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Perfect Phrases for the TOEFL Speaking and Writing Sections

SpeakingUpdated 1 min read

Strong TOEFL speaking and writing answers aren't just about having good ideas — they need to sound organized. The phrases below give your response a clear shape, so a listener or reader can follow your point without effort. Watch the video lesson below, then use the phrase categories underneath it to build your own answers.

Phrases for stating an opinion

Open your answer with a phrase that signals your position right away:

  • In my opinion, …
  • I strongly believe that …
  • From my perspective, …
  • As far as I'm concerned, …

Phrases for giving reasons

Once you've stated your view, connect your reasons clearly:

  • The main reason for this is …
  • This is mainly because …
  • One reason is … ; another is …
  • This can be explained by the fact that …

Phrases for sequencing ideas

Sequencing words help a listener or reader track how many points you're making, which matters a lot in a timed response:

  • To begin with, … / First of all, …
  • In addition, … / What's more, …
  • Finally, … / Last but not least, …

Phrases for giving examples

  • For example, … / For instance, …
  • A good example of this is …
  • Take … as an example.

Phrases for contrasting ideas

  • On the other hand, …
  • However, … / In contrast, …
  • Although … , …

Phrases for concluding

  • Overall, … / To sum up, …
  • Taking everything into account, …
  • For these reasons, …

How to practice with these phrases

Don't just memorize the list — plug the phrases into full answers. Take a topic from 25 TOEFL speaking practice topics with sample answers, speak or write a full response, and consciously use two or three phrases from different categories above. Recording yourself and listening back is the fastest way to hear whether the transitions actually sound natural rather than mechanical.

For more structured language you can reuse across both sections, see the TOEFL speaking answer template and this list of TOEFL writing phrases. If you want complete sentences rather than openers, 150 smart English sentences groups them by the same functions.

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