TOEFL iBT 
General Speaking Strategies : Independent and Integrated

Strategy 1 : Be prepared to speak from notes, not a transcript

You won't have enough time on the actual exam to write out a transcript of your answer. Even for the independent tasks, you will only be able to record your ideas in note form
Don't practice by writing out whole sentences and then speaking them out loud.
In order to be properly prepared for the exam, you should practice by writing single words or phrases and then using those ideas in complete sentences.

Strategy 2 : Organize your thoughts and speech as a paragraph, not a standard essay


Your answers in the speaking section are not spoken essay, but they must still be organized. You need to make your point quickly, so don't bother with an extended hook like those used in lectures and essays.
Your first sentence should be your thesis statement or topic sentence, and it should give your main idea and possibly a clue to your supporting points. The next sentences should explain your main idea with details, but don't think of it as separate paragraphs. Likewise, your conclusion can't be a separate paragraph. Your conclusion should be one or two sentences at most.

Strategy 3 : Use familiar vocabulary


Be yourself and be conversational. Use the vocabulary that you would normally use in a serious but friendly conversation about an academic topic.

Strategy 4 : Use short, simple sentences


Comfortable, natural speech in English doesn't sound like written English. Don't try to speak in formal, written style with long, complex sentences of three or more clauses.

Strategy 5 : Vary your vocabulary and sentence structure


Speaking naturally does not mean speaking repetitively. Use different word forms when you discuss the same idea or related ideas.

Strategy 6 : Use cohesive devices effectively


Cohesion means unity, and it refers to the number of connections among the ideas in a sentence and paragraph. The speaker guides listener with transition devices : first, second, for example, so, also.


Strategy 7 : Use transitions appropriately


Throughout your speech, use transitions to indicate sequence (first, next, etc), connection/similarity (moreover, furthermore, etc.), contrast (however, but, etc), examples (for example, for instance, like etc), or explanation(therefore, because, due to, etc.).

Strategy 8 : Be concise


A concise answer gives a lot of information in a short amount of time. In other words, it is brief but informative. Many students make the mistake of speaking faster in order to say more. A natural, comfortable speed is best.

Strategy 9 : Use idioms in moderation, but not slang.


Using idiom appropriately show good language skill, which can raise your mark.

Strategy 10 : Pay attention to your pronunciation.


Pronunciation is a vital part of any spoken language, and it is often the most difficult skill to improve. Pronouncing words without reduction slows your speech and makes it difficult to speak with a natural pace and rhythm.

Strategy 11 : Speak at an even pace and with a regular rhythm.


Good English is spoken at the same overall pace, or speed, throughout. Rhythm involves the proper stress of words and proper pauses between phrases and clauses.

Function words (Unstressed)

• Articles : a, an, the, same
• Prepositions : in, at, on, to, for, etc
• Pronouns : I, you, he, she, it, etc
• Conjunctions : and, but, yet, for, that, since, etc.
• Auxiliary verbs : be (passive voice), has/have(perfect tense), will, models, etc.

Content words(Stressed)

• Nouns : person, place, or thing
• Verbs and participles(not auxiliary verbs)
• Negatives : no, not, don't, aren't, can't, etc
• Adjectives : big, expensive, thorough, etc
• Adverbs : quickly, finally, too, very, etc
• Numbers
• Interrogative pronouns : who, what, where, etc
• Demonstratives : this, that, those, these

Strategy 12 : Group words and pause appropriately

Most students already know that they must pause for breath at a comma or a period, but his advice is difficult to follow without a transcript. You should understand that English words are spoken in groups, not individually.

You should group your words into phrases and clauses, and pause between them :

The woman wants to be a dancer [pause] and she to work after school [pause] to pay for her tutorials. [pause] Although she's on a scholarship, [pause] it doesn't pay for everything. [pause] Dancing is very demanding [pause], which is why she needs a tutor. [pause] Unfortunately,...

There are two main exceptions to the clause rule:

First exception : when a noun clause is the object of a verb of argument/belief : subject + main verb + noun clause. In this case, there is rarely a pause after the main verb:

The man wants to drop the class [pause] because he thinks that it's too hard.(no pause after thinks)

Second exception : when an adjective clause identifies a specific noun or idea. In this case there is no pause between the noun and the identifying adjective clauses:

I think the student should take a class that interests her.(no pause after class)

Strategy 13 : Link and glide smoothly between pauses

Linking and gliding are two main ways of grouping English words smoothly. Try the following examples (stress marked  ') : 

He 'needs a 'book on the 'Civil War. = He 'needs-a 'book-on-the 'Civil 'War. (no pauses between needs and a and between book and the)

The 'woman is a 'dancer. = The 'woman-is-a 'dancer. (no pauses between woman and dancer)

If you end a word with a round, circular shape to your mouth, then the w glide is easier, but if you end a word with your mouth stretched to the sides, like a smile, then the y is easier. Look at the following:

'Information is e'ssential to in'vestors. = 'Information-is-e'ssential to-w-in'vestors.

'Time should be im'portant as 'well = 'Time should be-y-im'portant-as 'well.

With practice, they should feel natural and shouldn't be forced or exaggerated.