TOEFL Speaking Answers Example

Here are 17 sample TOEFL speaking answers about a person, an object or activity, an event, or a place. Each follows one reliable pattern: state your answer directly, then support it with two or three specific reasons or details. Read an example, then build your own answer on the same topic with the same structure.

Talking About a Person

A helpful teacher

Frank is the most helpful teacher I've had, and I have two main reasons for that.

To begin with, he's genuinely concerned about every student in his class. For example, he would meet with me and other students after class to make sure we understood the lesson.

Also, he's a great help to ambitious students who want to study abroad. For instance, he helped students who wanted to attend foreign universities fill out their applications and edit their personal statements, often staying very late to do it.

A person I admire

I respect and admire my mother more than anyone else in this world.

First and foremost, she has always treated me with extraordinary patience and an open mind. When I was little and difficult, it took her a lot of effort to teach me right from wrong, and when I got stubborn, she was always patient enough to bring me back on track.

In addition, she was always supportive when I raised a reasonable request, since she trusted me to make my own decisions — like how to spend my pocket money or which study group to join.

What makes a good friend

As far as I'm concerned, what makes a good friend is someone who is honest and has a good sense of humor.

For one thing, I look for someone who's honest with me no matter what. He shouldn't talk about me behind my back; he should tell me my shortcomings to my face, not just flatter me.

Besides that, I'd rather spend time with someone who can make me laugh and is fun to be around — someone who can lift my spirits whenever I'm feeling down. That's why I always feel calm and supported when I'm with a friend like that.

Talking About an Object, Activity, or Goal

A favorite book

As a big fan of fantasy stories, I especially enjoy J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, because it's challenging, relaxing, and, most importantly, the story itself is terrific.

For one thing, I feel the plots are carefully constructed. I also think the author has a real gift for making complicated stories easy to follow.

Even though some of the conversations run a bit long, I'll still admit the series is well worth a "two thumbs up."

A skill I'd like to learn

Of all the things I could learn, I'd most like to play guitar, since there are so many benefits to learning a musical instrument.

For one thing, it would be a genuinely impressive skill — I could bring my guitar to parties and show off what I've learned, which would be exciting.

To be more specific, I could join a band and play with other musicians. We might even make some pocket money that way, and I'd meet plenty of people who share my taste in music.

A popular activity

Ping pong is a very popular sport in China.

To play it, all you need is a table, a pair of paddles, and a ball. But it takes real skill and strategy — with a ball moving that fast, and sometimes spinning, players have to judge and react very quickly. Most people here play it in their free time as a way to relax and get some exercise.

China also has many professional ping pong players. They've won a lot of honor for the country, and they've built a kind of "ping pong spirit" — never giving up, and always innovating.

A useful object

As far as I'm concerned, the most essential thing in my daily life is my cell phone, because it has changed my life in two main ways.

To begin with, it keeps me connected to the people around me. I can easily stay in touch with friends, family, and classmates — and in an emergency, it could even save my life, since I could just call for help.

More importantly, it's also great entertainment. Whenever I'm bored, it doubles as a music player — my favorite songs and video clips are always right there to cheer me up.

A memorable opportunity

The most memorable opportunity I've had was drafting a report for a government agency on the distribution of health food in Beijing two years ago.

For one thing, it was the most valuable chance I've had to learn practical skills — to get first-hand data, I had to visit hundreds of drugstores across the city.

I also learned that dealing with people on the job can be difficult. Several store staff were suspicious of my intentions, and I had to make repeat visits just to convince their supervisors to cooperate with the research.

A goal in life

My goal in life is to become a respected teacher.

For one thing, my mother was a math teacher, and I remember watching her grade homework until two in the morning, which made me believe teaching is one of the noblest jobs there is. Since I started college, I've taken several courses in teaching methodology and attended a series of seminars on teaching quality.

I also feel that I am, or will soon be, qualified to teach well, since I spent nearly two years working part-time as an English teacher at a high school to sharpen my teaching and communication skills.

Talking About an Event or Experience

A memorable celebration

My 20th birthday — my first surprise party, thrown by my friends — is the event that surprised me most, for two reasons.

First, it showed me what true friendship means: some of my old friends traveled 20 hours by air from South Africa just to celebrate my birthday, showing up dramatically with a cake.

The other reason it stood out was that they took photos of the whole occasion and, unforgettably, sang a birthday song for me in the Western tradition — something I never expected.

A national tradition

In China, we celebrate the lunar new year with the Spring Festival, which is the biggest event of the year for every family and for the whole country.

On New Year's Eve, there's usually a big family reunion, with relatives from all over China sitting around the same table, eating, toasting, and catching up. At midnight, we set off fireworks and firecrackers to welcome the new year.

Afterward, we visit friends and relatives to share our best wishes. Elders put money into red envelopes and hand them to the children, symbolizing another peaceful year of growing up.

An important decision

As far as I'm concerned, the most important decision I've ever made was choosing mathematical finance as my major.

It's a relatively new field in China, and many people here don't even know what it involves — honestly, I didn't know much about it myself when I chose it. I picked it mainly because I found math interesting and wanted to do something related to economics.

After four years of study, though, I've come to love it. I've since decided to go to the United States for further study, and I believe I can make a real contribution in this field.

A local system that works well

In my opinion, the most efficient way to get around in my country, China, is by bus.

Almost every city has a well-developed bus system, where each route covers many streets and each street is served by several different routes. That makes it easy to get anywhere by bus, usually with no more than one transfer.

Buses also have other advantages over other kinds of transportation. They can use certain streets that are off-limits to taxis and other traffic, and you never have to worry about finding parking — which is probably the most frustrating problem for people who drive their own cars.

An unexpected kindness

Last year, while I was shopping downtown, my purse was stolen. I lost all my money and my cell phone, and since I didn't know anyone nearby, I had no idea what to do for a while.

Fortunately, I spotted a police officer across the street and asked if I could borrow his phone, hoping he could help me reach someone I knew. What he offered was even better — he called a patrol car to drive me home. It might not have been a big deal to him, but I was, and still am, very grateful for that help.

Talking About a Place

A place I'd like to visit

I've been longing to visit Hawaii ever since I first saw it on TV.

For one thing, Hawaii has a real charm — I picture gorgeous scenes of people lying on golden beaches enjoying the sun, and children happily playing in the sand and surf, which reminds me of my own childhood.

I've also heard that people in Hawaii are especially warm and hospitable, welcoming visitors with garlands. I hope I get the chance to visit one day.

A favorite type of place

Given the chance to try a new restaurant, there's nothing I enjoy more than one with a good atmosphere and soft music playing.

For one thing, I enjoy good food and coffee — simple egg dishes, grilled trout, baked flounder, that kind of thing.

More importantly, having magazines and small chess sets on hand is relaxing too. Sometimes I invite close friends along, and we sit comfortably and catch up on the latest news over a cozy chat.

My ideal home

My ideal place to live is a modern apartment with large rooms, and I have two reasons for that.

First, I always feel relaxed and at ease inside, since the high ceilings and a few pieces of stylish furniture make it feel open and uncluttered.

Besides that, I love the big picture windows I can throw open in summer, which fill the whole place with light and air. A room like that really lifts my spirits whenever I'm feeling down.

Related Practice

For more sample answers built on this kind of topic, see 25 TOEFL speaking practice topics with sample answers and 14 Sample Answers for TOEFL Speaking.