TOEFL iBT® Speaking · Task 2 of 2

TOEFL iBT® Take an Interview

Take an Interview is the second task in the Speaking section of the TOEFL iBT test (format used since 21 January 2026). A prerecorded interviewer asks you four questions on one topic, in a situation such as applying for a scholarship or taking part in a research study. There is no preparation time, and you have 45 seconds to answer each question.

The first questions ask about facts and your own experience; later ones ask you to give and support an opinion on a broader issue. Each answer is scored from 0 to 5 for how fully it answers the question, your speaking pace, how intelligible you are, and the range and accuracy of your grammar and vocabulary.

Last reviewed against the official sources listed below.

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Take an Interview at a glance

TOEFL iBT Take an Interview, tests taken on or after 21 January 2026
DetailTake an Interview
Items in the test4 questions, all on one interview topic
Where it comesSecond and last task of the Speaking section, after Listen and Repeat (7 sentences). The section has 11 items and takes about 8 minutes.
InterviewerPrerecorded: a simulated conversation, not a live examiner. You speak into a microphone.
Preparation timeNone
Time to answer45 seconds per question
Question orderFacts and personal experience first, then opinions on broader issues
Scored on0–5 per answer: relevant elaboration, conversational pace, intelligibility (including rhythm and intonation), range and accuracy of grammar and vocabulary
ScoringAI scored, according to ETS's 2026 test specifications
  • Topics come from general and academic life; ETS says no specialized background knowledge is required.

Sources: ETS: Updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview (PDF) · ETS: TOEFL iBT Speaking section · ETS: TOEFL iBT 2026 Test Blueprint and Specifications (PDF)

How each answer is scored

ETS scores each interview answer with a public 0–5 scoring guide. The table summarizes it in our words; the full wording is in the ETS scoring guide linked below.

ETS Take an Interview scoring guide, summarized
ScoreWhat a typical response looks like
5Fully successful: on topic and well elaborated; a good conversational pace with natural pauses; easily intelligible, with rhythm and intonation that carry meaning; a range of accurate grammar and vocabulary.
4Generally successful: on topic and elaborated, though it may lack connectors between sentences; good pace with some pausing; occasional words need a little effort to understand; grammar and vocabulary adequate most of the time.
3Partially successful: generally on topic but with limited elaboration; frequent or long pauses and frequent fillers make it choppy; intelligibility sometimes affected; limited grammar and vocabulary restrict precision.
2Mostly unsuccessful: only minimally connected to the question, with little relevant elaboration or mostly the question's own language; often hard to understand; a very limited range.
1Unsuccessful: only vaguely connected to the question; mostly unintelligible; mainly isolated words or phrases.
0No response, no English, entirely unintelligible, unconnected to the question, or only phrases such as "I don't know".
  • In the ETS overview, sample answers that scored 5 contain fillers such as "um" and "uh". ETS's comment: the pauses and fillers are natural and do not interfere with meaning.

How the four answers and the Listen and Repeat sentences become a 1–6 band: TOEFL Speaking score explained

Sources: ETS: TOEFL iBT Speaking scoring guides (PDF) · ETS: Updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview (PDF)

A 45-second structure that works for every question

You have no time to plan, so use the same simple shape every time and spend your thinking on the content.

  1. 1

    Answer in the first sentence

    Give the direct answer straight away: what you did, what you prefer, whether you agree. It shows the interviewer, and the scorer, that the answer is on topic.

  2. 2

    Give a reason

    Add one clear reason, introduced with a connector such as "mainly because" or "the main reason is". Connectors are one of the differences the guide draws between a 5 and a 4.

  3. 3

    Make it concrete

    Support the reason with a specific detail or a short example from your own experience. Relevant elaboration is the first thing the scoring guide looks for.

  4. 4

    For opinion questions, add a second point or a limit

    Later questions ask about broader issues. A second reason, or a brief "that said…" that shows you see the other side, keeps the answer developed.

  5. 5

    Close if time allows

    One short sentence that links back to the question is enough. Stopping a little early is better than repeating yourself.

  6. 6

    Keep a conversational pace

    Speak as you would to a real interviewer. Natural pauses and the odd "um" are fine; long silences and constant fillers are what the guide describes at 3.

Common mistakes

  • Repeating the question back as your answer

    Answers that mostly reuse the interviewer's own words are described at 2. Answer in your own words from the first sentence.

  • A one-line answer

    "Yes, I agree, because it is good" leaves most of the 45 seconds unused and has no elaboration. Add a reason and an example.

  • A memorized introduction for every question

    Generic openings use time without answering. Start with the answer to this question.

  • Changing the topic to something you prepared

    Relevance comes first in the scoring guide. Adapt your ideas to the question you heard.

  • Worrying about every "um"

    ETS's own top-scoring sample answers include fillers. Focus on keeping the answer moving.

  • Practising with the old independent speaking task

    The 2026 task has no preparation time and four short answers; practise answering instantly.

Worked example

An interview we wrote in the style ETS describes, with model answers to two of the questions. Each model answer is about 100 words, a comfortable length for 45 seconds.

Our original example, not a real test item

A research study about students' free time

Scenario

You have agreed to take part in a university research study about how students spend their free time. A researcher will ask you some questions.

The four questions

1. To start, tell me about a typical weekend for you. What do you usually do, and who do you spend it with?

2. Some students like to plan every hour of their free time, while others prefer to keep it open. Which describes you better, and why?

3. Some people say universities should require every student to join at least one club or sports team. Do you agree? Why or why not?

4. Last question. Studies suggest many students now spend more free time online than with friends in person. Should universities try to change this? Why or why not?

Model answer to question 1

"On a typical weekend I try to do one thing for my studies and one thing just for me. On Saturday mornings I usually go to the library with two friends from my course, because we keep each other focused for a few hours. In the afternoon I play basketball at the sports center, which helps me relax after a long week. Sundays are quieter: I call my family, cook something simple, and plan the week ahead. So I'd say I spend most weekends with a small group of close friends, plus a bit of time on my own."

Model answer to question 3

"I don't think it should be required, although I think clubs are really valuable. The main reason is that students have very different situations. Many of my classmates work part-time to pay their rent, so a compulsory club would just add pressure to an already full week. On the other hand, joining the debate club in my first year helped me make friends and speak more confidently, so I'd rather universities made clubs easy to try, for example with free taster sessions. That way students get the benefits without being forced."

Why it works

  • Question 1 is factual and personal, so the answer describes what actually happens, with specific details (library, basketball, calling family) and a closing line that answers "who with".
  • Question 3 asks for an opinion: the answer gives the position in the first sentence, one main reason with an example, acknowledges the other side, and ends with a clear alternative.
  • Both use connectors ("because", "the main reason is", "on the other hand", "so") and none of them repeats the question's wording at length.
  • Use model answers to see how an answer is built, then answer in your own words. Reciting a prepared answer that does not fit the question would not meet the guide's description of relevant elaboration.

Free TOEFL iBT Take an Interview practice videos

New practice questions on YouTube every day: answer out loud before the timer ends, then compare with a model answer. Realistic practice written to the official format, never real test content.

Playlists

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Practise the interview with an AI interviewer

Your first full TOEFL iBT speaking mock is free: one Listen and Repeat set and one four-question interview, about 8 minutes on the real clock, with an estimated 0–5 score and feedback for every answer and an estimated Speaking band. No credit card needed.

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AI estimate for practice. Not an official score.

Take an Interview questions

How many questions are in TOEFL Take an Interview?

Four questions on one topic, with 45 seconds to answer each and no preparation time. The first questions are about facts and your own experience; the later ones ask for your opinion on broader issues.

Is the TOEFL interviewer a real person?

No. Take an Interview is a simulated conversation with a prerecorded interviewer. You hear each question and record your answer into a microphone.

How is Take an Interview scored?

Each answer is scored from 0 to 5 using the ETS scoring guide, which looks at how fully and relevantly you answer the question, your conversational pace, how intelligible you are, and the range and accuracy of your grammar and vocabulary.

Do fillers like "um" lower my TOEFL Speaking score?

Not on their own. Sample answers that scored 5 in the ETS overview include "um" and "uh", and ETS notes they are natural and do not interfere with meaning. The scoring guide describes frequent or long pauses and frequent fillers at level 3.

How long should each answer be?

You can speak for up to 45 seconds. ETS publishes no word count; the scoring guide rewards answers that are on topic and well elaborated, so aim to use most of the time with relevant detail.

Can I use a template for Take an Interview?

A simple structure (answer, reason, example) helps. A memorized script does not: the scoring guide rewards relevant elaboration and describes answers made mostly of the question's own language at the low end of the scale.

Sources

Every timing, count and scoring fact on this page comes from these official pages. Last reviewed . Test owners change their tests: check the official pages before you book.