The TOEFL is an English proficiency test for non-native speakers of English. It measures a person’s ability to read, write, speak and understand English used in college or university. This means it concentrates on the formal academic English used in lectures as well as the informal English used in normal campus life by students, professors and other college or university employees. A TOEFL score is valid for 2 years, and then is deleted from the official database.
TOEFL Tests
The TOEFL exam tests four areas –- reading, listening, speaking and writing –- but demands many more secondary and support skills. These include grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, note-taking, summarizing, synthesizing, outlining, skimming, scanning and mind mapping.
Each of the four sections of the TOEFL test – reading, writing, listening and speaking – is scored on a scale of 0 – 30. You receive a score for each section of the test as well as an overall score, which is the total of the section scores added together. The highest overall score you can get on the TOEFL iBt is 120.
Different universities accept various minimum scores for admission purposes. In addition, universities may ask for a minimum score in a particular section of the test, based on the academic program you are applying for.
The Internet-based TOEFL Test
The TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) tests all four language skills that are important for effective communication: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The test helps students demonstrate that they have the English skills needed for success.
Benefit of an Internet-based Test
TOEFL iBT emphasizes integrated skills and provides better information to institutions about students' ability to communicate in an academic setting and their readiness for academic coursework. With Internet-based testing, ETS can capture speech and score responses in a standardized manner.Online registration and online score reporting make it easier for students to register for TOEFL iBT and receive their test scores
Where to Take the Test
TOEFL iBT is taken via the Internet at ETS-certified test centers. This makes it possible to greatly expand the number of locations where the test can be taken.
About TOEFL iBT
- The TOEFL iBT test has a new Speaking section, which includes independent tasks as well as integrated tasks in which you need to respond to material that you have read and listened to.
- There is no longer a Structure section, but grammar is indirectly tested in each section.
- Note taking is allowed throughout the test.
- The lectures and conversations in the Listening section are longer, but the language sounds much more like real life. Also, there are new types of questions that measure understanding of a speaker's attitude, degree of purpose and certainty.
- The Reading section has new questions that ask test takers to categorize information and fill in a chart or complete a summary.
- In the Writing section, typing is required. There is an integrated task in addition to the independent task, and the scoring guides for rating are different from those used for the current test.
Duration of the Test
The duration of the test is 4 hours.