A strong routine inside a rough answer
This TOEFL Speaking response opens with “Oh, fuck yeah” and scores 4.0 out of five on My Speaking Score.
The language attracts attention immediately. But the response also contains something useful: a clear preference supported by a concrete weekly routine.
The speaker explains when they make a shopping list, what they do next, and how they prepare food for the following week. The listener can picture the process.
The next improvements concern precise wording, a more useful ending, and smoother delivery.
The question from the new Budapest test
“To start, I'd like you to think about your eating routine during a typical week. Do you usually plan your meals ahead of time, or decide each day? Why?”
| Measure | Displayed result |
|---|---|
| My Speaking Score | 4.0/5 |
| Speaking pace | 131 words per minute |
| Word count | 98 |
| Coverage | Complete |
The full original response
“Oh, fuck yeah. Hell yeah. I plan them shits from end to end. Better believe that. You know what I'm talking about? What I do is, is I get my shopping list together on a Monday, and I take that shit down at the grocery store, right? And I put some of that shits in the cart, pay for that, bring it home, pre-prepare that stuff, jam it in the freezer, so I'm all organized for the following week. That's how I like to do it. That's how I, that's how I, that's how I do it.”
Why the answer has substance
The preference is immediate: the speaker plans meals ahead of time.
The supporting explanation then follows a recognizable sequence. The speaker makes a list on Monday, shops, brings the food home, prepares it, and freezes it.
Those details give the answer substance. The listener understands what meal planning looks like for this speaker.
| Detail in the answer | What it contributes |
|---|---|
| A shopping list on Monday | A specific starting point for the routine. |
| Shopping, paying, and bringing groceries home | A clear sequence of actions. |
| Preparing and freezing food | A practical explanation of how the speaker gets ready for the week. |
| Being organized for the following week | A relevant reason for planning ahead. |
The reason is present, which supports the Complete coverage result. It could still be explained more directly: what becomes easier when the meals are ready?
Precise words would make the routine clearer
Expressions such as “them shits,” “that shit,” and “that stuff” rely heavily on context. The listener can often infer what the speaker means, but more precise nouns would communicate the actions more cleanly.
For example, the speaker takes a shopping list to the store, puts groceries in the cart, and prepares meals at home. Naming those things removes unnecessary guesswork.
| Original wording | Clearer wording |
|---|---|
| “I plan them shits from end to end.” | “I plan my meals from start to finish.” |
| “I take that shit down at the grocery store.” | “I take my list to the grocery store.” |
| “I put some of that shits in the cart.” | “I put the groceries in the cart.” |
| “Pre-prepare that stuff.” | “Prepare the meals.” |
The speaker can retain an energetic, conversational voice while using wording that fits a test response more comfortably.
This example does not establish an automatic score deduction for each swear word. The displayed result and feedback do not isolate the contribution of any single expression.
The ending uses time without adding a reason
The response closes with:
“That's how I like to do it. That's how I, that's how I, that's how I do it.”
By this point, the listener already understands the routine. Repeating the conclusion adds little information.
A more useful ending would explain what the preparation accomplishes:
“Having meals ready means I don't have to decide what to cook after work, so my evenings are easier.”
This is an illustrative revision. It shows how to connect the preparation process to a daily benefit.
For a question that asks “why,” the ending is a useful place to make that connection explicit.
The full MSS Improved Version
“Definitely. Absolutely. I plan my meals from end to end because I believe in being prepared. What I do is get my shopping list together on a Monday, and I take that list down to the grocery store. I put the groceries in the cart, pay for them, and bring everything home. Then, I pre-prepare that stuff and jam it in the freezer so I'm all organized for the following week. That's how I like to do it. By having everything ready in the freezer, I don't have to worry about what to eat each day, which makes my routine much better and more efficient.”
MSS preserves the speaker’s meal-planning preference and weekly sequence. It replaces several vague expressions, removes the repeated “is,” and replaces the closing repetitions with an explanation of the benefit.
The most useful development is the connection between having food ready and avoiding daily decisions about what to eat.
The rewrite retains some casual wording, including “that stuff” and “jam it in the freezer.” A speaker could make those phrases more precise by saying “prepare the meals and freeze them for the week.”
What the detailed feedback adds
The Fluency feedback reports ten pauses, including a 1.4-second stop after “about?” It describes quick bursts of speech interrupted by those pauses.
This helps explain why an average pace of 131 words per minute does not, by itself, establish smooth delivery. The speaker can produce words at an active rate while still interrupting the flow.
The Organization feedback identifies the clear chronological sequence and recommends replacing the repetitive ending with a concise statement of the benefit.
These findings support two focused practice goals: connect the phrases more comfortably and finish with a reason that adds information.
The Intelligibility feedback describes the words as clearly enunciated and easy to identify. That is a strength to preserve.
A focused practice task
- Keep the original preference and weekly routine.
- Use precise nouns such as “shopping list,” “groceries,” and “meals.”
- Replace the repeated ending with one practical benefit.
- Record the answer and listen for pauses that interrupt complete phrases.
Inside My Speaking Score, use Follow Along in Improved Version with speed control. Practice the sequence at a comfortable pace, then record your own answer without reading.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this response have complete coverage?
The speaker states a preference for planning meals and explains a preparation routine that helps them stay organized for the week.
Does the 4.0/5 score mean swearing is a good strategy?
No. The result shows that this response has strengths alongside wording and delivery problems. It does not establish that profanity helps the score.
Does conversational English need to sound formal?
A conversational answer can use familiar vocabulary and natural phrasing. Precise words make it easier to explain what you mean without requiring a formal speech.
Why does fluency need attention at 131 words per minute?
The average pace measures output across the response. The displayed feedback also identifies pauses that interrupt the rhythm within that speech.
What is the most useful content improvement?
Replace the repeated ending with a specific explanation of how prepared meals help during the week.
The main takeaway
The speaker already gives the listener a concrete routine. Preserve those details, name the objects clearly, and use the ending to explain the benefit.
Try the new Budapest test at www.myspeakingscore.com and use your original response, Improved Version, and detailed feedback to guide your practice.