TOEFL

TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

TOEFL is a standardized test to assess the ability of English language of non-native speakers. TOEFL is preferred and accepted by number of academic and professional institutions over the world. TOEFL is mainly popular in USA. Almost all USA universities accept TOEFL. TOEFL exam can be taken both computer based format test and another is paper based test. The test is scored on a scale of 0 to 120 points. Each of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) is scaled score from 0 to 30. The final score is totaled including all four. The validation of score is for two years.

Duration: 4 hours
Reading: 54-72 minutes
Listening: 41-59 minutes
Break Mandatory 10 minutes
Speaking: 17 minutes
Writing: 50 minutes

Let us understand the syllabus in detail.

TOEFL Reading: the Reading part is about to find out information and basic comprehension from the passage. Comprehension ability is tested through reading. There are 3 to 5 passages that contain 10 to 14 questions each. The score is based on the number of correct reading comprehension answers. There is no fixed number of question yet around 40 questions are expected.

TOEFL Listening: Listening is the measurement of the ability to understand the conversations and lectures in English. It is the assessment of basic comprehension and pragmatic understanding. It is also the assessment of the connecting synthesizing information. This section gives audio recordings of academic lectures, classroom discussions, and conversations. The questions are will be related to the lectures/discussions. Listening has two sections. First is 3 to 4 long lectures and second is 2 to 3 short conversations. Lectures have near about 30 questions, about 6 to 8 questions each lecture on the other hand conversations contain 10 to 15 questions, around 5 questions each conversation. There is no fixed number of questions yet almost 40 questions are expected.

TOEFL Speaking: Speaking section evaluates the ability to speak English effectively in an academic area. Speaking has 4 tasks that are related to real-life situations that we encounter both in and outside of a classroom environment. The section begins with Independent Task that is choice based; test taker is allotted 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to response. Second is Integrated Tasks that include Read/Listen/Speak. Third is Academic Course Topic --Preparation time: 30 seconds and Response time: 60 seconds. This section gives the passage that mainly illustrates a term, process, or idea from an academic subject. This is a text lecture that provides examples and specific information to elaborate the term, process, or idea from the reading passage. The question asks the test taker to include and share important information from the reading passage and the lecture excerpt. Fourth is Academic Course Topic-- Preparation time: 20 seconds and Response time: 60 seconds. The audio is an excerpt from a lecture that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate that term or concept. The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the examples and the overall topic.

TOEFL Writing: Writing want test takers to write responses based on the reading and listening tasks. The task requires supporting the opinion. It analyze the ability of to write in English in an academic setting. The high score depends on effectiveness of addressing the topic; the response should be well-organized and well-developed using relevant explanations and detailed support. Furthermore, writing must add unity, progression, and coherence. The writing consists of two tasks: Task 1 is Integrated Writing. One passage is given to read and the audio to listen on same topic. The test taker is advised to summarize the points in the passage and the lecture. Task 2 is Independent Writing that is an essay. The test taker is required to provide the view points or provide a response as required for the specific task.