TOEFL 2026 Speaking Practice — Level Easy (for score 80+) #05

Listen to each question and give a spoken response. Aim to speak for 20–30 seconds per answer.

Score 100 — Perfect

I remember a time when I went shopping for my best friend’s birthday gift last month. I really wanted to find something unique, so I spent hours wandering through this large, local crafts market downtown. I was actually getting pretty frustrated because I couldn’t find anything that felt right, and I was starting to lose hope. But then, I stumbled upon this small stall selling handmade ceramic mugs. The designs were so intricate and beautiful that I was immediately captivated. I picked out a blue one with a gold handle, and it felt like the perfect choice. Not only that, but the artist even wrapped it up for me on the spot. It was such a satisfying experience because I found something truly special, which made the whole trip memorable for me.

132 words

Score 80 — Good

I remember a time when I went shopping for a birthday gift for my best friend. I went to a big mall downtown because I really wanted to find something special for her. I spent hours walking around and looking at different stores, but nothing felt right. Finally, I found this beautiful handmade necklace in a small shop. It was a bit expensive, but I bought it because I knew she would love it. The experience was memorable for me because I felt really happy when I finally found the perfect item after looking for so long. It was a tiring day, but it was worth it in the end.

110 words

Score 100 — Perfect

In my daily life, I prefer shopping for my needs online because it’s just so much more efficient. Honestly, I’m a busy student, so I don’t really have the time to wander around crowded malls. For instance, last week I needed to buy a new desk lamp for my dorm. Instead of driving to the store and searching the aisles, I just opened an app, compared a few prices, and had it delivered to my door the next day. It was such a seamless experience! Using online platforms is honestly a pivotal part of my routine now because it saves me so much energy. Not only that, but I can easily read reviews to make sure I’m getting a good product. So yeah, for me, the convenience of digital shopping is just way better than going out in person.

139 words

Score 80 — Good

In my daily life, I prefer shopping online for most of my needs. I think it is just way more convenient for me because I’m usually pretty busy with school and work. If I need to buy things like toothpaste, snacks, or cleaning supplies, I can just order them on my phone in a few minutes. It saves me so much time because I don’t have to drive to the store or walk around looking for items on the shelves. Also, I can easily compare prices online to find the best deal. I really like how simple it is, so I pretty much do all my shopping that way now.

110 words

Score 100 — Perfect

Personally, I strongly believe that online shopping is far better for the average consumer. I mean, the sheer convenience is just unbeatable, right? You don’t have to deal with crowds or long checkout lines at the mall. For instance, just last week I needed a new pair of running shoes, and instead of driving across town, I just hopped on a website. I was able to compare prices across five different brands in seconds. This kind of accessibility is truly profound when you have a busy schedule. Not only that, but online stores usually have way more variety, so it’s much easier to find exactly what you want. While some people enjoy the tactile experience of a physical store, I think the time you save online is worth so much more. So yeah, I’m definitely an online shopper.

138 words

Score 80 — Good

Personally, I strongly believe that online shopping is better for the average person. It’s just so much more convenient than going to a physical store. I mean, you don’t have to spend time traveling or waiting in long lines at the checkout counter. Also, you can easily compare prices from many different websites, so it’s a lot easier to find a good deal. For example, last month I wanted to buy a new pair of sneakers, and I found them online for a much cheaper price than in the mall. I also like that there is a huge variety of items available. It’s just a really efficient way to shop for things like that.

114 words

Score 100 — Perfect

I think it would be beneficial for local governments to support small shops. Honestly, it’s getting harder for them to compete with giant online retailers. I mean, small businesses are the heart of our neighborhoods, right? For instance, there’s a lovely independent bookstore in my hometown called ‘The Book Nook.’ They’ve been struggling lately because everyone just buys books online for cheaper. If the city offered them tax breaks, they could lower their prices and actually stay in business. Not only that, but hosting local street festivals would draw more people in, which is a **pivotal** way to build a sense of community. As a result, these shops would be more **resilient** against big corporations. So yeah, I definitely think government support is necessary to keep our local economy diverse and vibrant.

132 words

Score 80 — Good

I think it would be beneficial for local governments to support small shops. You know, big online retailers are just so convenient, so it’s really hard for small businesses to compete. If the government offered tax breaks, these shop owners could keep their prices lower and stay in business. Also, hosting special events like street fairs or local festivals would encourage people to come out and shop in person. It makes the neighborhood feel more alive, right? I mean, small shops are the heart of a community, and without them, everything would just look the same. So, I really think some extra support would make a big difference for our local economy and keep things unique.

116 words