TOEFL · Guides · October 30, 2026 · 10 min read

TOEFL Take an Interview (2026): speaking questions, sample answers, template and tips

Take an Interview is the second task in the TOEFL iBT Speaking section since January 2026, right after Listen and Repeat. A recorded interviewer, in a short scenario such as a university survey or a research study, asks you four questions one after another. You have 45 seconds to answer each, with no preparation time. The first questions are about your own experience; the later ones ask for an opinion or a prediction on a wider issue. Each answer is scored 0–5. High scores go to answers that respond to the exact question, develop it with a reason and a concrete example, use accurate and varied language, and keep a natural pace for most of the 45 seconds: roughly 90 to 130 words.

How the task works

The scenario ties the four questions together. If the interviewer says the campus transport office is collecting student views, all four questions will be about getting around: how you travel, a journey you remember, what you would change, and a policy question such as whether cities should make public transport free. Expect the fourth question to be the hardest, because it asks you to take a side on something bigger than your own life.

What the score rewards

Each answer gets one score from 0 to 5. In our own words, Nomto’s practice scoring, built on the official rubric, looks at four things:

Two things matter more than people expect. First, relevance caps everything: a fluent answer to a slightly different question cannot get a high score. If the question asks why, your answer needs a reason; if it asks for one change, name one. Second, length signals development. A strong speaker fills about 90–130 words in 45 seconds. An answer of 40 words almost never shows enough elaboration for a 4 or 5, however correct it is.

An accent on its own does not lower the score. What matters is whether the listener understands you without effort.

A 4-part answer template

With no preparation time, you need a shape you can use without thinking.

1. Answer directly (1 sentence, about 5 seconds). Give your answer in the first sentence, using some of the question’s key words. “If I could change one thing, I’d add more evening buses.”
2. Reason (1–2 sentences, about 10 seconds). “The main reason is that many students have classes or jobs that end after eight, and the last bus leaves at seven thirty.”
3. Example or detail (2–3 sentences, about 20 seconds). Make it specific: a time, a place, a person, a number. “Last semester my lab finished at nine, and twice I had to walk forty minutes home in the dark…”
4. Wrap-up (1 sentence, about 5 seconds). Link back to the question or add a consequence. “So later buses would make the campus safer and easier for everyone.”

The wrap-up is optional. If the timer cuts you off in the middle of your example, that is fine; being stopped is better than finishing at 25 seconds and waiting in silence.

For the opinion question, add one clause that shows you see the other side: “Some people worry about the cost, but…”. It costs three seconds and makes the answer sound more developed.

Sample interview with answers

This interview and the answers were written for this guide. Scenario: the university’s transport office is surveying students about how they get to campus.

Question 1. How do you usually get to campus, and how long does it take you?

Strong answer (about 100 words): I usually take the bus, and it takes me about twenty-five minutes door to door. I live in a shared flat near the river, so I walk five minutes to the stop, and then it’s around fifteen minutes on the bus, plus a short walk at the end. On days with early classes I sometimes cycle instead, because the first bus is often full and I don’t want to be late. Cycling is actually faster, around eighteen minutes, but when it rains I always go back to the bus. So it depends a little on the weather.

Why it works: it answers both parts (how and how long) in the first sentence, then adds detail that a real person would give: the walk, the alternative, the reason, the weather. Grammar is simple but accurate, and the length fills the time.

Question 2. Tell me about a time when getting to campus was more difficult than usual.

Weak answer (about 30 words): Yes, one time it was difficult. The bus was late. It was raining. I was late to my class. It was not good. Transport is very important for students. Thank you.

Why it is weak: it does tell a story, but each sentence is a fragment of five words, there are no specific details (which day, which class, what happened next), and it ends with a general statement and “thank you” at around 15 seconds. The rest is silence. Relevance is fine; elaboration and language range are very limited.

Stronger version (about 105 words): Last winter there was a big snowstorm on the morning of my statistics midterm. The buses weren’t running on my route, and I only found out when I got to the stop and saw the notice. I didn’t want to miss the exam, so I called a classmate who lives nearby, and her father kindly drove us both. The roads were really slow, and we arrived about ten minutes after the start. Luckily, the professor let everyone who was late have extra time, because half the class had the same problem. Since then I always check the transport app the night before an exam.

Question 3. If the university could make one change to help students get to campus, what should it be?

Answer with a relevance problem (about 80 words): I think the university is very good in general. The library is modern and the teachers are helpful. I really like the cafeteria, especially the coffee, but it is a little expensive for students. Maybe the university could make the food cheaper, because students don’t have much money. Also, the gym could stay open longer. Many students want to exercise in the evening after classes. These changes would make student life much better and more comfortable for everyone on campus.

Why it is weak: it is fluent and not short, but it never answers the question. Food prices and the gym are not about getting to campus. This answer would score low despite its length, because relevance limits the whole score. The fix: start with “The university should…” and name a transport change.

Question 4. Some people think cities should make public transport free for everyone. Others think passengers should pay. What’s your opinion?

Strong answer (about 125 words): In my opinion, public transport should be free, or at least very cheap, for students and people on low incomes, but I’m not sure it should be free for everyone. The main benefit is that more people would leave their cars at home, which means less traffic and cleaner air. For example, in my home town the city cut bus fares in half two years ago, and the buses became much busier almost immediately. On the other hand, buses and trains cost a lot to run, and if nobody pays, the city has to take that money from somewhere else, like schools or hospitals. So I think a middle option, with free travel for the groups who need it most, makes the most sense.

Why it works: a clear position in the first sentence, a reason, a concrete example from experience, a fair point for the other side and a conclusion. The language includes contrast (on the other hand), condition (if nobody pays) and precise words (low incomes, fares), which shows range.

Pacing: what 45 seconds feels like

At a normal conversational speed of about two to three words per second, 45 seconds holds 90 to 130 words. Practise with a timer until you feel it:

• Under 70 words: you are stopping too early or pausing too long. Add one more detail to your example.
• 90–130 words: the target range.
• Over 150 words: you are probably rushing. Slow down; clarity and stress matter.

A few seconds of thinking before you start is normal. Fill it with a natural opener rather than silence: “Hmm, that’s a good question. I’d say…”. Do not memorise long templates: memorised phrases that do not fit the question count against language and relevance.

Common mistakes

• Repeating the question as your answer. “I think making transport free is good for transport” adds nothing.
• A reason with no example. “It is convenient” is a reason; “I save twenty minutes every morning” is an example. You need both.
• Starting a long story you cannot finish. Pick an example you can tell in three sentences.
• Fixing every small error out loud. Correct yourself only when the meaning changed; otherwise keep going.

How to practise

Every day, record yourself answering two questions with a 45-second timer and no preparation. Listen back and count the words, check whether the first sentence answered the question, and mark where your example was. Rotate topics: study, transport, technology, food, work, free time, the environment. Speaking in full, connected sentences also feeds the Writing tasks: an opinion with a reason and an example is the core of an Academic Discussion post.

The other Speaking task is Listen and Repeat. Listening carefully to what is asked is the same skill as in Listen to a Conversation and Listen and Choose a Response, and explaining an idea with an example is what speakers do in Listen to an Academic Talk. For the full picture, see the TOEFL iBT format, how 0–5 answers become a band in TOEFL scores, a study plan in how to prepare for TOEFL, and more examples in TOEFL sample questions.

Practise Take an Interview in the Nomto room

The Take an Interview practice in the Nomto TOEFL room plays four questions in a scenario, with 45 seconds per answer and no preparation, as in the test. Each answer is scored 0–5 on the official rubrics by AI and marked as an estimate, with notes on content, language, pace and pronunciation. Three spoken answers are scored free with an account; a pass ($15 a week, $49 for 3 months, $79 for 6 months, $119 a year) opens all Nomto courses. To see your Speaking band, take the Speaking section or a full mock test, which reports the 1–6 scale and the comparable 0–120 total.

Common questions

How many questions are in TOEFL Take an Interview? Four, from one interviewer, each answered in up to 45 seconds.

Is there preparation time? No. You start speaking after the question. Use a short natural opener while you think.

How many words should a 45-second answer have? About 90 to 130 words at a natural pace. Much shorter answers rarely show enough development for a high score.

Can I use a memorised template? A shape (answer, reason, example, wrap-up) helps. Memorised sentences do not: they often miss the question and sound rehearsed.

Does my accent matter? Not by itself. What counts is whether you are easy to understand.

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