ETSx: TOEFL iBT Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide

 

TOEFL Exam

The TOEFL exam measures the English language proficiency of non-native speakers to ensure they can communicate effectively in an academic setting. It evaluates skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

To assess your ability to communicate, the test is divided into four sections: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing, which extend over the duration of approximately 2 hours.

The TOEFL exam total score ranges from 0 to 120.

The overall score and sectional scores will be sent to you after you complete the test.

As a test taker, you will be required to solve integrated tasks that combine more than one skill. For example, a section might have a passage to read, followed by an audio recording of a lecture or discussion based on the passage, and then you might be asked to verbally answer questions or summarize the content depending on the section. Let us have a synopsis of each of the sections.

TOEFL Test Pattern

The TOEFL test format includes four sections: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. It’s imperative for an aspirant to have a clear understanding of all the sections and the exam structure in order to prepare effectively for the test.

TOEFL Reading

• Duration: 35 minutes
• Score range: 0 to 30
• Total number of questions: 20
• May have multiple passages
• Each passage is followed by a set of questions based on the passage which need to be answered.

TOEFL Listening

• Duration: 36 minutes
• Score range: 0 to 30
• Total number of questions: 28
• You will be required to carefully listen to audio recordings of academic lectures, classroom discussions, and conversations.
• Each recording will have questions based on the lectures/discussions which will need to be answered.

TOEFL Speaking

• Duration: 16 minutes
• Score range: 0 to 30
• Total number of speaking tasks: 4
• You will be required to express your opinion on a familiar topic.
• You will be required to speak based on the listening and reading tasks.

Question 1: Independent Speaking Task — requires you to draw entirely on your own ideas, opinions, and experiences when you respond.

Questions 2–4: Integrated Speaking Tasks — require you to combine your English-language skills — listening and speaking, or listening, reading, and speaking — just as you would in or out of a classroom.

TOEFL Writing

• Duration: 29 minutes
• Score range: 0 to 30
• You will be required to write essay responses based on the reading and listening tasks.
• You will be required to support an opinion in writing.
• Total number of writing tasks: 2
• Integrated writing task (20 minutes) — read a short passage and listen to a short lecture, then write in response to what you read and listened to.
• Writing for an Academic Discussion task (10 minutes) — state and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion.

How Many Colleges and Universities Accept TOEFL Scores?

TOEFL scores are accepted by over 130 countries and 11,000 international universities, colleges, and educational institutes worldwide. TOEFL scores are accepted by educational institutions in major international education destinations such as the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. Candidates can easily register for the TOEFL exam and schedule appointments at TOEFL test centers at their convenience.

TOEFL Test Scores

Candidates must grasp how each section of the TOEFL exam is scored in order to comprehend their TOEFL exam score. Candidates receive an email when their exam scores are available six days after taking the exam. TOEFL scores can be accessed online. Candidates' printed score reports are mailed to them 11 days after the TOEFL exam date.