TOEFL Speaking in 2026: How to Prepare for Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview
In January 2026, ETS rebuilt the TOEFL iBT Speaking section. The four old tasks, which asked you to give an opinion or summarise reading and listening material, are gone. In their place are two new tasks, Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview. Together they contain 11 responses and take about eight minutes.
The change is more than a shorter test. The skills are different. You no longer plan and summarise. You respond quickly and clearly with no preparation time, so your practice needs to change too.
What the Speaking section looks like now
Task | What you do | Main skill tested |
Listen and Repeat | Hear 7 sentences, one at a time, and repeat each one exactly. The sentences get longer as you go. | Pronunciation, accuracy and short term memory |
Take an Interview | Answer 4 questions on one topic from an on screen interviewer, with 45 seconds for each answer and no preparation time. | Fluency, organisation and relevant detail |
Your answers are recorded as you speak, so the most useful habit to build is to keep going after a small mistake instead of stopping to start again.
Listen and Repeat: how to prepare
You hear a sentence about campus or everyday life and repeat it exactly. The first sentences are short, and the last ones are long and more complex. The task rewards clear pronunciation, accurate wording and a good memory for what you have just heard.
Listen for chunks, not single words
Trying to remember every word one by one is the fastest way to lose the sentence. Listen for meaning groups instead. For example:
If you need extra help / with your assignment / the writing centre offers / free appointments / on weekday afternoons.
Five short chunks are much easier to hold in your head than seventeen separate words, and repeating them in the same rhythm helps you sound natural.
What to focus on
Small words: articles, auxiliary verbs and prepositions are the words learners most often drop. Repeat them even though they are quiet.
Word endings: past tense endings and plural endings carry meaning, so do not skip them.
Stress and rhythm: copy the speaker's pattern, with the important words louder and the small words lighter.
Keeping going: if you miss a word, continue to the end of the sentence and move on.
Practice sentences
Use sentences of increasing length, as the test does. Here are three levels to try:
Short: The library closes at nine tonight.
Medium: Could you tell me where the registration office is located?
Long: If you need extra help with your assignment, the writing centre offers free appointments on weekday afternoons.
Play a sentence once, repeat it aloud, record yourself, then compare your version with the original. Look for missing words, changed word endings and different stress.
Take an Interview: how to prepare
An interviewer on screen asks you four questions on one topic. There is no preparation time, and you have 45 seconds to answer each question. The questions tend to become more demanding as you go, so the last one may ask you to explain or justify a view instead of describing something familiar.
At a natural pace, 45 seconds is roughly 90 to 110 words. That is enough for a clear answer with one good example, but not enough to wander.
A simple structure for every answer
Answer directly. Use the words of the question in your first sentence so you start speaking straight away.
Give one clear reason. One well explained reason is better than three rushed ones.
Add a specific example. A short personal example makes your answer sound natural and gives you something concrete to say.
Close briefly. If time remains, finish with a short sentence that returns to your main point.
Sample question and answer
Question: How do you usually prepare for an important exam?
Sample answer: I start planning about two weeks before the exam. First, I list every topic I need to cover and give each one a day in my schedule, so I never feel overwhelmed. Then I study in short sessions, and after each one I test myself without looking at my notes. For example, before my last chemistry exam, I wrote practice questions for each chapter and answered them the next morning. That helped me find my weak areas early. In the final few days, I only review those areas and make sure I sleep well.
This answer is about 100 words. It gives a direct answer, a reason, an example and a closing sentence, and it stays on the question that was asked.
What goes wrong most often
Waiting too long to begin. Start within a second or two, even if your first sentence is simple.
Staying general. "Exercise is good for people" says little. A specific example says much more.
Repeating the question instead of answering it.
Running out of ideas halfway through. Keep a few flexible examples about study, work, technology, travel and community that you can adapt to different questions.
Memorising template answers. They can sound unnatural and may not fit the question you are actually asked.
A 15 minute daily practice routine
Five minutes of Listen and Repeat. Choose seven sentences from short to long, play each one once, repeat it and record yourself.
Eight minutes of interview practice. Pick one topic, answer four questions with a 45 second timer and no notes, and record every answer.
Two minutes of review. Listen to your weakest recording and note one thing to fix, such as a missing article or a long pause.
Use a different set of sentences and topics each day, and repeat the routine for at least two weeks. Short, daily practice with recording and review is more effective than one long session a week.
Common questions
Is there preparation time?
Published descriptions of the new format say there is none for either task, so practise starting to speak immediately. Check ETS's official pages for the latest details.
How long is the Speaking section?
About eight minutes, with 11 responses in total: seven in Listen and Repeat and four in Take an Interview.
Do I need a native accent?
No. The goal is clear, natural speech that a listener can follow easily. Work on stress, rhythm and complete sentences, not on changing your accent.
Can my old TOEFL Speaking practice materials still help?
Materials built around the old integrated speaking tasks no longer match the test. General speaking practice is still useful, but use current materials for the two new tasks.
Prepare with support
Recording yourself is powerful, but it is hard to hear your own habits. If you would like feedback on your pronunciation, structure and timing, you can explore our TOEFL Mastery Training course and book online.
Last updated: September 2026. The TOEFL iBT format and scoring can change, so confirm current details on the official ETS website before you begin your preparation.
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