NEW TOEFL Speaking Task Practice Test #3

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 piece of technology do you use most in your daily life, and how has it changed the way you do things?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: The piece of technology I use most is definitely my smartphone. I use it for almost everything throughout the day, from the moment I wake up when it serves as my alarm clock, to late at night when I might read articles or check messages before bed. It has completely changed how I communicate because instead of having to call people or wait until I see them in person, I can instantly message them or video chat. It’s also changed how I navigate because I use GPS apps instead of asking for directions or using paper maps. Even simple things like shopping have changed. I can compare prices, read reviews, and make purchases right from my phone. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine managing my daily life without it at this point.

Explanation

Explanation: This response scores highly because it provides extensive, specific detail about smartphone use rather than generic statements. The speaker demonstrates the pervasiveness of the technology by tracking its use from morning to night, which effectively illustrates dependence on it. The response identifies multiple concrete ways technology has changed behaviors including communication, navigation, and shopping, with each one explained beyond just naming it. The comparison to previous methods like paper maps and asking for directions shows awareness of how things used to be done differently. The language is natural and conversational while being well-organized. The concluding statement about difficulty imagining life without it provides a strong ending that emphasizes the significance of the change. The response maintains good pacing and coherence throughout.

Question 2

Transcript

Question 2: Do you think people rely too much on technology these days? Why or why not?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: Yes, I do think many people, including myself, rely too much on technology in certain ways. For example, I’ve noticed that my ability to remember phone numbers or directions has decreased because I always have everything stored in my phone. If my phone battery dies, I sometimes feel almost helpless because I can’t access information I need. I also think excessive screen time, especially on social media, can negatively impact mental health and face-to-face social skills. However, I don’t think all technological reliance is bad. Technology makes us more efficient and productive in many ways. The key is finding a balance. We should be mindful about our technology use and make sure we’re not losing important skills or human connections because of over-reliance.

Explanation

Explanation: This response demonstrates strong critical thinking by agreeing with the premise while adding important nuance and qualification. The speaker uses personal examples like memory decline for phone numbers, which makes the response authentic and relatable. The mention of feeling helpless when the battery dies is a specific, concrete illustration that many listeners would recognize. The response doesn’t stop at criticism but balances it by acknowledging positive aspects of technology use, showing mature, balanced thinking. The conclusion about finding balance and being mindful shows the speaker can move beyond simple criticism to constructive perspective. The language flows naturally with good use of transition words and phrases like however and the key is. The response is well-organized, moving from agreement with examples to acknowledgment of benefits to a balanced conclusion about mindfulness.

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Question 3

Transcript

Question 3: How do you think artificial intelligence will change people’s jobs in the next ten to twenty years?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: I think artificial intelligence will significantly transform the job market in the coming decades. Some jobs, particularly those involving repetitive tasks like data entry, basic customer service, or even some aspects of manufacturing, will likely be automated. This could lead to job displacement for workers in those fields. However, I also believe AI will create new types of jobs that we might not even imagine today. There will be increased demand for people who can work alongside AI, such as those who train AI systems, maintain them, or interpret their outputs. Jobs requiring human skills like creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving will become more valuable because these are areas where humans still have advantages over AI. I think the key for workers will be adaptability and continuous learning. People will need to be willing to acquire new skills throughout their careers rather than relying on one set of skills learned early in life.

Explanation

Explanation: This response earns a top score through its comprehensive, balanced analysis of a complex future-oriented question. The speaker demonstrates sophisticated thinking by addressing both job displacement and job creation, avoiding an overly pessimistic or optimistic view. The response provides specific examples of jobs that might be affected and new roles that might emerge, showing concrete thinking about abstract future possibilities. The identification of uniquely human skills like creativity and emotional intelligence shows insightful analysis about what AI cannot easily replicate. The conclusion about adaptability and continuous learning provides a practical takeaway rather than just description. The language is appropriately academic for discussing economic and technological trends, using terms like job displacement, automated, and emotional intelligence naturally. The response is exceptionally well-organized with clear progression from impact on current jobs to new opportunities to human advantages to practical implications for workers.

Question 4

Transcript

Question 4: If you could invent a new piece of technology to solve a problem, what would it be and what problem would it solve?

Sample Response

Sample High-Level Response

Sample Response: If I could invent something, I would create an advanced language translation device that works in real time and captures not just words but also cultural context and nuances. It would solve the problem of communication barriers between people who speak different languages. Current translation apps are helpful but often miss subtle meanings, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references that are crucial for true understanding. My device would use advanced AI to understand context and cultural background, so when someone uses an idiom or cultural reference, it would explain the meaning rather than just translating words literally. This would help with international business, education, and personal relationships across cultures. It could also preserve endangered languages by making them more accessible to learners. I think reducing language barriers would help people from different cultures understand each other better and potentially reduce conflicts based on miscommunication.

Explanation

Explanation: This response demonstrates excellent creative and analytical thinking by proposing an invention that addresses a real, significant problem. The speaker doesn’t just name a device but clearly articulates the specific problem it would solve and explains why current solutions are inadequate. The response shows deep understanding of language translation challenges by identifying subtle issues like idiomatic expressions and cultural context that simple word-for-word translation misses. The speaker provides multiple applications of the technology including business, education, and preservation of endangered languages, showing ability to think through various implications. The conclusion connects the invention to broader benefits like reducing cultural conflicts, demonstrating big-picture thinking. The language is sophisticated with appropriate use of terms like nuances, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references. The response is well-organized, moving logically from what the invention is to what problem it solves to why current solutions fail to how it would work to multiple benefits.

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