Sustained Speech: Maintaining consistent delivery

Modified on Mon, 29 Jul at 2:09 PM

Sustained Speech in TOEFL Speaking is like running a marathon. Imagine you are running a long race and need to keep going without stopping.


  • Analogy: When you speak with sustained speech, it means you can continue talking for a long time without pausing, just like running a race without stopping to rest.
  • Purpose: Having good sustained speech shows that you can keep your thoughts flowing and continue talking without running out of things to say. It's like having the stamina to keep running without getting tired.
  • Benefit: When you sustain your speech, it helps the listener understand your ideas better because they can follow your thoughts without interruptions or pauses.


In the TOEFL Speaking test, aim to keep your speech continuous and fluid, just like running a marathon. Keep your thoughts flowing and express your ideas without long pauses, which demonstrates good sustained speech and effective communication.


Technical Explanation

  • Dimension: Sustained Speech
  • Model: Delivery
  • Construct: Fluency
  • Impact on Overall Score: Very Strong
  • Definition: How smoothly you speak, measured by the number of words spoken without disfluencies.


Responses with a higher Sustained Speech score correlate very strongly with higher TOEFL Speaking scores.



Overall Score Ranges

  • Good: 26-30
  • Fair: 18-25
  • Limited: 10-17
  • Weak: 0-9


What the Numbers Tell Us

  • The chart shows that a Sustained Speech score of 94 is typically associated with high overall TOEFL Speaking scores in the "Good" range (26-30). This indicates that the ability to speak continuously without frequent pauses is a key factor in achieving top scores.
  • Some responses with Sustained Speech scores in the range of 65 to 75 have received overall TOEFL Speaking scores in both the "Fair" and "Good" ranges. This suggests that while Sustained Speech is crucial, it is not the only determinant of the final score; other factors like coherence, vocabulary, and grammar also play significant roles.
  • The data indicates that responses with higher Sustained Speech scores generally outperform those with lower scores, although there are overlaps in scoring ranges. This emphasizes that while Sustained Speech is a significant factor, it must be complemented by other aspects of fluency and content quality to achieve the highest scores.
  • The impact of this dimension is rated as very strong, meaning that Sustained Speech is a critical component in determining your overall TOEFL Speaking score.


Conclusion: Maintaining a high Sustained Speech score by speaking continuously and fluently can significantly enhance your TOEFL Speaking score. However, it's important to ensure that your speech is not only sustained but also clear, coherent, and well-organized to achieve the best possible score.


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