Task 1 — IndependentQ3/2026Difficulty 3/5

Task 1 - chon giua hai phuong an

TOEFL Speaking questions reported by recent test-takers, compiled each quarter. Cambridge does not publish the active list, so this is a compilation of reports, not official material.

Questions

Question 115s to prepare · 45s to speak

Some people prefer to study for a test over several weeks; others prefer to study intensively just before it. Which do you think works better, and why?

Question 215s to prepare · 45s to speak

Would you rather have a job you love with a low salary, or a job you dislike with a high salary? Explain.

Question 315s to prepare · 45s to speak

Some students live at home while studying; others move away. Which is better for a first-year student? Why?

Model answer

Written by 8020 teachers. Do not memorise it — take the structure and the way ideas are developed, then speak about your own life.

KHUNG TRA LOI TASK 1 — CHON GIUA HAI PHUONG AN (45 giay noi, 15 giay chuan bi) TOEFL cham theo ba truc: Delivery / Language Use / Topic Development. Truc thu ba doi DUNG mot cau truc, nen dung khung nay va dung doi. 15 GIAY CHUAN BI — chi ghi 3 thu: 1. chon ben nao 2. mot ly do 3. mot vi du CU THE (con so hoac tinh huong) KHUNG 45 GIAY: Cau 1 (5s) — chon ro rang, khong lung lay: "I'd definitely choose [A] over [B]." Cau 2 (8s) — ly do chinh: "The main reason is that [ly do]." Cau 3-4 (22s) — VI DU CU THE. Day la phan chiem diem nhieu nhat: "For example, when I [tinh huong cu the], I found that [ket qua]." "If I had [phuong an kia], I would have [hau qua]." Cau 5 (10s) — nhac lai lua chon, khong lap tu: "So for me the [A] approach works better, even though [B] suits some people." VI DU DAY DU (de: hoc dan nhieu tuan hay hoc don truoc ky thi): "I'd definitely choose studying over several weeks. The main reason is that memory needs sleep between sessions to consolidate. For example, last year I prepared for a certification exam by studying forty minutes a night for six weeks, and I still remember most of it now. The time before that I studied for two full days right before the test — I passed, but a month later almost nothing was left. So spreading it out works better for me, even though cramming is tempting when time is short." BA LOI THI SINH VIET HAY MAC: 1. Noi ca hai ben deu tot. TOEFL Task 1 CHON MOT BEN. Lung lay la mat diem Topic Development, khong phai duoc diem can bang. 2. Vi du chung chung ("for example, many students..."). Phai la vi du CUA BAN. 3. Het y o giay 30 roi im. Tha noi cham hon tu dau; im 15 giay cuoi mat diem Delivery.

Vocabulary you can use today

I'd definitely choose X over Y
tôi chắc chắn chọn X thay vì Y
the main reason is that...
lý do chính là...
for example, when I..., I found that...
ví dụ, khi tôi..., tôi thấy rằng...
if I had..., I would have...
nếu tôi đã..., thì tôi sẽ đã...
works better for me, even though...
phù hợp với tôi hơn, dù rằng...
cramming
học dồn sát ngày thi

Common traps for Vietnamese speakers

TOEFL Task 1 phải CHỌN MỘT BÊN. Nói cả hai đều tốt là mất điểm Topic Development — đây là chỗ khác IELTS nhất, vì ở IELTS Part 3 nhìn hai mặt lại được điểm. Ví dụ phải là ví dụ CỦA BẠN, có con số hoặc tình huống cụ thể. "Many students find that..." là ví dụ rỗng và máy chấm người đều nhận ra. Đừng hết ý ở giây 30 rồi im. Thà nói chậm hơn từ đầu — im 15 giây cuối mất điểm Delivery nặng hơn là nói chậm.

âm cuối /z/ trong weeks/s/, sessions/z/, reasons/z//θ/ trong three, month, thingsâm cuối /d/ trong studied, prepared, passed→/t/trọng âm conSOlidate, certifiCAtion

Try this topic and see your band

Record 90 seconds. You get four criteria, the exact words that slipped, and your own sentence rewritten two levels up.

Related topics