All about the TOEFL exam | TOEFL sample test, exam pattern
The TOEFL exam (Test of English as a foreign language) is an English proficiency test used to assess your ability to speak and understand English. If you’re planning to study abroad, exams like TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE, are an absolute must. In this blog, find out all about the TOEFL exam and also take the TOEFL sample test
The TOEFL exam is conducted by the Educational Testing Service throughout the year because of its importance for students wishing to study abroad. Gathering all the required information on TOEFL exam preparation or syllabus can be hectic for a student already occupied with getting the required grades for his dream school. This is where we can help – by telling you all that you need to know about the exam pattern, syllabus, and tips, and giving you a TOEFL sample test!
What’s it about?
The TOEFL exam was first administered in 1964 in the USA. With the passage of time, many institutions have grown to accept it as their official English proficiency tool. While the TOEFL exam is available in both internet-based (TOEFL iBT) and paper-delivered formats, 98% of TOEFL test takers worldwide opt for the TOEFL iBT test due to the convenience and ease of the testing manner. Some of the top countries that accept TOEFL include:
These tests are organized up to 50 times every year and a student can choose to appear in any of these slots. However, you cannot take the exam more than once in a 3-day period. Keep in mind – every time you register for a test, you need to pay the test fee.
The TOEFL syllabus consists of 4 Major sections:
Listening
This section contains 3 to 4 lectures, and some lectures contain classroom discussions. Each lecture is around 3-5 minutes long, and at the end of each, you will be asked 6 questions. Also included in this portion are normal, daily-life conversations. You’ll get to listen to 2-3 conversations, each being 3 minutes long. You’ll be asked 5 questions at the end of each conversation. The accents used in the listening portion are those of native-speakers from all over North America. Apart from North American accents, you might also hear some accents from other English-speaking countries like:
Australia New Zealand The United Kingdom
The total time allotted to this section can vary between 41-57 minutes and the score for this portion of the test is between 0 and 30. A sample of the listening section can be found here.
Speaking
This portion of the test consists of 4 tasks. You’ll be assigned 1 independent task to express your opinion on a topic you’re familiar with. You’ll have 30 seconds to prepare your response. Apart from that, you will have 3 integrated speaking tasks based on reading and listening. You’ll have 1 minute to prepare your response. The total time allotted to this section is 17 minutes. You’ll be scored out of 0-4 points, and then your points will be converted to a scale between 0 to 30. An example of the speaking section can be found here. This example is 11 seconds long and you have 45 seconds to respond.
Reading
The reading section of the test consists of 3-4 multiple-focus passages (compare/contrast, cause-effect). Each passage consists of 10 questions. The time allotted to this section can vary between 54-72 minutes, depending on the number of passages given in the test. The scores for this portion of the test can range between 0 and 30. You can take a look at the TOEFL practice test for reading right here
Writing
You’ll have two tasks in this section of the test.
Section 1- An integrated task based on what is read and heard. You’ll have 20 minutes to complete this. Section 2- An independent task to support an opinion on a topic. You’ll have 30 minutes to complete this.
The total time allotted to this section is 50 minutes and you’ll be scored on a point range of 0 to 5, which will then be converted to a score scale of 0 to 30.
TOEFL scores
The total score for the TOEFL test can range between 0 and 120. The authorities responsible for checking the test include a combination of certified Educational testing service raters and AI. You will receive your scores online 6 days after the test date. You will get a hard copy of the reports within 11 days of your exam.