How to improve TOEFL speaking score was basically my panic search for two weeks, and the biggest thing that helped was forcing myself to use the first 30 seconds the same way every time.
My mini routine:
- Pick my main idea fast
- Think of 2 tiny reasons
- Say a super short intro sentence
- Move straight into example 1 and example 2
I stopped trying to sound “advanced” and focused on sounding clear. That alone made my speaking less messy.
Another good drill: record 3 answers a day and listen only for these:
- too many pauses
- repeating the question
- grammar mistakes that happen every time
If you want a simple template, mine was basically: I prefer ___ for two reasons. First... For example... Second... That's why...
Not fancy, but it kept me organized under pressure.