GoodMocks teamThe short answer
In the 2026 TOEFL, you answer questions in one Speaking task: Take an Interview. A recorded interviewer asks four questions about one situation, such as a research study, and you answer each out loud in 45 seconds. The first questions are about your own experience; the later ones ask your opinion on a broader issue. The other task, Listen and Repeat, has no questions to answer: you repeat seven sentences. Start each answer with the answer, then give one reason and one example.
- Interview questions
- 4
- To answer each one
- 45 sec
- For the whole Speaking section
- ~8 min
- Points per answer on ETS’s guide
- 0–5
On this page9 sections
- 01What the 2026 Speaking section asks
- 02How the four interview questions move
- 03Two full interviews, with sample answers
- 04More interview questions to practice, in ETS’s order
- 05A 45-second plan, and tricks that make it work
- 06Try it: spot what each answer is missing
- 07Interview mistakes, wrong next to right
- 08A 10-minute daily routine, then the real format
- 09Common questions
What the 2026 Speaking section asksLink to What the 2026 Speaking section asks
ETS’s Speaking section has two tasks, 11 items in all, and takes about 8 minutes. You speak into a microphone. ETS says the situations are academic and campus-related, need no specialized knowledge, and you may hear English accents from North America, the U.K., New Zealand or Australia.
| Task | What you hear | What you do | Time to answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listen and Repeat | Seven sentences in an academic or campus situation, one at a time | Say each one back exactly | Up to 8 to 12 seconds each |
| Take an Interview | Four questions from a recorded interviewer | Answer each in your own words | 45 seconds each |
So when people search for TOEFL speaking questions, the interview is where the questions are. Listen and Repeat is practiced differently, and its own Listen and Repeat guide shows how.
How the four interview questions moveLink to How the four interview questions move
The interview opens with a situation, shown on screen and read aloud: ETS’s examples are applying for a scholarship and taking part in a research study. Then the interviewer asks four questions about it. ETS says the first ones focus on facts and your own experience, and the later ones ask you to give and support an opinion on a broader issue. Its blueprint adds that the questions get harder as the task goes on.
| Question | What ETS’s sample asks | What it wants from you |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Your last trip to a city in your country, and what you liked there | A short, true story: what, where and why |
| Question 2 | How cities make you feel, and why you react that way | Your own habit or reaction, explained |
| Question 3 | Whether people in cities lead more interesting lives | An opinion, with a reason and an example |
| Question 4 | Whether city governments should create more parks | An opinion on a wider question: what should happen, and who it helps |
Two full interviews, with sample answersLink to Two full interviews, with sample answers
These two interviews were written for this page in ETS’s format, and neither comes from a test. Ask a friend to read each question to you, or read it once and look away, because on the test you hear the questions. Then answer out loud with a 45-second timer before you open the samples. The samples aren’t the only good answers and carry no score; they show the moves.
Interview 1: a research study about weekends
The situation and the four questions
You have agreed to take part in a research study about how people spend their weekends. A researcher will ask you some questions in a short online interview.
Question 1: Thanks for joining me. To start, tell me about something you did last weekend that you enjoyed. What did you do, and who were you with?
Question 2: Some people plan every hour of their weekend, while others prefer to decide on the day. Which kind of person are you, and why?
Question 3: Now I’d like your opinion. Some people say weekends are more important for resting than for doing activities. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Question 4: One last question. Some people think cities should close their main streets to cars at weekends, so people can walk, shop and meet there. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
Show sample answers
- Q1: a story
Last Saturday I went to a pottery class with my sister. It was her birthday present to me, so neither of us had any idea what we were doing. My first bowl collapsed twice, which made us both laugh, but by the end I’d made a small cup. It’s a bit uneven, but I use it every morning now, and it reminds me of a really relaxed afternoon with her.
- Q2: your habit, explained
I’m somewhere in the middle, but closer to deciding on the day. During the week my timetable is full, so at weekends I like having some freedom. I usually plan one thing, like meeting a friend for lunch, and leave the rest open. That way I don’t waste the weekend, but I can still say yes if something fun comes up.
- Q3: side, reason, example
I mostly disagree. Of course everyone needs rest, but I think an activity can be a kind of rest too. For example, after a hard week of exams, I spent a Sunday hiking with friends. I was physically tired that evening, but my mind felt completely fresh, much more than after a day on the sofa. So I’d say the best weekends mix both.
- Q4: wider question, who it helps
Yes, I think it’s a good idea, at least for the busiest streets. It would help small shops and cafés, because people walk more slowly and stop more often when there are no cars. It’s also safer for families with young children. Of course, some people need to drive, for example older people, so the city would need good buses and parking nearby. But overall, I think it would make the center feel more alive.
Why it works
- Every answer starts by answering. “Last Saturday I went…”, “I’m somewhere in the middle”, “I mostly disagree”, “Yes, I think it’s a good idea”.
- Questions 1 and 2 are mostly detail; questions 3 and 4 are mostly reason and example. That’s the shift ETS describes, from experience to opinion.
- Linking words carry the ideas: “so”, “but”, “because”, “of course”, “that way”. In ETS’s guide, a lack of effective sentence-level connectors is one thing that separates the second-highest level from the top.
- The fourth answer names who it helps: shops, families, older people. A “should” question is easier to fill when you think about real people.
Interview 2: a research study about decisions
The situation and the four questions
You have agreed to take part in a research study about how people make decisions. A researcher will ask you some questions in a short online interview.
Question 1: Thank you for helping with our study. Tell me about a decision you made recently, big or small. What did you decide, and how did you make up your mind?
Question 2: When you have an important choice to make, do you usually ask other people for advice, or do you prefer to decide on your own? Why?
Question 3: Now I’d like your opinion. Some people say students should be able to wait until their second year of university to choose their main subject. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Question 4: One final question. Some people think that having more choices, like thousands of shows to stream or products in a store, makes people less happy, not more. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Show sample answers
- Q1: a story
Last month I decided to buy a secondhand bike instead of a new one. A new bike was about three times the price, so I made a short list of what I really needed: good brakes and a basket. Then I looked online for two weeks. In the end I found one from a student who was leaving the city, and it’s been perfect. I saved enough money for a new phone screen too.
- Q2: your habit, explained
I usually ask one or two people, but I make the final decision myself. Talking helps me see things I’ve missed. When I chose my university, my aunt asked how long the journey home would be, which I hadn’t even thought about. But I don’t like asking too many people, because then I just get confused.
- Q3: side, reason, example
I agree. Most students choose their subject at seventeen or eighteen, and they’ve never actually studied it. A year of trying different courses would help them choose for the right reasons. My cousin started engineering because her friends did, and she switched to biology after a year, so she lost a whole year. With more time to decide, that wouldn’t happen as often.
- Q4: wider question, your view
Partly, yes. When I open a streaming app, I often spend twenty minutes scrolling, and then I feel too tired to watch anything. So too many choices can definitely waste time and make people stressed. On the other hand, choice is important for things that really matter, like jobs or where to live. So I think the problem is too much choice for small things, not choice itself.
Why it works
- The first answer is a story with a shape: the decision, how it was made, then how it turned out.
- The second answer gives a reason and a small example (the aunt’s question), and ends with a limit (“too many people”).
- The opinion answers each take a clear side in two or three words: “I agree”, “Partly, yes”. Then they explain it.
- “On the other hand” adds depth without changing sides. The last line sums up the view in the speaker’s own words.
More interview questions to practice, in ETS’s orderLink to More interview questions to practice, in ETS’s order
Make your own interviews from these: take one question from each group, in order, and imagine a situation, like a research study, a scholarship or joining a club. They were written for this page; on the test, the four questions will all be about one situation.
Group 1: your experience (like ETS’s first question)
- Tell me about a place in your hometown that you like to show visitors. Why that place?
- Describe a teacher or coach who helped you. What did they do?
- Tell me about the last time you learned something from a video or a podcast. What was it?
- Describe a time you had to change your plans at the last minute. What happened?
- Tell me about a small object you use every day. Why does it matter to you?
- Describe a celebration or festival you enjoy. What do people do?
- Tell me about a time you worked in a group. What was your role?
- Describe a book, film or game you’d recommend to a friend. Why that one?
Group 2: your preferences and habits (like ETS’s second question)
- Do you prefer studying in the morning or late at night? Why?
- When you travel, do you like to plan everything or discover places as you go? Why?
- Would you rather live in a small town or a big city? Why?
- Do you prefer to talk to friends in person or by message? Why?
- Do you prefer to spend your free time indoors or outdoors? Why?
- Do you like trying new foods, or do you stick to dishes you know? Why?
- Would you rather work on a project alone or in a team? Why?
- Would you rather have one close friend or many friends? Why?
Group 3: your opinion (like ETS’s third question)
- Some people think young children shouldn’t have homework. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Is it better to stay in one job for many years, or to change jobs often? Why?
- Some people say social media has made friendships weaker. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Should students be allowed to use phones in class? Why or why not?
- Some people believe everyone should learn to cook at school. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Is it more important for a job to be interesting or to pay well? Why?
- Some people say traveling teaches you more than school does. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Should famous people be role models for young people? Why or why not?
Group 4: a wider issue (like ETS’s fourth question)
- Should public transport be free for everyone? Why or why not?
- In twenty years, do you think most people will work from home? Why or why not?
- Should cities spend more money on libraries or on sports centers? Why?
- Should museums be free for everyone? Why or why not?
- Some people think every young person should spend a year doing community service. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
- Should companies let employees choose their own working hours? Why or why not?
- Do you think computers and robots will make jobs more interesting or less interesting in the future? Why?
- Should tourists pay an extra fee to visit very popular cities? Why or why not?
A 45-second plan, and tricks that make it workLink to A 45-second plan, and tricks that make it work
ETS’s guide gives its top score to an answer that fully addresses the question, is on topic and well elaborated, keeps a good conversational pace with natural pauses, is easy to understand, and uses a range of accurate grammar and vocabulary. This plan is our own way of getting there.
- 1
Answer in your first sentence
The story’s first fact, or your side. It takes three or four seconds, and from then on everything you say supports something the interviewer has already heard.
- 2
Give one reason, then one small example
This is where most of your time goes. One reason with a real example sounds natural and fills 25 seconds; three reasons with nothing behind them sound like a list.
- 3
For a “should” question, name who it helps
Students, older people, small shops, the city. Thinking about real people turns a big, abstract question into something you can describe.
- 4
Add the other side if you have time
“Of course, …, but…” shows you’ve thought about it, without changing your answer.
- 5
Finish with a short line, not a new idea
If you’re near the end, “So overall, I think…” closes the answer. A new reason started at 40 seconds just gets cut off.
Try it: spot what each answer is missingLink to Try it: spot what each answer is missing
Try it
What’s missing?
Four interview questions, each with an answer a student gave. Choose what each answer is missing. One of them is a strong answer.
Question 1 of 4
You hear · Interviewer
“Describe a time you had to change your plans at the last minute. What happened?”
A student answers: “Changing plans at the last minute can happen to everyone, and plans are changed at the last minute for many reasons.” What’s missing?
A. It mostly repeats the question and never tells what happened. It’s built from the interviewer’s own words and has no story in it. ETS’s guide puts an answer that “consists mainly of language from the question” near the bottom of the scale. A strong start: “Last spring my train was canceled, so I…”
Question 2 of 4
You hear · Interviewer
“Some people think museums should be free for everyone. Do you agree? Why or why not?”
A student answers: “Museums are great. My favorite one is in my city, and it has a lovely café and a big gift shop.” What’s missing?
B. It never says whether museums should be free. It’s about museums, but not about the question. An opinion question needs your side first: “Yes, mostly, because…”. The café is a detail with no point.
Question 3 of 4
You hear · Interviewer
“Do you prefer studying in the morning or late at night? Why?”
A student answers: “In the morning, because my head is clearer. Last term I moved my reading to seven o’clock, before my roommates woke up, and I finished each chapter in about half the time. At night I just reread the same page.” What’s missing?
D. Nothing: it answers, then gives a reason and an example. The answer comes in the first three words, the reason straight after, then a small true example and a contrast. That’s the whole shape in four sentences.
Question 4 of 4
You hear · Interviewer
“Some people say every student should learn a second foreign language at school. Do you agree?”
A student answers: “Yes. Language. Good for travel. And jobs. Yes.” What’s missing?
C. It’s just short, disconnected words, so nothing is explained. There’s a side and two ideas, but no sentences joining them. Turn the ideas into reasons with “because” and “so”: “Yes, because a second language opens up jobs, so…”.
0/4 questions
Interview mistakes, wrong next to rightLink to Interview mistakes, wrong next to right
| Instead of this… | Try this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “That’s a very interesting question. Let me think…” | “The last time I visited a city was in May, for a friend’s wedding.” | Your first seconds should answer. A stock opener says nothing. |
| “Some people think yes, and some people think no.” | “I think yes, mostly because…” | An opinion question asks what you think. |
| Three reasons in one breath, none explained | One reason, then a small true example | ETS’s guide rewards an answer that is well elaborated. |
| Repeating the interviewer’s words back | The same idea in your own words | The guide puts answers made mainly of the question’s language near the bottom. |
| Stopping after 15 seconds | Add an example, or the other side | The guide’s lower levels describe limited elaboration. |
| A speech learned by heart | A story bank of true events | A memorized speech rarely fits the exact question, and tends to sound flat. |
| Starting a sentence again after a small slip | Fix it quickly, or just keep going | Restarts break your pace, which the guide listens for. |
A 10-minute daily routine, then the real formatLink to A 10-minute daily routine, then the real format
- 1
Make an interview of four
One question from each group above, in order, about one situation you imagine.
- 2
Record each answer with a 45-second timer
Use your phone. Hearing the question, not reading it, is closer to the test, so ask someone to read it or record yourself reading it first.
- 3
Listen back for ETS’s four points
Did you answer the question and explain it? Was your pace steady? Were you easy to understand? Did you use a few different words and structures?
- 4
Answer the weakest one again
Same question, better answer. The second try is where you hear the progress.
When your answers feel natural, try the real format: Speaking Practice Test 1 runs Listen and Repeat and a full four-question interview, timed. For the structure behind the answers, see our TOEFL templates, and for the task and its scoring guide, the Take an Interview guide. Writing next? Our TOEFL email writing guide has sample emails for three different readers.
Common questions
What are the TOEFL speaking questions in 2026?
Since January 2026, the questions come in one task, Take an Interview: four questions from a recorded interviewer about one situation, 45 seconds each. The first ones ask about your experience, the later ones about your opinion on a broader issue. The other Speaking task, Listen and Repeat, asks you to repeat seven sentences.
How many questions are in the TOEFL interview?
Four, and you have 45 seconds to answer each. ETS says they move from facts and your own experience to opinions on broader issues, and its blueprint says they get harder as the task goes on.
Are the interview questions written on screen?
ETS says the situation at the start is shown on screen and read aloud, and the interviewer asks the questions by audio or video. So practice by listening to questions, not only by reading them: ask a friend to read them to you, or record yourself.
Do my examples have to be true?
ETS’s scoring guide looks at how fully and clearly you answer, your pace, how easy you are to understand and your range of language. It doesn’t mention whether an example is true. Our advice is to use true ones anyway, because they’re much easier to tell quickly and naturally.
What if I don’t know anything about the topic?
ETS says no specialized knowledge is needed, and the questions are about your experiences and opinions, so there’s no wrong answer. Say what you think, give one reason, and use an example from your own life.
Can I memorize answers to TOEFL speaking questions?
You can’t know the exact questions, and a speech learned by heart rarely fits the one you’re asked. Memorize the order of your moves instead (answer, reason, example) and keep a few true stories ready.
Sources
Every exam fact on this page comes from ETS, checked on November 5, 2026. GoodMocks is independent from ETS.
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