Proper Voice Modulation in Answering the TOEFL Speaking Test

“My friend took the TOEFL exam a month ago and when she got her results, she was not that happy. She said that the content of her responses were okay; however, her voice was not modulated enough for the test. I am taking the TOEFL in three weeks, and I am wondering whether voice modulation bears a great deal of points in the TOEFL test.” –Alexandra, 28, nurse

One’s voice is a powerful tool in communication. Without it, human communication is nearly impossible. An individual’s voice allows him or her to express what he or she has in mind and even show his or her emotions. For the TOEFL or the Test of English as a Foreign Language, having a good voice quality is very important, as important as the content of the examinee’s response.

In the TOEFL speaking, the questions are all recorded and saved in a database. The examinee will have to answer six different questions in a very limited time of preparation and response. The TOEFL speaking test will gauge how well the examinee can express his or her own ideas on independent questions and how well he or she can organize and synthesize ideas in integrated tasks.

To become a good English speaker, one should improve one’s voice quality. The best trick here is to breathe through the chests. Have you ever heard of some people who have a very high pitched voice? This happens when you get air from your throat. When we breathe through our chests, the voice that is produced has a lower tone and well-modulated. It can be a little tricky; hence, one needs a lot of practice to achieve this trick.

When some people speak, it is quite obvious that they are controlling the pitch of their voices. The sound is quite unnatural compared to the natural speaking voice. When this happens, the voice is shaky and most of the time, it can cause some problems in delivering the response, like someone is running out of breath. A well-modulated voice is better since it sounds more matured. Hearing someone speak in a well-modulated voice gives you an impression that this person knows what he or she is talking about. He or she is knowledgeable on the topic; thus, raising some good impression from the listening public. Further, a well-modulated voice shows authority. This means that the person is confident with what he or she is saying. Being in authority means you are sure that your response is correct and you are on the right track in your TOEFL speaking test.

When a TOEFL test candidate has a modulated voice, the words that come out from his or her mouth are clear. There is no difficulty in understanding the vocabulary, the sentences, and even the content. Some people do not open their mouths when they speak. As a result, the response becomes very confusing and they get a low score in the TOEFL test.

How to achieve a good modulated voice for the TOEFL test? Here’s how.

• Breathe through the chest, not through your throat. 

• Practice humming. This will help in getting your pitch lower.

• Do not should when speaking. Listen to the volume of your voice. 

• Do not speak fast. Be cautious with the speed of your response. 

• Open your mouth when speaking. 

• Do some tongue twisters before speaking. 

• Have proper posture when sitting down. 

• Breathe properly. 

• Do facial exercise. Open your mouth wide and close it for about five times. Smile. 

• Always be assertive when you speak. It adds to your authority.

Use your natural modulated speaking voice in speaking. Remember that a very good content in your response paired with a well-modulated voice is a winning combination for the TOEFL speaking test. 

For more TOEFL Tips you can refer to this link toeflreview.blogspot.com.