A Chinese speaker whose first language is Mandarin produces 105 words at 140 words per minute. The response receives 2.8 out of 5 on My Speaking Score, with coverage marked Partial.
The clearest problem appears when you compare the answer with the question. The question asks how less commuting would affect businesses. Much of the answer explains why commuting is declining and how commuters could save money. The speaker stays close to the topic but leaves key parts of the task unfinished.
This TOEFL Speaking practice example shows why you need to review the meaning of your answer alongside its pace and word count.
The response at a glance
| Measure | Displayed result | What it tells us |
|---|---|---|
| Response score | 2.8/5 | The score displayed for this individual practice response. |
| Speaking pace | 140 WPM | The response contains substantial speech, but this average cannot establish smooth delivery. |
| Word count | 105 | There is enough material to develop both sides more directly. |
| Coverage | Partial | The business effects and requested examples are not fully developed. |
| Response duration | 45 seconds | The available response window shown in the player. |
The 2.8/5 figure is the displayed practice-response score. It is not an overall TOEFL Speaking section score. This analysis uses the screenshot and transcript. Specific pronunciation judgments require listening to the recording.
What the question actually asks
Good points. Lastly, considering advances in technology, some people believe that commuting might disappear entirely. How do you think a severe decline in commuting might affect businesses in positive ways and negative ways? Please give one example of each.
The answer needs a positive business effect with an example and a negative business effect with an example. Explaining why people commute less can provide context, but it does not fulfill those requirements by itself.
| Required part | What the response provides | What remains missing |
|---|---|---|
| Positive effect on businesses | People save money on transportation and fuel. | A direct explanation of how a business benefits. |
| Positive example | Companies hold online meetings. | A specific benefit, such as a company renting a smaller office. |
| Negative effect on businesses | Some people might lose their jobs. | The business problem that could lead to those job losses. |
| Negative example | No particular business is identified. | A business that loses customers or revenue, such as a café near offices. |
The original response
Yeah. Um yeah, so I believe now commuting would be less and less given that uh many work is now uh done online. For example, we uh many companies are host uh online meeting, so, and they they they re- they don't require their employees to um go to their workplace every day. And yes. And I think the pros is that uh we can people can spend it can save expense from uh commuting taking public transportation and like or like fossil fuels. And all but there are some negative income like some people might lose their job and and yes, so that's why.
Transcript reproduced as displayed, including fillers and restarts. The platform reports 105 words. A manual count can differ depending on how repetitions, fillers, and fragments are counted.
The main gap is the missing business connection
The speaker understands the broad situation: online work can reduce daily commuting. The answer also attempts to cover both a benefit and a drawback. Those are useful starting points.
However, the positive point concerns employees' travel expenses. A business benefit needs its own explanation. For example, if more employees work remotely, a company may need fewer desks and less office space. A smaller office could reduce rent.
The negative point has the same development problem. Job losses could be a consequence of reduced commuting, but the listener needs to know which business loses income and why. A café near office buildings could sell fewer breakfasts because fewer workers pass its doors. Lower sales could then lead to staff cuts.
The practical takeaway: name the business and explain what changes for it. This gives each example a clear connection to the question.
Why 140 WPM does not settle the fluency question
Speaking rate measures how much language appears over time. Fluency also involves how that language flows. A speaker can reach 140 WPM while repeatedly interrupting phrases with fillers and restarts.
The transcript includes “they they they re- they don't require” and “we can people can spend it can save.” These sequences show repeated attempts to formulate the next phrase. The displayed feedback also describes choppy delivery.
For this response, simply increasing speed would leave the content gap unresolved. A more useful next attempt would use the available time for two complete business examples and reduce repeated starts.
Coverage, organization, and language need separate checks
| Area | Evidence in this response | Practice focus |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | The answer does not fully explain both business effects with examples. | Address every requested part explicitly. |
| Organization | A positive-to-negative sequence is present, but the causal links are incomplete. | Connect each effect to its reason and example. |
| Fluency | Repeated starts and fillers interrupt several phrases. | Practice producing complete clauses without restarting. |
| Language Use | “Many work,” “are host,” and “negative income” reduce precision. | Use accurate, familiar phrases for the intended meaning. |
| Intelligibility | The displayed feedback presents this as a relative strength. | Listen to the recording before diagnosing individual sounds or words. |
The speaker's Mandarin background identifies this case. It does not establish the cause of any error. These conclusions come from the individual response.
Language corrections that clarify the ideas
| Original wording | Clearer wording | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| many work is now done online | much work is now done online | “Work” is uncountable in this meaning. |
| many companies are host online meeting | many companies host online meetings | Use a correct verb form and plural noun for a general statement. |
| the pros is that | one benefit is that | The singular subject and verb agree. |
| negative income | negative effects | The speaker appears to mean harmful consequences. “Negative income” suggests a financial loss. |
These corrections improve clarity, but the answer still needs the missing examples. Correct grammar alone cannot supply an unstated business benefit.
A more complete answer
This rewrite starts with the requested effects and makes each example explicit:
A decline in commuting could help some businesses reduce costs. When more employees work from home, companies may need less office space. For example, a software company could rent a smaller office and spend the savings on staff training. However, businesses that depend on commuters could lose customers. A café near an office building might sell fewer coffees and lunches because fewer workers visit the area each day. If sales fall, the owner might have to reduce staff hours or cut jobs. So the effects would depend on the business: office employers could save money, while shops serving commuters could lose income.
This is a practice model, not a predicted score. Its main advantage is the clear connection between each business, the change it experiences, and the example.
The causal links matter. Employees spending less on transport does not automatically reduce company overhead. Remote work can reduce a company's office needs. Fewer people travelling to offices can reduce sales at nearby shops. Each claim needs the right reason.
A focused TOEFL Speaking practice routine
- Identify who the question concerns. Here, the answer must explain effects on businesses.
- Choose one business for each side. A software company can illustrate savings. A café can illustrate lost sales.
- Build each point with a claim, reason, and example. Keep the explanation short enough to develop both sides.
- Record a 45-second answer. Review whether both examples are complete before trying to increase your pace.
- Check the transcript and audio together. The transcript reveals missing content and repeated wording. The audio shows how the answer actually sounds.
How this connects to the ETS rubric
The ETS Take an Interview scoring guide distinguishes responses that address and develop the question clearly from responses with limited elaboration or clarity. It also considers delivery, intelligibility, grammar, and vocabulary.
This case illustrates why those areas need separate attention. A substantial word count does not establish complete task fulfillment, and a reasonable average pace does not establish smooth delivery. The visible evidence supports working on content development and wording, but it cannot reveal the exact contribution of each issue to the displayed 2.8/5.
Rubric reference: ETS Speaking Scoring Guide, Take an Interview, in the supplied “speaking-rubrics 2026.pdf.” Case evidence: the supplied My Speaking Score response screenshot.
Frequently asked questions
Is 140 words per minute enough for a strong TOEFL Speaking response?
That rate can accommodate a developed answer, but it cannot guarantee a strong score. The answer must also address the question, explain its ideas, and remain clear. This response shows how 140 WPM can coexist with incomplete coverage and repeated starts.
Why is coverage marked Partial when the speaker mentions positives and negatives?
The prompt asks for effects on businesses and one example of each. The positive point mainly concerns commuters' savings. The negative point mentions job losses without explaining the affected business or its lost revenue.
Does partial coverage mean the whole answer is off topic?
No. This answer discusses commuting and remote work, so it is relevant to the topic. It leaves specific requirements insufficiently addressed.
Should this learner speak faster?
The clearest priority is to use the existing speaking time more effectively. Develop both business examples and practice complete phrases. Review the next recording before deciding whether pace needs further attention.
Are these problems specific to Mandarin speakers?
This single response does not support that conclusion. The analysis identifies what this learner said and what the question required. It does not generalize to other Mandarin speakers.
Can this 2.8/5 predict an overall TOEFL Speaking score?
This individual practice response is insufficient to establish an overall section score. Use it to identify what to improve in the next attempt.
Practice with evidence from your own responses
Use My Speaking Score to examine your scores, pace, transcript, and feedback. Check whether your answer fulfills the question, then record again with one specific improvement in mind.