Learn the full 2026 TOEFL Speaking format, scoring system, and task types. Includes Listen and Repeat samples, Interview questions, scoring explanations, and a complete practice test with audio. Prepare with clear guidance and data-powered insights from My Speaking Score.
The TOEFL Speaking test changed completely in 2026.
The old 4-task format is gone. There are no more integrated listening passages, no prep time, and no reliance on memorized templates.
The new test measures one thing: real-time spoken English.
You’ll complete two task types:
Every response is scored by AI.
Every score is determined by how you perform on four constructs:
(Organization now includes Relevancy, which checks whether you actually answer the question.)
The updated TOEFL is clearer and easier to understand. With the right data, you can improve quickly and track your progress with precision.
This guide gives you:
This is the most complete, accurate, and practical resource available for the 2026 TOEFL Speaking test.
The 2026 TOEFL Speaking test has 11 scored items and takes about ten minutes. There are only two task types.
There is no preparation time and no note-taking. Every response is scored by AI on four constructs: Fluency, Intelligibility, Language Use, and Organization (which includes Relevancy).
Your Speaking score is calculated in three layers:
The scoring engine evaluates four constructs behind every response:
My Speaking Score shows these constructs as task-level dimensions so you can see exactly where points were gained or lost.
| Task | Dimensions shown | What they focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Listen and Repeat | Fluency, Intelligibility, Repeat Accuracy | Real-time rhythm and clarity while you reproduce the original sentence without dropping key content words. |
| Interview | Fluency, Intelligibility, Language Use, Organization | Spontaneous speech: timing, clarity, grammar, vocabulary, and how clearly you answer the question with a beginning, middle, and end. |
Listen and Repeat is the first task in TOEFL Speaking 2026. You hear one sentence, then repeat it once. You have 8–12 seconds to speak. To practice with dynamic maps and scoring, login to My Speaking Score.
The goal is to reproduce the sentence accurately with controlled speech. You are not rewarded for speaking as fast as possible. You are rewarded for precision, clarity, and stable rhythm.
Repeat Accuracy is the strongest signal for your item score. Fluency and Intelligibility support it by showing that you can repeat the sentence clearly and in real time.
Try the 7-item practice set below. Click “Play” to hear each sentence, then repeat it exactly once.
| Item | Prompt | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Welcome to the international airport. | Play |
| Q2 | Baggage claim is straight ahead. | Play |
| Q3 | You will find restrooms near every main gate. | Play |
| Q4 | Please have your boarding passes and identification ready for security. | Play |
| Q5 | Carry-on liquids must be placed in clear plastic bags. | Play |
| Q6 | Do not leave your luggage unattended at any time. | Play |
| Q7 | If your flight is delayed, you may receive updates through the airline's mobile app. | Play |
The Interview is the second task in TOEFL Speaking 2026. You answer four questions in a simulated online conversation. Each response is 45 seconds long.
Typical questions focus on:
There is no preparation time and no note-taking. You hear the question once, then speak. The Interview is scored using all four constructs: Fluency, Intelligibility, Language Use, and Organization (with Relevancy).
A simple structure keeps your answers clear and complete under time pressure:
This pattern makes it easy for the scoring engine to detect strong Organization and Relevancy without needing complicated templates.
Below is a complete 4-question Interview set. Click “Play” to watch the Interviewer ask each question, then record your own 45-second response. The sample responses show what a strong answer can look like. To practice with automatic scoring and timing, sign in to My Speaking Score.
| Item | Question | Sample high-scoring response | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q8 | Thank you for joining the study. Today, I'd like to ask you some questions about your commuting habits. First, is it important to live close to your school or work? Why? | I think it is important to live close to your school or work because it saves both time and energy. For example, when people spend less time commuting, they can use those extra hours for studying, exercising, or spending time with family. In addition, living nearby often reduces stress, since you don’t need to worry about traffic delays or crowded buses. Of course, sometimes housing near schools or workplaces can be more expensive, but I believe the benefits of convenience and productivity usually outweigh the higher cost. Overall, a short commute makes daily life much easier and healthier. | Play |
| Q9 | Imagine that you could choose to commute by car, which is faster but more expensive, or by public transportation, which is slower but less expensive. Which would you choose, and why? | If I had to choose between commuting by car or public transportation, I would prefer public transportation. Even though it’s slower, it is less expensive, and I can use the extra time productively. For instance, while sitting on a bus or train, I can read, listen to music, or even review study materials. Driving, on the other hand, requires full attention, and paying for fuel, insurance, and parking can be stressful. In addition, public transportation is better for the environment, since it reduces air pollution and traffic congestion. For these reasons, I think public transit is the better option. | Play |
| Q10 | Some people believe that commuting can be stressful and tiring. What are one or two different ways to make commuting more enjoyable? Give reasons for your answer. | There are several ways to make commuting more enjoyable. One simple method is listening to podcasts or music. This makes the ride feel shorter and allows people to learn something or relax while traveling. Another way is to use the commute as exercise time. For example, walking or biking part of the journey adds physical activity to your routine and can improve overall health. Personally, I sometimes read books or practice languages while waiting for buses or trains. These activities turn wasted time into meaningful experiences, making the commute feel like a positive part of the day. | Play |
| Q11 | 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. | If commuting declined severely because of technology, there would be both positive and negative effects on businesses. A clear positive effect is cost savings: companies could reduce office space, utility bills, and maintenance, since more employees would work from home. This flexibility might also increase employee satisfaction and productivity. However, there could also be negative consequences for local economies. For example, restaurants, coffee shops, and small stores near office buildings might lose a large portion of their customers, which could hurt their survival. In short, fewer commutes would lower company costs but also damage nearby service industries. | Play |
When you complete a full test on My Speaking Score, you see task-level details for every item. These dimensions mirror how the 2026 scoring engine evaluates your speech.
This example shows how Fluency, Intelligibility, and Repeat Accuracy appear for each Listen and Repeat question. Colors highlight strong, medium, and weak dimensions.
| Date | Test | Task | Prompt | Item score | WPM | Fluency | Intelligibility | Repeat Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/01/05 | Chicago | L&R | Q1 | 5 | 154 | 82% | 72% | 88% |
| 2026/01/05 | Chicago | L&R | Q2 | 4 | 149 | 86% | 68% | 76% |
| 2026/01/05 | Chicago | L&R | Q7 | 3 | 142 | 91% | 45% | 53% |
For the Interview, My Speaking Score displays Fluency, Intelligibility, Language Use, and Organization (with Relevancy) for each question.
| Date | Test | Task | Prompt | Item score | WPM | Fluency | Intelligibility | Language Use | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/01/05 | Chicago | INT | Q8 | 5 | 154 | 82% | 72% | 75% | 77% |
| 2026/01/05 | Chicago | INT | Q10 | 4 | 112 | 75% | 78% | 94% | 33% |
In practice, you use these numbers as a dashboard:
The fastest way to improve on the 2026 TOEFL Speaking test is to train the same variables the scoring engine measures. Short, focused work beats long, unfocused practice.
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Listen and Repeat: pronunciation + Fluency | Control rhythm and sound while repeating sentences accurately. |
| 6–10 | Interview: Language Use + Organization | Use clean grammar and clear structure in 45-second answers. |
| 11–15 | Full test rhythm | Integrate both tasks in one sitting and stabilize KPIs. |
The old test used four tasks, including integrated reading and listening, and gave you prep time and notes. The 2026 version has only two tasks: Listen and Repeat and the Interview. There is no prep time or note-taking. All scoring is driven by AI constructs: Fluency, Intelligibility, Language Use, and Organization.
Listen and Repeat does not require you to build your own ideas, so it focuses on Fluency, Intelligibility, and Repeat Accuracy. The Interview requires full responses, so it also measures Language Use and Organization, including Relevancy to the question.
Strong grammar alone will not save the score. If your answer does not address the question directly, the Relevancy part of Organization will pull the score down. Clear, on-topic content is required for high bands.
Occasional fillers are fine. Fluency drops when fillers appear so often that they break the rhythm or replace real content. Short, silent pauses are usually safer than constant “um” and “you know.”
Having an accent does not lower your score by itself. Intelligibility focuses on clarity and consistency. If your accent makes many words hard to recognize, the score can drop; if listeners can understand you easily, the score can be high even with a clear non-native accent.
When your task scores and dimensions on My Speaking Score stay stable across several practice tests, and your KPIs (speaking rate, Repeat Accuracy, and construct scores) sit in your target band, you are close to your real test performance. Large swings from test to test mean your control is not stable yet.
A simple structure like Idea → Reason → Tie-in is useful. Long, memorized answers are not. The scoring engine checks Relevancy, so generic or copied content that does not clearly answer the question will not receive high scores.