Template inquired
Someone on Facebook asked whether the following template for TOEFL speaking would lead to a score of 26+.
Q2
The announcment states that (change)
In particular (details & ex)
The man had a negative attitude about the notice
He completely opposies it, for folowing reasons
First, he stated (ex1)
Second, he pointed out (ex2)
Q3
According to the reading (subject) is when (Def)
In the lecture, the professor delves deeper into this subject by explaining that (...)
He goes on to say
Q4
The lecture is about (...) which is (...)
After introduceing the topic the lecturer mentions that (...)
He goes on to sat (...)
Dr. Byrnes' comments on the template
This is my answer.
The template that you use will not lead to a score of 26+. The more organization-related words you use, the less time you have to explain the concept or arguments as fully as needed, which is key to scoring high. Take Q2, for example. There are several problems.
1. Be specific
First, don’t be vague; instead, be specific. Q2 has a fixed format. The article has a proposal supported by two reasons. The listening section also has two arguments that respond to each of the two reasons. So be specific and say “for two reasons.” The more specific and concrete your explanations are, the higher your score in writing and speaking will be.
2. Place side by side
Second, don’t enumerate items in chronological order as presented. Instead, juxtapose one reason in the reading with one corresponding argument in the listening. You should do it like this: The first reason in the article is O. In response, the person in the dialogue argues... The second reason, according to the reading, is P. In response, the person in the conversation points out…
3. Prepare for three scenarios
Third, don’t prepare for only the disagreement scenario: prepare for three scenarios (disagree, agree, mixed). While disagreement is the majority case, you might see agreement or even mixed cases in the actual test. I've seen TOEFL test takers reporting that the person in the conversation had a mixed opinion, which threw them off. Dr. Byrnes' book provides templates for all these three cases.TOEFL Integrated Speaking
4. Do not use unqualified words
Fourth, word usage: Do not be redundant as it is a time waster. For example, "The man had a negative attitude about the notice. He completely opposes it, for the following reasons." You just wasted 10 seconds with minimal information. “The man disagrees” is sufficient. Also, do not use unsophisticated words like "completely" as it signals a lack of critical thinking. Often, the person in the dialogue concedes some merits in the reading but still points out aspects that were not considered in the article, so using unqualified terms is usually inappropriate. Dr. Byrnes' book provides template words that convey critical thinking.
5. Use the present tense
Fifth, grammar. Do not mix tenses (e.g., "the announcement states," "the man had," "the man stated"). Mixing tenses illogically confuses the listener: “Did the announcement happen after the man’s statement?” Use either simple past or simple present throughout for the template words. I recommend using simple present (“states,” “has”) since this makes the tense in the subordinate clause easier (for a past event, you can use simple past tense, and for a future event, you can use simple future tense in the subordinate clause). However, if you use the past tense in the main clause, then English grammar requires a tense shift in the subordinate clause (past events must be in the past perfect tense and future events must be in the future in the past form, requiring you to use “would” not “will”).
This is a template for a score of 26+.
26+ template for Q2
- The university announces (or the student in the letter proposes) X for two reasons.
- The person in the conversation disagrees with the proposal.
- Regarding the first reason, which is Y, the person argues Z.
- The second reason by the university is V. In response, the person points out W.
You will score high when you explain as thoroughly, coherently, and correctly as possible all the variables X, Y, Z, V, and W.