TOEFL 2026 Speaking Practice — Level Medium (for score 90+) #24

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 had to choose between a major career goal and my best friend’s wedding. It was about two years ago, and I was in the middle of a pivotal project at my firm. My boss basically told me that if I finished the proposal on time, I’d be in line for a promotion. But the deadline was the exact same weekend as my friend’s wedding in Busan. I ended up staying late every night to finish early, which was incredibly exhausting, but I managed to fly out for the ceremony. Looking back, it was a tough call, but I realized that maintaining those personal connections is just as important as professional success. I’m glad I pushed through, because it taught me that you can actually balance both if you’re disciplined.

135 words

Score 80 — Good

I remember a time when I had to choose between my career and my friends. It was last year, and I had a big project due at work. My friends were planning a trip for the weekend, but I knew I had to finish my report. I felt really bad because I wanted to go with them, but I also wanted to do a good job on my project. So, I decided to stay home and work all weekend. It was a tough choice, but I think it was the right thing to do. My boss was happy with my work, but I still felt kind of sad about missing the trip with my friends.

115 words

Score 100 — Perfect

In my daily life, I try to maintain a pretty strict boundary between my professional duties and my downtime. Honestly, I’m quite ambitious, so I used to work late into the night, but that just led to me feeling completely drained. Now, I’ve adopted a more nuanced approach where I treat my personal time as a non-negotiable appointment. For instance, every Tuesday and Thursday evening, I make sure to leave the office by 6:00 p.m. to attend a local yoga class. It’s a pivotal shift for me because it forces me to disconnect entirely from my emails. I find that when I’m well-rested, my productivity actually skyrockets the next morning. I prefer this balance because it makes my career goals feel sustainable rather than overwhelming, which is why I prioritize my well-being to stay motivated.

135 words

Score 80 — Good

In my daily life, I try to keep things pretty balanced, but I admit it’s hard sometimes. I usually focus on getting my work done early in the day because I want to be productive. I mean, I really value my career goals, so I work hard during the morning and afternoon. But, after 6:00 PM, I make a rule to stop checking my emails or doing any tasks. I think this is the best approach because if I don’t give myself some time to relax, I just feel exhausted the next day. It’s important to have that break so I can stay focused when I’m actually working, you know? It’s just better for me.

115 words

Score 100 — Perfect

Personally, I strongly believe that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is actually the key to long-term career success. Some people think you have to grind away every single hour, but I find that approach to be inherently counterintuitive because it just leads to burnout. For instance, my older brother, David, used to work eighty hours a week at his firm, and honestly, his productivity plummeted after a few months. He was just exhausted, you know? Once he started prioritizing his personal time and hobbies, he actually became more focused and efficient during office hours. I mean, if you’re constantly drained, you can’t really produce your best work. So, I’m convinced that a balanced life doesn’t hinder your ambitions; instead, it provides the energy needed to truly excel in your profession.

130 words

Score 80 — Good

Personally, I strongly believe that having a balanced life is better for being successful at work. I mean, if you only focus on working long hours, you just end up feeling really tired and burnt out after a while. I think that when you have time to relax or spend time with your friends, you actually come back to your job with more energy. It’s kind of like, you need that time away to clear your head so you can be more creative when you’re actually at the office. So, I don’t really think sacrificing your personal life is the right way to go because it makes you less productive in the long run.

114 words

Score 100 — Perfect

I think it would be a huge mistake for governments to strictly regulate after-hours emails, even though work-life balance is obviously important. See, I feel like every job is just inherently different. For instance, my older brother works for a global tech firm in Seoul, and because he deals with clients in New York, his work hours are naturally unconventional. If the government forced his company to ban late-night emails, it would actually make his job way more stressful instead of helping him. I mean, he prefers having the flexibility to handle things on his own terms. Don’t get me wrong, I think companies should encourage breaks, but mandating these policies is a bit too rigid. I’d say it’s better for individual teams to set their own boundaries rather than having some systemic, one-size-fits-all law.

135 words

Score 80 — Good

I think it would be a really good idea for companies to implement these kinds of policies. Actually, I feel like many employees are just constantly stressed out because they feel pressured to check their emails late at night. If companies banned after-hours emails, it would help people finally disconnect and relax at home. I mean, it’s just hard to enjoy your free time when you’re worried about work messages, right? So, having a rule like that would make a big difference for everyone’s well-being. It’s definitely better than the current situation where work just feels like it never ends because of technology and things like that.

107 words