Best use of Preparation Time in the Speaking Section of TOEFL

TOEFL/IELTS
1

Hello All,
I am a bit confused about how to make the best use of preparation time like 15sec, 45sec, etc. given in the speaking section of the TOEFL Exam.

What does Greg say about this?
Could someone help me by sharing their own strategies, like How did they use this time during the exam?

Feel free to give your suggestions also, if any…

Thank You…

2

If you’ve structured your speaking tasks, the time can be utilised very efficiently.

For instance for task 1 (as suggested by greg) -

  • Thesis - “I personally prefer A over B”, "In my opinion, A should be given more importance, “I totally agree to the statement that…”
  • Transitions - “I prefer mountains over beaches for the following reasons…”, “I think so mainly because of these two arguments”
  • Reason 1 - “I like cold weather, so naturally hills and mountains make me feel more comfortable and cosy”
  • Example or instance 1 - “I had been to a beach recently, and it was fun for a while but soon the salt water and the sun started making me feel uneasy”
  • Reason 2 - “Mountains and hill stations are filled with greenery and that makes for a very soothing and enjoyable sight”
  • Example 2 - “For instance, I took a week’s break from my work to visit a nearby hill station which also had a tea plantation and just walking through the plantation was a heavenly experience”

Somewhat like this. If you have this down, you can spend the 15-30 seconds to just come up with reasons or solidify the arguments you heard in the lecture/conversation. This will make your speaking flow so much better.

PS - Try to actively avoid phrases like “umm” or “aah” because you are speaking task is evaluated by a computer before it actually goes to a person. So as you practice at home, try to record the sessions and listen and correct yourself before the next practice. For a computer, two seconds of silence is way better than and undefined “umm”.

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