Vowels in TOEFL Speaking are like the different sounds you make when saying words.

Imagine you have a collection of different musical instruments. Each instrument produces a unique sound when you play it.

In TOEFL Speaking, vowels are like the notes you create when playing these musical instruments. Each vowel has its own distinct sound, just like each instrument produces a specific tone.

When you use vowels correctly in your speech, it means you produce the right sound for each vowel. It's like playing the correct notes on the musical instruments, creating a harmonious melody.

Using vowels accurately is important because it helps others understand what you are saying. It's like playing the right notes on the instruments, so people can recognize the melody you are trying to convey.

So, when you speak in the TOEFL Speaking test, pay attention to your vowels. Pronounce them accurately, as if you are playing the correct notes on musical instruments. This will ensure that your speech sounds clear and enables others to comprehend your words effectively.

Technical Explanation

Responses with a higher Vowels score (i.e. more "natural" pronunciation) correlate strongly with high TOEFL Speaking scores.

Overall Score

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

What this chart tells us

For the Vowels dimension, there is a strong relationship between vowel sounds in your response and your overall TOEFL Speaking score. To earn a high overall TOEFL Speaking score, you probably need to produce fewer unnatural (i.e. mispronounced) sounds than most other test takers.

• the Vowels score for this response is 45 (i.e. it scored in the 45th percentile)
• 55% of all responses scored higher; 45% of all responses scored lower
• responses with a Vowels score of 45 are consistent with an overall TOEFL Speaking score in the Fair range
• responses with a Vowels score between 59 and 77 scored in the Fair and the High ranges (i.e. where the blue/green bars overlap)
• the Impact of this dimension is 3/4, meaning there is a strong correlation between Vowels and your overall TOEFL Speaking score

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