Most people chase grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation as the “big three.” They matter, for sure and you can see your scores in these and other dimensions inside My Speaking Score.

But one skill consistently moves scores faster: task control—your ability to execute the right action, in the right order, within the time limit, every single time.

Task control isn’t flashy. It’s not a fancy new word list or a perfect "American" accent.

It’s the habit of structuring responses correctly, delivering exactly what the task asks for, and finishing on time.

When task control goes up, everything else works better.

Why task control beats the “big three”

It aligns with how TOEFL Speaking is actually scored. The tasks reward relevant content, logical organization, and complete delivery under time pressure. If you miss the purpose of the task or run out of time, no amount of vocabulary will save the score.
It improves multiple SpeechRater Dimension scores at once. When you control the task, you naturally tighten coherence and discourse structure, reduce wandering, and stabilize timing—all of which tend to support better dimension scores across the board.
It’s trainable in days, not months. Accent change and vocabulary depth take time. Task execution improves quickly with targeted drills.

If you want faster lifts, make task control your #1 training focus.

What “task control” looks like—by task

Task 1 (Paired Choice): Take a side in 5 seconds. Give 2 lean reasons, each with a quick support detail. Land the takeaway before the timer dies.
Task 2 (Campus Situation): Summarize the reading’s change/policy in one sentence. Then present the opinion-holder’s stance + 2 reasons, tied explicitly back to the change. Finish with a one-line wrap.
Task 3 (Academic—Reading + Listening): State the concept/term from the reading in one line. Then relay the professor’s 2 examples and show how they demonstrate the concept. No opinions.
Task 4 (Academic—Listening only): Name the topic first. Then deliver 2 sub-points/examples the lecturer gives, highlighting the relationship between them and the main idea.

Notice the pattern: one-line anchor + two clean support units + purposeful closing.

The training loop that builds task control

Micro-script your first sentence. Pre-write a universal opener for each task that locks you onto purpose in under 3 seconds.
Speak in “twos.” Two reasons. Two examples. Two sub-points. Train your mind to package ideas in pairs.
Time box your segments. Example for a 45-second window: 5s opener → 18s reason 1 → 18s reason 2 → 4s wrap.
Run five daily reps per task type. Don’t chase perfection; chase consistency. Record, score, move on.
Audit with hard signals. Did you (a) state the task purpose, (b) produce two supports, (c) finish the wrap, (d) stop before the beep?

Do this for a week and watch your stability—and your score—jump.

Factor	What It Predicts	Practical Signal	How to Train	Quick Metric
Task Control (Top Driver)	Complete, relevant, organized responses under time pressure	1-line anchor + 2 supports + 1-line wrap, finished before beep	Daily 5-rep sets per task; segment timing (5s/18s/18s/4s)	≥ 4/5 reps meet all four signals
Organization & Coherence	Logical flow and listener comprehension	Clear transitions: “First… Second… In short…”	Template your transitions; read them aloud 20x	0–1 backtracks per response
Timing Discipline	Full delivery without cutoff or rambling	Finish with 1–3s buffer consistently	Metronome practice; hard stop at 42s/57s	≥ 80% responses end with buffer
Content Targeting	Relevance to the exact task (esp. Tasks 2–4)	Each support ties back to the prompt material	Underline source triggers; verbal “tie-backs”	2+ explicit tie-backs per response
Fluency Control	Stable pace, minimal stalls, usable rhythm	~140–160 WPM with steady clause breaks	Karaoke-style shadowing; 60s readbacks	≤ 2 long pauses (>400ms)
Vocabulary in Service of Clarity	Precision without overloading	Simple words + 1–2 precise terms	Replace complex synonyms with clear ones	≤ 2 rescues (“I mean…”)
Pronunciation Intelligibility	Listener understanding at first pass	Clean word boundaries; stress on content words	Minimal pairs; stress-timing drills	≤ 1 misheard segment per response

A tight template you can use today

Openers (choose one per task):

Task 1: “I prefer X because it’s more practical and easier to sustain.”
Task 2: “The university plans to [change]. The student [agrees/disagrees] because [reason 1] and [reason 2].”
Task 3: “The passage defines [concept] as [short definition]. The professor illustrates this with two examples.”
Task 4: “The lecture explains [topic]. It focuses on two parts that show [relationship].”

Transitions (plug-and-play):
“First,… For example,… This shows…” → “Second,… For instance,… As a result…” → “In short,…”

Closing line (universal):
“In short, [restate task purpose in one clause].”

Program this structure. Then push reps. For more see my free Substack course.

How to track progress (without overthinking it)

Daily: 20 minutes, 2 tasks, 5 reps each.
Score only what matters: Did you anchor, deliver two supports, tie back to the source (Tasks 2–4), and finish on time?
Accept imperfect English if the delivery is complete. You can polish language later. First win the task.

Common failure patterns (and quick fixes)

Running out of time: Your supports are too big. Shrink examples to 1–2 sentences. Land the wrap at 40–42 seconds.
Wandering content: You’re missing the one-line anchor. Write it. Memorize it. Say it first—always.
Script-sound without control: If you sound rehearsed but still miss the wrap, you’re practicing the wrong thing. Switch to segmented timing drills.
Over-focusing on “fancy” words you don't use regularly: Replace them with clear words that you can say quickly. Precision beats decoration.

FAQ

Q1: Are you saying grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation don’t matter?
They matter. But they’re multipliers, not the base. If task control is zero (incomplete, off-target, or late), multipliers don’t help. Build task control first; then grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation raise the ceiling.

Q2: What’s a good speaking rate for TOEFL Speaking?
Aim for ~140–160 WPM with stable pauses and clear stress. Faster isn’t better if you lose structure or cut off your wrap. Train pace with a metronome and 60-second readbacks.

Q3: I keep forgetting the source details in Tasks 2–4. How do I fix that?
Use trigger words from the material and tie back explicitly: “This change matters because…,” “The student disagrees about the cost,” “This example demonstrates the concept because…”. Two explicit tie-backs per response is a strong signal.

Q4: My accent is strong. Can I still score high?
Yes—if intelligibility and task completeness are solid. Focus on clean word boundaries, consistent stress on content words, and a steady rhythm. Task control lets the rater follow you, which is half the battle.

Q5: Should I remove all filler words?
No. Natural, light fillers happen. Chasing zero fillers can make speech robotic and hurt coherence. Prioritize clarity, linkage, and timing over a sterile sound.

Q6: How do I know if a response is “complete”?
Check four signals: (1) clear one-line anchor, (2) two supports, (3) explicit tie-backs to prompt/reading/listening (for Tasks 2–4), (4) wrap before the beep. Hit 4/4 consistently and your score stability will improve.

Q7: What does a good week of practice look like?
Five sessions (Mon–Fri), 20 minutes each, alternating task types. Keep a simple tally: reps completed, % on-time wraps, average tie-backs per response. Trend up week over week.

Final takeaway

If you want a fast, reliable score lift, don’t start with vocabulary lists or pronunciation drills. Start with task control: anchor first, speak in twos, finish with a wrap—on time. Build that habit, then plug in better language on top.

The One Skill That Beats Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation on TOEFL Speaking