TOEIC Practice Online Speaking Score Ranges and Descriptors
Feedback to Test-Takers
Score Range 160-200
Typically speakers in this range can express and support opinions and respond to complicated requests. They can answer questions and participate in short conversations.
Test takers in this range may have these weaknesses:
- Minor difficulties with pronunciation, intonation, or hesitation when creating language
- Some errors when using complex grammatical structures
- Some imprecise vocabulary
To maintain and enhance English language proficiency, you may want to try the following:
- Enrolling in a high-intermediate or advanced English language course that requires using all four skills, especially speaking, to communicate
- Using books that contain audio media to study pronunciation and intonation and stress patterns of English
- Taking an English conversation class to help improve fluency in long interchanges
- Looking for opportunities to speak to native speakers of English
- Practicing speaking for a limited time on different topics without a lot of preparation
- Recording yourself speaking on different topics, transcribing recordings, and noting areas of weakness and strength
- Studying the social conventions of English (such as how to structure a telephone message)
Score Range 110-150
Typically speakers in this range can express an opinion and respond to a complicated request with some relevant information. They can answer questions and participate in short conversations most of the time.
Test takers in this range may have these weaknesses:
- Some problems supporting an opinion or fully responding to complicated requests
- Language that is inaccurate, vague, or repetitive
- Pauses, frequent hesitations, and inconsistent pronunciation and intonation and stress when creating new language
- Occasional problems answering questions and giving basic information
- Some problems with pronunciation and intonation and stress when reading
To improve English language proficiency, you may want to try the following:
- Enrolling in an intermediate English-language course that requires using all four skills, especially speaking, to communicate
- Using books that contain audio media to study pronunciation and intonation and stress patterns of English
- Taking an English conversation class to help improve fluency in social interchanges
- Looking for opportunities to speak to native speakers of English
- Practicing speaking for a limited time on different topics without a lot of preparation
Score Range 60-100
Typically speakers in this range are unable to express and support an opinion, or to respond appropriately to a complicated request. They are sometimes able to answer straightforward questions, but often responses are hard to understand or uninformative.
Test takers in this range may have these weaknesses:
- Severely limited grammar and vocabulary
- Minimal or no audience awareness
- Consistent pronunciation, stress, and intonation difficulties
- Long pauses and frequent hesitations when creating new language
To improve English language proficiency, you may want to try the following:
- Enrolling in a beginning- or intermediate-level English language course that requires using all four skills, especially speaking, to communicate
- Taking an English conversation class to help improve fluency in social interchanges
- Using books that contain audio media to study pronunciation and intonation and stress patterns of English
- Recording yourself speaking in English
- Read a simple paragraph and record your voice. Ask a teacher to give you feedback on the recording.
- Listen to something spoken by a native English speaker. Record yourself repeating the same information, and compare the two.
- Finding an English-speaking pronunciation partner to practice speaking with
- Practicing development of ideas in complete thoughts and expressing them in complete sentences
- Studying basic grammar rules
- Building vocabulary through reading
Score Range 0-50
Typically. speakers in this range are unable to express an opinion or to respond appropriately to a request. They have difficulty responding to straightforward questions. Even when reading aloud, they may be difficult to understand.
Test takers in this range may have these weaknesses:
- Inability to respond without long pauses or hesitations
- Inability to listen well enough to participate in conversations
To improve English language proficiency, you may want to try the following:
- Enrolling in a beginning-level English language course that requires using all four skills, especially speaking, to communicate
- Improving listening skills
- Taking an English conversation class to help improve fluency in short interchanges that require basic information
- Using books that contain audio media to study pronunciation and intonation and stress patterns of English
- Building vocabulary through reading
