70

Introduction
This is the nal speaking task and usually the most dicult. For this task you have to listen to an academic
lecture. Lectures are more dicult to follow and understand than conversations. Geography, Anthropology
and Biology are just a few examples of the range of possible topics for this question. But like all parts of the
TOEFL, its not important for you to be familiar with the topic discussed. For this task you have to prove to the
graders that youre able to identify the topic and the important points discussed. After you nish speaking task
#6, youll be ready to move on to the writing section.

Speaking Task #6
Topic: An academic task covering a wide range of topics.

Structure:
1st - Listening Passage: Its always an academic lecture by a professor which lasts somewhere between
90-150 seconds.

2nd - Prepare: You have 20 seconds to prepare your response.

3rd - Respond: You have 60 seconds to speak.

WAit
Were almost at the end of the speaking section. By now, you should be somewhat familiar with the task
structure. The listening passage in this section is very similar to the listening in speaking integrated task #4.
Before we discuss task #6 in detail, try to answer the following questions:

What do you remember about speaking task #4?

T i p
Some tasks are harder than others. While
What do you think the listening is going to be about?
youre taking the TOEFL, its easy to
lose your motivation if you dont do
well on a particular task. In the
speaking section there are six tasks. If
you do poorly on one task dont worry, How many people are going to speak? Where will he, she or
you have five other tasks to focus on.
they be speaking about?
Try not to dwell on what you did wrong
in the past and focus on how you can do
better in the future.

How do you think you should structure your notes?

Josh MacPherson
 71
This example is courtesy of the ETS website:
hXps://www.ets.org/s/toe/pdf/qp_v1_web.pdf

Speaking Task #6 Lecture Script

Directions: Now listen to part of a lecture in a business class.

Today, well talk about how companies determine the initial price for their products, by that I mean, when they
first introduce a product in the market. There are different approaches, and today well discuss two of them. They are
quite different each with their own advantages.

One approach or strategy sets the initial price of the product high, followed by a lower price at a later stage.
Why? Well when introducing a new product, companies want to build a high-quality image for it. Products that cost
more are believed to be of higher quality. So, during the early stages of the product life cycle, companies can make very
high profits from consumers willing to pay more for a high quality product, and although consumers know that prices
will eventually go down, theyre also willing to pay more to get the product sooner. This approach works very well
with oh innovative, high-tech products, for example. Now just think about when video recorders, or video
camerasor even cell phones first came out. They were expensive, but then they became much more accessible.

Another very common strategy sets an initial price low. Now this happens when the market is already saturated
with the product and the strategy is to undercut its competitors. Say, theres a newly starting computer maker trying to
gain market share. So what do they do? Well, they offer a computer at an affordable price, lower than existing brands.
By doing this, this company appeals to new consumers who werent probably even interested in getting a computer
well, of course to existing consumers who might now be tempted to switch brands. Now, how does this company
make profits with its low-priced computer? Well, one thing thats often done is to encourage their customers to buy
accessories also manufactured by them, like printers, or software, for example.

Directions: Give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response to the following question. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

Question: Using the points and examples from the lecture, explain the two pricing strategies
described by the professor.

20 seconds PREPARE

60 seconds SPEAK
How did it go? How was it dierent from the other integrated tasks?
I dont think this question was too easy or too dicult. You can expect a similar level of
diculty on the TOEFL.
Josh MacPherson
 72
The LISTENING Section:
The listening passage is an academic lecture by a professor. Here are some points to consider:

1. The lecturer usually states the topic in the beginning.

2. After the lecturer introduces the topic, he or she may give a denition

T i p or some background information to further explain the topic.

3. After giving a general idea of the topic, the professor will provide two
The listening passage for
speaking task #6 follows a examples of the topic or two sub-topics. The examples or sub-topics are
similar structure to your
independent writing
meant to help you develop a beXer understanding of the topic in a
assignment. Think of the particular context.
listening as a 3-paragraph
essay read aloud.
4. You will probably be unfamiliar with the topic, however, youre still
expected to identify the topic, briey describe the topic and talk about
the examples or sub-topics discussed in the lecture.

Listening Notes: The listening passage

should go in the exact order of my note
structure. Of course there are times when
there might be only one subtopic, or the
professor doesnt talk about the topic until a
minute into the lecture, but those instances are
rare. Prepare for a listening passage that will
follow this order. This is a well-organized
speech. When we introduce a new subject its
hard for people to understand abstract
concepts. Its much easier to understand
something when you give concrete, real-life
examples that people can relate to.
This note structure should help you
beXer follow the listening passage. Dont
worry if you dont write everything down in
every category. Its a lot of information in a
very short amount of time. Focus on writing
down what you understand.

Josh MacPherson
 73
When you speak, its necessary to use specic transition words and phrases as you progress
from one topic to the next. In the lecture, you may here one of the phrases listed on the
following chart:

Key Words and Phrases

Today Lets take a look at
Introducing the Topic Id like to discuss So, what do you think?
For homework Last time

One type of Also,

Introducing Subtopics The first/second/third First of all
Another way Not only

For example Lets look at

Introducing Examples For instance Say
One way Take for example

If you look at each category in the chart above, the

transition words dier depending on the situation. For the
rst row, Introducing the Topic, its something brand new,
you have no prior information to build from, so you need to
make your transition phrase very general. Another example
that I use all the time in my class is, Okay, so.. I
included the for homework phrase because sometimes
the lecturer will refer to previous material. In the Introducing
Subtopics category, the transition words change because
theyre building on previous information; there must be a
topic before theres a subtopic. And after that, when I
introduce examples, I use phrases that youre probably
familiar with. Examples should be easy for you to identify
since youve been hearing teachers introduce them since
you started learning English.

T i p
Ive said it before, but I have to
say it one more time before we move
on to the next section: have your
note structure written out before
you encounter any speaking task.

So now youve learned a couple new things about speaking task #6. Use your new knowledge to take
notes and answer the question. Go back to the task we all ready tried and ask someone to read the passage out
loud so you can jot down the important points while you listen. After you nish, compare your notes to my
own on the following page. Are they similar?
Josh MacPherson
 74
Your Notes

T:
AD:

ST1:
AD:

Ex1:

ST2:
AD:

Ex2:

Here are my notes

These are my notes and theyre very messy. I

had to write fast. For speaking task #6,
theres a lot of important information
presented in a very short amount of time. I
wrote down as much as I possibly could, but
you dont have to write this much. For this
example, I wanted to show you how your
ideal notes may look. I typed out these same
notes on the next page to make them easier
for you to read

Josh MacPherson
 75

Quiz Time
Weve talked a lot about integrated speaking task #6. Actually, let me rephrase that, Ive talked a lot
about integrated speaking task #6. But youre the person whos going to have to take the exam, so its much
more important to gure out what you know and what you dont know. As you read this book, you should be
actively participating in the material. Instead of underlining, circling and rereading, the information will sink
into your head at a much deeper level if you constantly quiz yourself.

And dont look back for the answers! On the TOEFL all
you have to rely on is your mind, so do the same here.
1. What makes speaking task #6 dierent from all other integrated speaking tasks?

2. How should you prepare your notes for the listening passage? Whats the note structure?

3. Whats one metaphor or analogy you can use to help you think dierently about task #6?

4. List at least three transition phrases to introduce the topic. After that, list at least three transition phrases to
introduce the subtopics. Finally, list at least three transition phrases to introduce examples.

5. How long do you have to prepare for your response? How long do you have to speak? What information
should you include in your speaking response?

6. What are some transition words you can use to introduce a problem? What transition words can you use to
oer a solution to a problem? What kind of tone of voice should you employ if you discuss a problem? How
about when youre oering a solution?

The future

Another way to be actively involved in the learning process is to predict the future. So, what do you
think the rest of this chapter will be about? What do you think the question will be about? How will your
speaking response dier from the other tasks? How should you structure your response? Will you include any
information besides what was said during the listening passage?

Josh MacPherson
 76
Back to our listening note-taking strategy. Now, here are my typed notes for
this particular listening passage

-As usual, I misspelled almost all the words to save time.

T: Companies must determine initial price
-The very first word the speaker said was today and after AD: products have dierent strategies
that she stated the topic. ST1: high price, later down

-I probably wont need a lot from the additional details AD: build image

sections, but if I have time I write them down. -more money, more quality
Ex1: high-tech, eective
-In my own notes, instead of the words high and low, I -cameras and cell phones
use arrows pointing up or down. ST2: lower price
AD: competitive
-She begins the first sub-topic by using the phrase, One
Ex2: new computer company
approach or strategy. She introduces the other subtopic
-new customers, lower price
by saying, Another very common.
-maybe switch brands
-She uses the phrase for example when providing the first -buy accessories, more prot
example and the word say for the second.

T i p
When adding to a section of your notes, place new ideas or details on a
fresh line and indent. This will make your notes easier to read and
understand. My notes are very messy, but you can still see a structure.

The QUESTION:
After the listening passage the computer will read the question. The question almost always follows the
same structure. Using information from the lecture, explain the topic, sub-topics and examples.

Question: Using the points and examples from the lecture, explain the two pricing strategies
described by the professor.

After the computer nishes reading the question, you have 20 seconds to prepare. As you prepare,
consider the information you need to include in your response. You have to:
1. Identify THE TOPIC.
2. Explain THE TWO SUBTOPICS given to the student. Sometimes there might only be
one subtopic.
3. Describe THE EXAMPLES.
Josh MacPherson
 77

T i p
Just like speaking task #4, if youre not sure of the topic, wait
for the question. They restate the topic in the question.

In 20 seconds you have to look at your notes and gure out what youre
going to say.

You may notice that with my 20 seconds of

prep time I edited my notes a liXle bit. If it helps,
you can do the same.

a. I added lines below my title, subtopic 1 and

subtopic 2. When I write a title, I usually put a
line underneath it so, for me, lines signal the
start of a new topic.

b. I also circled the examples. I have a lot of

notes for this particular task, much more than
I normally do. I want to make sure that I say
the important information first.

c. You may notice that I didnt circle any

additional details. Theyre the least important
part of your response. However, if you have
time, you can mention them.

Are you ready?

Josh MacPherson
 78

SPEAK
60 seconds
STOP
How did it go? Were you able to include all the
necessary information? Did you talk about the topic,
the two subtopics and their examples? Did you
speak in the same order as the lecturer? Heres my
own response:

Task #6 Script
In the lecture, the professor discusses how companies determine the initial price of a
product. To further illustrate, she describes two dierent pricing strategies.
First, some feel that its beXer to set the initial price of a product high and then to lower the
price later. SeXing the price high helps build the products image. In the mind of the consumer,
higher prices equal higher quality. For example, this strategy is very eective when introducing
high-tech products. Cameras and cell phones are a few specic examples of products that were
released at a high price.
Another strategy is to do the opposite and release products at a lower price. This makes you
more competitive with other companies. The lecturer gives a new computer company as an
example. If the price is low, they might make less money, but these new customers may also buy
some accessories that will increase prots.
As you can see, the professor has clearly explained two dierent initial pricing approaches.
-162 words

Josh MacPherson
 79
The words in black are part of a script. You can use these words, phrases and sentences in almost any
situation. The words and phrases highlighted inyellow identify the topic and subtopics, the words and
phrases highlighted in blue are additional details and the words and phrases highlighted in green are the
examples.

Note that while I didnt stress the additional details part when we were learning how to take notes,
they became very useful when I was speaking. Sometimes you listen to examples with a lot of details and
sometimes the examples are very simple. In this listening passage the ladder was true, particularly for the rst
example involving cameras and cell phones. While I was speaking, I looked at the clock and I could tell that I
didnt have enough information about the examples, so I inserted some additional details to help ll time. You
might have to do the same. Use the clock to your advantage. You should be around the 45 second mark when
you get into the rst subtopic, and somewhere between 20-25 seconds when you get into the second subtopic.

Heres the script on its own

Task #6 Script
In the lecture, the professor discusses _________________ (topic and a detail)
________________________. To further illustrate, he/she describes two ________________.
(45 seconds lefT) First, ____________________________. For example,
______________________________________.
(20-25 seconds lefT) Another ____________________________. The lecturer gives
_____________________ as an example. _______________________________ (one piece of additional
information).
As you can see, the professor has clearly explained ______________________ (topic).

Youre human and youre probably not going to hear everything. Dont focus on what you didnt hear
but instead focus on what you did. If you didnt hear anything about the rst subtopic but a liXle bit from the
second then just focus on the second. In all the examples I provide the perfect response, but nobodys perfect.
Youre going to make mistakes and miss a few things when you listen. Just focus on what you do know and
not on what you missed.

T i p
Some students say they listen better when they dont take notes but trust me,
thats not true. Your mind is not as reliable as pen and paper. Learn how to
take notes and listen. Youll eventually have to do the same when you go to
college and sit in an actual class.

Josh MacPherson
 80
Last Minute ADVICE
1. Dont add any information that you didnt hear in the lecture. You simply report back the
important information you heard.
2. For this section of the exam your note-taking skills are crucial. Develop a system for taking
down notes and stick with it. Remember the transition words discussed earlier and focus on
the structure. If you know the structure, youll know what to expect and when to expect it.
3. When you take notes, focus on what you understand. Theres no reason to write down
words if you dont know how they relate to the context.
4. Dont add information that you didnt hear in the lecture. Your job is to report back the
information you heard and thats it.
5. This is the last speaking task. After this youve completed 75% of the test. Stay focused.
Youre almost nished.
6. Dont self-judge while you speak. When you self-judge, you only hurt yourself and help no
one. For more information on self-judging, look in the Appendix, Integrated Speaking
F.A.Q. handout.
7. If you need time to think, stay silent. Try to avoid vocal llers like ugh and um.

After you complete any integrated speaking practice task #6, before you move on, be
sure to ask yourself the questions on the next page:

Josh MacPherson
 81

Self - Assessment

Directions: After you nish each integrated speaking task #6, ask yourself the questions listed below.
Be honest with yourself and identify your weaknesses. After that, look through the Independent and
Integrated Speaking Appendix for helpful strategies and exercises thatll assist in targeting those weaknesses.

Questions Your Answers

(explain and score yourself on a scale from 1-10)

1. Did I have the note structure written out

and ready to go before the listening?

2.Did I identify both the topic and the

subtopic(s)?

3. Did I write down additional details and

examples?

4. Did I write down and organize my notes in

a clear and cohesive manner? Did I use
abbreviations, misspellings and symbols?

5. Did I understand the majority of the

passage and my notes?

6. Did I use the preparation time to review my

notes and plan my speech?

7. Did I answer the question completely in

time? Did I look at the clock 3-4 times to
monitor my progress?

8. Did I identify the topic, the subtopics and

the examples in my speech?

9. Did I speak without too many pauses,

vocal fillers or repetitions?

10. Whats something I did well?

11. Whats something I didnt do well?

12. Try to think of a plan. How can I improve?

Josh MacPherson
 82

Grading Rubric
The highest grade you can get on each speaking exercise is a 4 and the highest grade you can earn on the
speaking section is a 30. How do the graders get a score of 30? Basically, 6 x4 = 24 and then they multiply your
score by 1.25 to come up with a nal score out of 30. Below, youll nd a chart of how your integrated speaking
performance is scored. This is a description of the criteria needed to get a perfect score. On the right hand side
Ive reworded the ETS language to make it easier to understand.

According to the ETS

Criteria website: My Simplified Translation
https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/
toefl_speaking_rubrics.pdf

The response fullls the demands of the task,
with at most minor lapses in completeness. Its
1. General
highly intelligible and exhibits sustained,
Description coherent discourse. A response at this level is
characterized by all of the following:
Speech is generally clear, uid, and sustained.
It may include minor lapses or minor diculties
with pronunciation or intonation. Pace may vary
2. Delivery at times as the speaker aXempts to recall
information. Overall intelligibility remains
high.
You answered the question in a
logical and coherent way. You never
went o topic and you were easy for
the listener to follow.
You spoke in a calm, cool and
natural manner most of the time. Its
okay if you paused a couple of times
to remember stu from the listening.

The response demonstrates good control of

basic and complex grammatical structures that
allow for coherent, ecient (automatic)
3. Language expression of relevant ideas. Contains generally
eective word choice. Though some minor (or
Use
systematic) errors or imprecise use may be
noticeable, they do not require listener eort
(or obscure meaning).
You were able to speak in a natural
way while also varying your
sentence structure. The grader
understood almost everything you
were trying to say.

The response presents a clear progression of You followed a structure, included

ideas and conveys the relevant information
4. Topic
required by the task. It includes appropriate
Development detail, though it may have minor errors or minor
omissions.
important details and showed how
one idea led to another. Also, you
used at least three transition words.

Josh MacPherson