TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is a standard test used to measure the English language ability of the non-native speakers to use and understand English, who aim to enrol in the English speaking institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS and is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions.
Who takes the TOEFL
TOEFL is taken by the students planning to pursue higher education in a foreign country, candidates wishing to secure scholarships, workers pursuing jobs in English speaking countries and individuals who wish to improve on their English learning skills.
Test Structure
TOEFL has 4 test sections – Reading, Listening, Speaking & Writing
Reading
This section has questions on passages (4-6) and each passage is approx 700 words. The time for this section is 60 – 80 mins. This section tests the ability of the individual to understand, interpret, infer academic topics.
Listening
This section has questions on 6 passages and each are of 3-5 minutes. The time for this section is 60 – 90 mins. The passages cover two student conversations and four academic discussions. Each conversation/discussion is only heard once. This section tests the ability of the student to listen and understand the main idea, the theme, information and other aspects from the conversations/discussions.
Speaking
This section has 6 tasks: 2 independent & 4 integrated. The time for this section is 20 mins. Test-takers are given a short preparation time before they have to begin speaking and they can take down notes to prepare their responses. The responses are digitally recorded, sent to ETS’s Online Scoring Network (OSN), and evaluated by three to six raters.
Writing
This section has 2 tasks: 1 independent & 1 integrated. The time for this section is 50 mins. Responses are sent to the ETS’s Online Scoring Network (OSN), and evaluated by at least 3 different raters
Where is it conducted
The TOEFL test is developed and administered by the US-based “Educational Testing Service” (ETS). It is offered as Internet Based or Paper Based (for areas where Internet based is not available). The test lasts roughly four hours. You can register for the test by logging on to https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/register
TOEFL Score Reporting & Validity
TOEFL scores are reported on a scale of 0 to 30 for each section and a scale of 0 to 120 for the entire test. TOEFL test scores are valid for two years after your test administration date.
