Independent Speaking Task

Independent Speaking Task

By TOEFL PREPARATION CENTER (Languages Education)

What is the independent speaking task?

​The independent speaking task is a speech you need to prepare for the TOEFL IBT speaking section. It is called independent because you can answer with your information, related to the test question.

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Independent Speaking Task​

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Outline​

Structure for the speaking task​

There is a specific structure for our speech if we want to succeed. We need to follow it, we like it or not. If we do not follow the structure, the examiner can decrease our score. ​We will learn the structure step by step.

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In my opinion

Personally

In my view

From my standpoint

If you ask me

I think that

As I see it

As far as I´m concerned​

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Opinion Language​

To answer our topic statement, the first thing we need to do is to understand the test question, after that, we can answer it based on our information. ​We need to start our sentence with opinion language connectors.

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​Answer the question in a topic statement

1. Topic Statement​

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Remember, that we will prepare our speech based on the previous test question​.

​Topic Statement: Personally, the most successful person I know is my teacher Cintho.

Multiple Choice

What type of connector do we need to use for the topic statement?

• Opinion Language Transitions

• Transitions to introduce reasons

• Transitions to introduce details

• Transitions to conclude

2. Give a brief description​

For the independent speaking task, you need to provide a small description of the person or thing that is being asked in the test question. In this case, we need to give a brief description of our successful person. ​

Independent Speaking Task​

TOEFL PREPARATION CENTER​

​Brief Description: He was my teacher when I was in college.

3. ​Lead-in

" The lead-in is a sentence that says how many points or reasons, you are going to develop in your speech . " 

​3. Lead-in: I have two reasons for that.

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More examples:

My two main reasons are.

The two following reasons are:​

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First

Firstly

The first reason is that

One reason is that​

Transitions to introduce reasons

The fourth step we need is the first reason. In a few words, we need to say a reason that supports why we consider that person to be successful. We need to use transitions to introduce reasons.​

1st Reason​

4. 1st Stated reason​

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​1st Reason: First, he studied an international PhD in England.

Multiple Choice

What kind of transition do we need to use for stating reasons?

• Conclusion Transitions

• Transitions to introduce examples

• Transitions to introduce details

• Transitions to introduce reasons

In other words

That is to say

This means

What I mean is ​

Transitions to introduce Details​

​For the fifth step, we need to give details or examples, or if you have time, you can give both. This is because we need to give support to our previous 1st reason. Besides, we need to add transitions to introduce details and examples.

Details and Examples​

5. Details or examples or both​

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​Transitions to introduce Examples

​For instance

For example

Such as

Like​

Multiple Choice

After the 1st reason, can we give both details and examples?

• Yes we can

• No, we can´t

​Details or Examples: This means that he studied abroad, in a difficult program to be accepted and to be finished.

Second

More importantly

The second reason is

Another reason is that​

Transitions to introduce reasons​

In the independent speaking task, we need to give two reasons to support our topic statement. ​We need to start with a transition to introduce reasons, we always need to keep the organization.

State the second reason​

6. 2nd Reason​

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​2nd Reason: Second, He is a well-known researcher in the faculty of languages.

7. Details or Examples or both​

As we did before, we need to give details and examples to support the reason that we gave before.​

Independent Speaking Task​

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Details or Examples: What I mean is, that he has published several articles in renowned journals.​

Open Ended

Why is important to give details and examples after the stated reasons?

All in all

For these reasons

That´s why

To sum up​

Conclusion Transitions​

​In the conclusion, we need to say a statement that indicates the end, for example, those were the reasons why...We need to use conclusion transitions at the beginning.

Conclusion​

8. Conclusion​

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​Conclusion: To sum up, those were the reasons why I think that Ph.D. Cintho is a successful person.

​In total, we have 8 steps we need to follow if we want to get a high score in the Speaking section.

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1. Answer the question in a topic statement

2. Give a brief description

3. Lead-in

4. 1st reason

5. Details or examples

6. 2nd reason

7. Details or examples

8. Conclusion ​

Multiple Choice

How many steps do we need for the independent speaking task?

• 5

• 7

• 4

• 8