Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.
Many speaking questions ask about the past. IELTS Part 1 may ask What did you do last weekend? IELTS Part 2 may ask you to describe an event, a trip or a time when something happened. In the TOEFL interview, the early questions are about your own experience.
A good spoken story is easy to follow. It has a clear order, the right tenses, and a short ending that says how you felt or what you learned.
| Tense | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past simple | the main events, one after another | We got on the train and found our seats. |
| Past continuous | the background: what was happening at that time | It was raining and everyone was waiting for the bus. |
| Past continuous + past simple | a longer action interrupted by a short one | I was cooking dinner when the lights went out. |
| Present perfect, then past simple | an experience with no time, then the details with a time | I've been to Rome twice. I went there last spring. |
When a question starts with Have you ever…?, answer with the present perfect. Then switch to the past simple for the details, because now you are talking about a finished time:
Don't say I have been there last year. With a finished time (last year, in 2022, when I was ten), use the past simple.
| Stage of the story | Useful words |
|---|---|
| Start | A few years ago,… / One day,… / At first,… |
| Next events | Then,… / After that,… / When…, / As soon as…, |
| Something unexpected | Suddenly,… / Unfortunately,… / Luckily,… |
| Finish | In the end,… / Finally,… / Since then,… |
At first means “at the beginning, before something changed”: At first I was nervous, but then I relaxed. In the end means “finally, after everything”: In the end, we got home at midnight. Don't confuse it with at the end of + a noun: at the end of the film.
Regular past verbs end in -ed, but there are three ways to say it:
A common mistake is to add an extra syllable to every verb (walk-ed). Walked has one syllable and sounds like walkt.
Describe a day out that you really enjoyed.
You should say:
| Stage of the story | Useful words |
|---|---|
| Start | A few years ago,… / One day,… / At first,… |
| Next events | Then,… / After that,… / When…, / As soon as…, |
| Something unexpected | Suddenly,… / Unfortunately,… / Luckily,… |
| Finish | In the end,… / Finally,… / Since then,… |
Question: “Tell me about a time when you were late for something important.” Put the answer in order. Use the tenses and the sequencing words to help you.
Say each verb aloud. Is the -ed ending /t/, /d/ or /ɪd/ (an extra syllable)?
Listen and repeat. Make the -ed endings clear but short, and only add an extra syllable to verbs like waited and decided.
Listen to each sentence, then record yourself saying it the same way. Copy the rhythm, stress and intonation.
1.I walked to the station and waited for the train.
2.While I was waiting, I started talking to an old man.
3.We missed the bus, so we decided to walk.
4.At first I was nervous, but then I relaxed.
5.In the end, we arrived two hours late.
6.I've been to Scotland twice. I went there last summer.
7.Luckily, a kind woman helped us find the right path.
| Stage of the story | Useful words |
|---|---|
| Start | A few years ago,… / One day,… / At first,… |
| Next events | Then,… / After that,… / When…, / As soon as…, |
| Something unexpected | Suddenly,… / Unfortunately,… / Luckily,… |
| Finish | In the end,… / Finally,… / Since then,… |
You have one minute to prepare. Write a few key words for each point, in the order things happened. Then speak for up to two minutes.
Describe a time when something did not go as planned.
You should say:
60 s preparation · 2:00 speaking
Save words to review them later with flashcards.
“We had a lovely day out at the beach.”
“Our trip to the lake was really memorable.”
“The party didn't go as planned because the band was late.”
“Unfortunately, the museum was closed.”
“Luckily, someone found my wallet and gave it back.”
“At first I hated running, but now I love it.”
“We waited for an hour, but in the end we got a table.”
“We got lost in the old part of the city.”
“It was pouring, so we stayed inside.”
“I was embarrassed when I forgot my friend's name.”
“I visited Japan in 2019, and since then I've wanted to go back.”
