TOEFL Speaking Interview Practice

You have agreed to take part in a research study about smartphones. You will have a short online interview with a researcher. The researcher will ask you some questions.

1. Thank you for speaking with me today. Think back to the last time you used your phone for something important outside of a normal call or message. What were you trying to do, and why did you use your phone then?

   Sample answer and review

   The last time it really mattered was last week when my bus route was cancelled. I opened the transit app on my phone to see whether another bus could still get me to campus. I found an alternative route and arrived only ten minutes late, which was much better than waiting at the stop with no information. Without my phone, I probably would have missed the class entirely.

   Main answer

   Names a recent bus cancellation.

   Reason or example

   Explains using a transit app to find another route.

   Extra detail

   Gives the result and explains what might have happened without the phone.

2. Some people feel smartphones keep them connected, while others feel constantly distracted. In your daily life, how do you usually react to your phone when you are studying, working, or relaxing?

   Sample answer and review

   I try to treat my phone as a tool, not something I check every few minutes. When I study, I put it face down or leave it in another room so I am not tempted to open social apps. During breaks I will reply to messages, but I do not keep notifications on while I am working. That balance helps me stay focused without feeling completely cut off from friends.

   Main answer

   Explains treating the phone as a tool.

   Reason or example

   Describes putting it away during study.

   Extra detail

   Adds break-time habits and explains how this keeps contact with friends.

3. Some people say young adults should learn to live without their phones for at least part of the day. Do you agree with that idea? Why or why not?

   Sample answer and review

   I agree, at least partly, because phones make it too easy to fill every empty moment with scrolling. When I spend an evening without mine, I read more and sleep earlier. That said, phones are also useful for maps, banking, and staying in touch with family, so I do not think going phone-free all day is realistic for most students. Short phone-free blocks during study time are enough for me.

   Main answer

   Partly agrees and gives a reason.

   Reason or example

   Uses a phone-free evening as an example.

   Extra detail

   Acknowledges useful phone tasks and suggests short phone-free blocks.

4. Do you think schools and workplaces should encourage healthier phone habits? What would that look like in practice?

   Sample answer and review

   Yes, I think they should, because constant phone use can hurt attention in class and in meetings. Schools could teach students how to use focus modes and keep phones out of sight during lessons unless a teacher asks for them. Workplaces could set clearer expectations, like phones away during team discussions. The goal is not to ban phones, but to help people use them on purpose instead of by habit.

   Main answer

   Supports healthier habits because attention matters.

   Reason or example

   Suggests focus modes and classroom rules.

   Extra detail

   Adds a workplace example and explains the purpose of the rules.

You have agreed to take part in a research study about reading habits. You will have a short online interview with a researcher. The researcher will ask you some questions.

1. I'd like to start with your own experience. Can you describe a time recently when you chose to read something — a book, an article, or anything else — and explain why you picked it?

   Sample answer and review

   Recently I chose to read a long article about climate policy because it was connected to a course I am taking. A classmate sent me the link after a lecture, and I wanted to understand the examples the professor had mentioned. I read it on my laptop after dinner and took a few notes. It took about forty minutes, but it made the next class discussion much easier to follow.

   Main answer

   Names a recent article and why it was chosen.

   Reason or example

   Explains how a classmate and a lecture led to reading it.

   Extra detail

   Describes taking notes and the benefit in the next class.

2. How does reading fit into your normal week? When and where do you usually read, and what kinds of material do you reach for most often?

   Sample answer and review

   I read a little almost every day, but the format changes. During the week I mostly read short articles and PDFs for my courses, often on my phone during commutes. On weekends I try to read one chapter of a novel before bed because it helps me unwind. I still buy printed books sometimes, but digital reading is faster when I need to search for a term or highlight a sentence.

   Main answer

   Says reading happens daily in different formats.

   Reason or example

   Describes course reading on weekdays.

   Extra detail

   Adds weekend reading and explains when digital tools help.

3. Some people believe printed books help you concentrate better than reading on a screen. Do you agree? Why or why not?

   Sample answer and review

   For long, difficult texts I agree, because a printed page has fewer distractions than a device with notifications. When I read a novel on paper, I stay with the story longer. However, for academic work I often prefer a screen since I can search, copy quotes, and keep everything in one folder. So I do not think one format is always better — it depends what I am reading and why.

   Main answer

   Prefers print for long, difficult texts.

   Reason or example

   Explains fewer distractions and better focus on a novel.

   Extra detail

   Balances that view with the benefits of screens for academic work.

4. Some educators worry that young people read less for pleasure than in the past. Do you think schools should do more to encourage reading outside class? What could they do?

   Sample answer and review

   Yes, I think schools could do more without turning reading into another assignment. Libraries could host quiet reading periods where students choose any book they like, not just course texts. Teachers could also share short recommendations and discuss them informally. If students discover one story they enjoy, they are more likely to keep reading on their own. Pressure and long book lists often have the opposite effect.

   Main answer

   Supports encouragement without extra assignments.

   Reason or example

   Suggests free-choice reading periods.

   Extra detail

   Adds teacher recommendations and explains why choice can work better than pressure.

You have agreed to take part in a research study about social media. You will have a short online interview with a researcher. The researcher will ask you some questions.

1. Think about a recent time when social media played a meaningful role in your life — maybe you learned news, joined a conversation, or shared something. What happened, and why did it stand out to you?

   Sample answer and review

   A few weeks ago I learned about a volunteer clean-up event through a post in a local student group. I would not have heard about it otherwise because the organisers did not put flyers on campus. I signed up through the link in the post and spent Saturday morning helping. It stood out because social media turned a small community project into something I could actually join.

   Main answer

   Names a volunteer event discovered online.

   Reason or example

   Explains why the group post mattered.

   Extra detail

   Describes joining the event and its personal value.

2. People use social media in very different ways. How do you personally use it in a typical week, and how much time would you say you spend on it?

   Sample answer and review

   I check social media mainly in the evening for maybe thirty to forty minutes total. I use one platform to message friends and another to follow news and hobbies. I rarely post original content; I mostly read and reply. When I have a heavy assignment week, I delete the apps from my home screen so I do not open them without thinking. That small step saves me a lot of time.

   Main answer

   Gives a usual time of day and amount of use.

   Reason or example

   Explains the purposes of different platforms.

   Extra detail

   Adds a way to cut use during busy study weeks.

3. Some people say social media does more harm than good for young adults. Do you agree with that view? Why or why not?

   Sample answer and review

   I only partly agree. Social media can harm concentration and make people compare themselves to unrealistic images, which I have felt during exam season. At the same time, it helps me stay in touch with friends who study in other cities and find useful opportunities like internships or events. The platform matters less than how often you use it and whether you follow accounts that stress you out.

   Main answer

   Partly agrees that social media can cause harm.

   Reason or example

   Explains distraction and comparison during exams.

   Extra detail

   Balances this with friendship and opportunities, then identifies habits that matter.

4. Do you think companies or governments should do more to protect users from misleading content online? Why or why not?

   Sample answer and review

   Yes, I think some protection is necessary because false health or political claims can spread faster than most people can fact-check. Companies should label clearly sponsored content and make reporting tools easy to find. Governments need to be careful, though, so rules focus on transparency and safety rather than controlling ordinary opinions. Education is part of the answer too — students should learn how to check sources before they share something.

   Main answer

   Supports protection from misleading content.

   Reason or example

   Suggests labels for sponsored content and accessible reporting tools.

   Extra detail

   Balances government rules with freedom of opinion and adds source-checking education.

You have agreed to take part in a research study about working from home. You will have a short online interview with a researcher. The researcher will ask you some questions.

1. Please think of a specific time when you worked or studied from home instead of going to a campus or office. What was that day like, and why were you at home?

   Sample answer and review

   Last semester I studied from home for a full week while I had a mild illness. I joined my lectures online, worked on essays at my desk, and only went out to buy food. Being at home saved energy, but I missed the routine of walking to campus. By the third day I started scheduling short video calls with a classmate so we could review notes together and stay motivated.

   Main answer

   Describes a recent occasion working or studying at home.

   Reason or example

   Describes remote lectures and essays during an illness.

   Extra detail

   Balances saved energy with missing campus routines, then adds classmate calls.

2. If you have the choice, how do you usually structure a day when you work or study from home? What helps you stay productive?

   Sample answer and review

   I treat it like a normal workday even when I am at home. I get dressed, eat breakfast, and start at the same time each morning. I keep my phone in another room and write a short task list before I open my laptop. Short breaks every hour help me more than working for four hours straight. If I work on the sofa, I get distracted easily, so I always use a desk.

   Main answer

   Treats a home day like a normal workday.

   Reason or example

   Describes a routine, a task list, and keeping the phone away.

   Extra detail

   Explains the value of breaks and a desk.

3. Some people prefer working from home, while others would rather be in an office or on campus every day. Which approach do you prefer for your own life, and why?

   Sample answer and review

   I prefer a mix rather than only home or only campus. Two or three days at home let me save travel time and focus on writing, while the remaining days on campus are better for group projects and asking teachers questions in person. Full-time remote work would feel lonely for me, but never working from home would waste hours on commuting that I could use for study.

   Main answer

   Chooses a mix of home and campus.

   Reason or example

   Explains which tasks suit each place.

   Extra detail

   Compares the isolation of fully remote work with the cost of commuting.

4. Do you think more companies and universities should offer remote options in the future? What are the advantages and possible drawbacks for society?

   Sample answer and review

   I think they should offer remote options when the work can be done online, because it gives students and employees more flexibility and can reduce traffic in big cities. The drawback is that city centres may lose business, and some people feel isolated if they rarely meet colleagues face to face. A fair approach is hybrid schedules plus support for those who need office equipment or quiet space at home.

   Main answer

   Supports remote options when work can be done online.

   Reason or example

   Explains flexibility and reduced traffic.

   Extra detail

   Acknowledges isolation and city-centre effects, then suggests a balanced approach.