Scoring Criteria for TOEFL® Speaking (2026)

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Task-by-Task Breakdown

Feature Listen and Repeat Take an Interview
Prep Time None None
Response Time 8–12 seconds per prompt 45 seconds per response
Number of Prompts 7 prompts 4 questions
Skills Tested Pronunciation, accuracy, memory Fluency, elaboration, vocabulary
ETS Scoring Scale 0–5 0–5

Listen and Repeat Scoring Rubric (0–5 scale)

Key features evaluated:

Score Description
5 The response is fully intelligible and is an exact repetition of the prompt.
4 The response captures the meaning expressed in the prompt but is not an exact repetition. Minor changes in words or grammar are present that do not substantially change the meaning.
3 The response is essentially full but does not accurately capture the original meaning. It contains a majority of the content words or ideas, but intelligibility issues or structural changes may make it less clear.
2 The response is missing a significant part of the prompt and/or is highly inaccurate. A large portion of the prompt is missing or distorted, and intelligibility is low.
1 The response captures very little of the prompt or is largely unintelligible. Only a few words may be present, and most of the content is missing or unclear.
0 No response OR the response is entirely unintelligible OR there is no English in the response OR the content is entirely unconnected to the prompt.

Take an Interview Scoring Rubric (0–5 scale)

Key features evaluated:

Score Description
5 The response fully addresses the question and is clear and fluent. It is on topic and well elaborated, with a good speaking pace, natural pauses, clear pronunciation, and accurate grammar and vocabulary.
4 The response addresses the question and is reasonably clear. It is elaborated but may lack effective sentence-level connectors. Minor pronunciation or pacing issues may be present but do not affect meaning.
3 The response addresses the question but with limited elaboration or clarity. Frequent pauses, filler words, or limited vocabulary/grammar may restrict the precision of meaning.
2 The response reflects an attempt to address the question, but it is not supported in a meaningful or intelligible way. Intelligibility is limited, and vocabulary/grammar range is very restricted.
1 The response minimally addresses the question and may demonstrate very limited language control. It is mostly unintelligible or consists of isolated words or phrases.
0 No response OR the response is entirely unintelligible OR there is no English in the response OR the content is entirely unconnected to the prompt.
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