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Here's a TOEFL Speaking Practice Question for Task 2 of the TOEFL iBT. Rebecca from PrepScholar TOEFL gives an example of Question 2 and explains how to answer it. Read transcript: Hi, this is Rebecca from PrepScholar. Today we're going to give you an example of Question Two on the TOEFL speaking section and talk about how to answer it. Question 2 gives us two choices or opinions. We then are asked to explain which one we agree with, and why. Today, we're going to take you through one example question. We'll give you an actual question, give you time to answer it, and then talk about what a good answer is. I'll read the question, and then you'll have 15 seconds to think about your response, and then 45 seconds to actually speak your response – just like on the actual TOEFL! Ready? Let's go. Here's the question: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Use details and examples to explain your answer. It is more important to study art and literature than it is to study science. Now you have 15 seconds to think about an answer. Start now. Now you have 45 seconds to give your answer. Start now. How did that go? Pretty well? Not so well? Either way, let's talk about how to answer this question! Our answer will state a position, then two reasons for that position. Let's start by stating our position. What are the two possible positions? They are: Agree: It is more important to study art and literature than it is to study science. Disagree: It is not more important to study art and literature than it is to study science. Either agreeing or disagreeing is fine – just choose one! Let's say we decide to choose the second option. Then we want to begin by stating our position: I disagree: it is not more important to study art and literature than it is to study science. That's all! Now, once we've stated our position, we should introduce our reasons. Why do you agree with that opinion? Since you're defending studying science, think of some important things about science. For example, you could write: • Science is more practical than art and literature • Science is more interesting than art and literature • Art and literature are not especially valuable • . . . Remember that we only need two reasons. So let's just pick the first two items on our list, and add those to our statement of our position: I disagree: it is not more important to study art and literature than it is to study science. In fact, it is more important to study science than to study art and literature. Science is both more practical and more interesting. Now we turn to talking about our reasons. Let's begin with the first reason: Science is more practical than art and literature. Now what we want to do is to expand on that reason: Studying science is far more practical than studying art and literature. If you study science, you can learn how to design calculators, airplanes, and other useful devices. But if you study art and literature you only learn how to paint or write a poem, which isn't practical at all. That's great! Now we can do the exact same thing for our second reason. We expand on that reason, in the same way: Also, science is just so much more interesting than art and literature. You get to learn about mathematics and do experiments, and all these other interesting things. And if something is interesting to study then it's important to study. So science is important to study, much more important than art and literature. That's great! If you have a few seconds left, you can add a short conclusion, but you don't need to do that. That's all! Remember to follow this process on the TOEFL! To get our next lesson, be sure to subscribe. And to see our full course, visit . Thanks for listening, and see you at PrepScholar! If you like this, try the complete PrepScholar course at Be sure to subscribe!
