate in a simulated conversation with a prerecorded interviewer about general or academic topics. You answer four questions, starting with factual/personal questions and progressing to opinion questions requiring elaboration and support.

Time Limit: 45 seconds per question

Scoring: 0-5 scale

Score 5: Fully successful (on-topic, well-elaborated, good pace, intelligible, accurate grammar/vocabulary)
Score 4: Generally successful (on-topic, elaborated, good pace generally, mostly intelligible, adequate grammar/vocabulary)
Score 3: Partially successful (generally on-topic, limited elaboration, choppy pace, intelligibility sometimes affected, limited grammar/vocabulary)
Score 2: Mostly unsuccessful (minimally connected, little relevant elaboration, intelligibility limited, very limited range)
Score 1: Unsuccessful (vaguely connected, mostly unintelligible, isolated words/phrases)
Score 0: No response, entirely unintelligible, no English, or unconnected to prompt

Interview

Question 1

Transcript

Question 1: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing in your free time? How did you become interested in these activities?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: In my free time, I really enjoy reading and hiking. I became interested in reading when I was young because my parents used to read to me every night before bed. As I grew older, I started reading on my own, and now I love getting lost in a good novel. Hiking is something I discovered more recently, maybe three years ago. A friend invited me on a weekend trip to the mountains, and I fell in love with being outdoors and experiencing nature. Now I try to go hiking at least twice a month.

Explanation

Explanation: This response scores highly because it directly answers both parts of the question by naming two specific hobbies and explaining the origin of each interest. The speaker provides personal background for reading that connects to childhood, making the response feel authentic and detailed. For hiking, the response includes a timeframe and describes the specific event that sparked the interest, which shows good elaboration. The speaker also adds current frequency of the activity, which demonstrates ongoing engagement. The language is natural and conversational with varied sentence structures. Minor fillers would be acceptable in actual speech delivery.

Question 2

Transcript

Question 2: Some people prefer indoor activities while others prefer outdoor activities. Which do you prefer and why?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: I would say I prefer outdoor activities, although I do enjoy some indoor hobbies as well. Being outside makes me feel more energized and refreshed. When I’m hiking or even just taking a walk in the park, I feel like I can clear my mind and reduce stress. The fresh air and natural surroundings are really beneficial for my mental health. Indoor activities like reading are great for relaxation, but they don’t give me that same feeling of rejuvenation that outdoor activities do. Plus, outdoor activities usually involve more physical movement, which is good for staying healthy.

Explanation

Explanation: This response demonstrates strong speaking skills by taking a clear position while acknowledging nuance. The speaker doesn’t simply say outdoor activities but explains the reasoning with multiple supporting points including mental health benefits, stress reduction, and physical health. The comparison with indoor activities shows balanced thinking rather than dismissing the alternative completely. The vocabulary choices are appropriate and natural, using words like energized, rejuvenation, and beneficial without sounding forced. The response flows logically from position to reasons to comparison to additional benefits, showing good organizational skills in spontaneous speech.

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Question 3

Transcript

Question 3: Do you think it’s important for people to have hobbies? Why or why not?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: Yes, I definitely think hobbies are important for several reasons. First, hobbies provide a way to relieve stress from work or school. When you’re engaged in something you enjoy, you can temporarily forget about your responsibilities and just focus on the activity itself. This mental break is really valuable for preventing burnout. Second, hobbies can help people develop new skills or talents. For example, someone who takes up painting as a hobby might discover they have artistic ability they didn’t know about. Finally, hobbies often provide opportunities to meet new people who share similar interests, which can lead to meaningful friendships.

Explanation

Explanation: This response achieves a high score through clear organization and comprehensive support for the position. The speaker uses transitional phrases like first, second, and finally to structure multiple supporting points, which makes the response easy to follow. Each reason is not just stated but also explained with additional detail. The stress relief point includes an explanation of the mechanism, the skills development point includes a concrete example, and the social connection point explains the outcome. The response demonstrates strong command of academic discussion language while maintaining a conversational tone. The variety in sentence structure and the progression from one idea to the next shows sophisticated speaking ability.

Question 4

Transcript

Question 4: Looking to the future, do you think you will continue with your current hobbies, or do you think your interests might change? Why?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: I think I’ll probably continue with reading because it’s been such a consistent part of my life for so long. However, I imagine my specific interests within reading might evolve. Right now I mostly read fiction, but I could see myself reading more non-fiction or professional development books as my career progresses. As for hiking, I hope to continue, but it might be challenging depending on where I live in the future. If I end up in a city without easy access to hiking trails, I might need to find alternative outdoor activities like cycling or running. I’m open to discovering new hobbies as well. I think as we go through different life stages, our interests naturally shift based on our circumstances and what we’re exposed to.

Explanation

Explanation: This is an excellent response that demonstrates sophisticated thinking and language use. The speaker shows nuanced reasoning by distinguishing between continuing a hobby in general versus how it might evolve in specific ways. The response addresses both hobbies mentioned earlier, showing good coherence across the interview. The speaker demonstrates realistic thinking by acknowledging potential obstacles like living situation and proposing adaptive solutions rather than giving an unrealistic absolute answer. The phrase about life stages and natural evolution of interests shows mature perspective. The language includes appropriate hedging language like probably, might, and could see myself, which is natural in discussing future possibilities. The response maintains good organization while discussing multiple dimensions of the question including continuity, evolution, practical constraints, and openness to change.

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