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The English language is not a perfect science; in fact it’s messy, confusing and complicated as any native English speaker will tell you.  The markers of these exams don’t expect beautifully spoken Queen’s English. Everyone is human, and therefore it is inevitable we will make some mistakes along the way. All they want is for you to be confident, clear in your arguments and most importantly, natural.

Here are a few fail safe tips to achieve success in your TOEFL speaking exam.

• Stay calm and breathe! I know that any examination is going to present a certain amount of stress.  You are given preparation time for a reason, so use it as best you can. I am not advising you to scribble down as many as ten arguments for every question asked. It is actually better to spend your time choosing two or three solid answers. In addition try to acquire examples to further your argument. Make life easy for yourself and start by saying whether you agree or disagree with the statement mentioned. Then you can begin your argument by saying ‘firstly’. This should help keep your answer sounding clear and organized.

•  I know it can be incredibly difficult in a situation where you get tongue tied. The important point is to avoid falling back on bad speaking habits. The most common being ‘ummmm’ and ‘uhhhh’, which in fact almost all of us use from time to time.  If you are struggling with what to say, it’s miles better to stop and think. Take a small pause or simply say ‘well’, this will give you a moment to think before you continue and certainly sound’s far better than ‘ummming’ and ‘uhhhing’ for 5 seconds.           

•  Just remember that the exam marker is in fact a real person. All they are asking is that you can speak well. Trying to dazzle them with an onslaught of exotic vocabulary and synonyms  is bound to work against you. Stick to common phrases and the expressions you feel comfortable using. There is no point saying something, that you are not 100% sure fits. However keep in mind that you need to use a couple different tenses, some synonyms and vocabulary while talking. Just don’t get overly carried away.

•   Finally, try and enjoy yourself, let go and let your speaking flow naturally.

If you have any further queries about the TOEFL speaking exam, go through the ICON+ website, or  you can contact us directly.  If you feel you are struggling with any aspects of the TOEFL exams, ICON+ is here to help you. We run TOEFL preparation classes, more focused preparation as well as personal training. ICON+ want to help you get the best marks possible.