Everything you must know about TOEFL Exam

What exactly is the ETS TOEFL Exam?

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. The ETS TOEFL exam is a globally acknowledged, standardized assessment of English language proficiency. It evaluates the reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills of international students. The test score plays a crucial role in the admission process for studying abroad. The TOEFL exam score is accepted by more than 150 countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Since its inception in 1964, the ETS TOEFL exam curriculum and methodology have aligned with the criteria set by universities and institutions. The last iteration took place in 2005, and the examination was named TOEFL iBT. The current test comprises activities that evaluate the candidate’s proficiency in Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking, ensuring they satisfy the requirements of prestigious academic institutions in the present day.

Specifications of the TOEFL Exam Strategies

ETS TOEFL Exam:

The ETS TOEFL conducts the English proficiency examination through two different methods. The TOEFL exams are categorized into two types: internet-based (TOEFL iBT) and paper-based (TOEFL PBT).

 TOEFL iBT ETS test:

 The TOEFL-IBT examination is highly favored, with a majority of students, exceeding 90%, opting to take the exam online. The TOEFL-IBT examination is comprised of four distinct portions, namely speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Students are required to finish all sections using a computer that is equipped with both a microphone and camera. Due to the absence of a dedicated segment in the IBT test pattern for evaluating applicants’ grammatical abilities, the writing section is subjected to thorough scrutiny.

TOEFL ETS – Paper-Based Test: The TOEFL PBT is a paper-based English language proficiency test. This exam is available to students residing far from internet-based testing locations. The structure of the TOEFL PBT test diverges from the IBT in that it incorporates a distinct essay component. The audio recordings in the Paper-Based Test (PBT) listening section are of shorter duration compared to those in the Internet-Based Test (IBT).

What are the reasons for taking the ETS TOEFL Exam?

Global students have the ability to reserve an internet-based TOEFL examination and locate testing facilities inside their country of residence. Students have the option to select a timetable that suits their needs due to the availability of 50 ETS TOEFL iBT test dates annually. The test results will be accessible within approximately 10-15 days. The TOEFL examination assesses students’ proficiency in English on a scale ranging from one to four; the speaking test is conducted by a panel of three to four examiners.

What is the precise definition of ETS TOEFL login?

The ETS TOEFL login is the website via which you can enroll for the TOEFL IBT Exam. Students can use their login credentials to do the following:

• You can reschedule, cancel, or view your registration information.
• View or apply for a testing location.
• TOEFL scores can be downloaded or viewed.
• To change information such as your phone number or email address.

How can I register for the TOEFL exam using my ETS account?

• Register at the official ETS website.
• Make careful to enter your name exactly as it appears on your identity paper on the day of the TOEFL test.
• You will receive a confirmation email after providing all required information and creating a profile.
• Log in with your password and then click the ‘Register for a Test’ option.
• Select a test date and location.
• Finish the TOEFL registration procedure.
• You can register online up to 15 days before a test date.

How do I register for the TOEFL by mail?

• Download the TOEFL Registration Form from the ETS website.
• Fill out the form using a blue or black ink pen.
• Send the form and payment to the address listed on the registration form.
• Please submit the form at least four weeks before the test date.
• Receive the email confirmation.

How can I register for the TOEFL over the phone?

• To register and take the test, call the TOEFL Regional Registration Centre directly.
• Students who register by phone must do so at least 7 days before the test date.
• The registration cost can be paid by debit or credit card.

Eligibility for the TOEFL Examination

What is the TOEFL exam eligibility?

There are no age or certification requirements for eligibility. However, while taking the exam, the individual must have a valid passport. For Nepalese students, the TOEFL eligibility conditions are the same as the general standards.

What is the TOEFL test passing score?

Because each university has its own minimal mark for this test, there is no common passing grade. The overall band score of the test taker must meet the college/university’s qualifying requirements.

How many times can the TOEFL be retaken?

There are no time limits on how many times you can retake the exam. However, there must be a three-day break between efforts.

What are the documents that must be brought with you to the exam?

The candidate must have a paper copy of the confirmation email from the ETS that includes the registration number.
A current passport.

How can I sign up for the TOEFL?

• You must first register with ETS at https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/register/.
• Select the’Register Online’ option.
• Fill in all of the required information, evaluate it, and submit it.
• Create an account by providing a username, password, and security question (Once you have an account, you can select an appropriate day and testing location).
• After selecting the date and place, click on the register.

How should I prepare for the TOEFL exam?

You can either enrol in a TOEFL tutoring programme near you or begin preparing on your own as long as you have the necessary tools. However, by attending a tutoring centre, you can benefit from qualified TOEFL trainers’ instruction and services.

The average preparation period is less than three weeks with persistent hard work. If you want to get a high band score on the TOEFL, you should start studying at least 2-3 months before the exam.

If you are preparing on your own, you could use the TOEFL exam preparation resources listed below:

ETS TOEFL Practice Exam:

TOEFL Reading Practicum:

Regular reading is one of the finest strategies to prepare for this section. To improve their vocabulary, test participants can read newspapers, university textbooks, magazines, and a wide range of literature. They must also make an effort to summarize or draw inferences from what they read. This will help them improve their understanding abilities.

Listening Practice Test for the TOEFL:

In this phase, the test taker must begin by listening to a variety of audio files, such as news stories, songs, movies, and documentaries. Making conclusions from the audio will help you understand it better.

TOEFL Writing Sample Exam:

Test takers might construct a list of the most frequently encountered themes in the writing portion. Students can then begin the preparation process by writing about them. For each topic, test takers must introduce a statement and come up with an appropriate evidence-based conclusion.

TOEFL Speaking Exam Practice:

The vocabulary gained from the reading tasks can be applied to the test. They must also work on increasing their grammar abilities, pronunciation, and intonation patterns. Test takers can also prepare for some of the most popular topics in this area on their own.

Beginning July 26, the TOEFL exam pattern will be shortened.

ETS, the TOEFL exam’s administering authority, has reduced the TOEFL exam pattern to slightly less than 2 hours and has various enhancements to the TOEFL test overall experience which got online on July 26, 2023. The enhancements are helpful for ETS to achieve its goal of providing a smooth experience to TOEFL English language test takers who want to study abroad.

TOEFL Exam Syllabus (current)

Here is the latest TOEFL syllabus for the benefit of our TOEFL test-takers.

TOEFL Syllabus: Reading Comprehension Section

In this section, the candidate will be required to read 3-5 passages and answer 12-14 questions on each passage. The section is scored based on the number of correct reading comprehension responses.

Question type: 3–4 passages, 10 questions each
Total no. of questions: About 40
Total time: 54-72 minutes

TOEFL Syllabus: Listening Section

In this section, you will hear short conversations as well as long conversations. After the short conversation, you will be asked one question and multiple choices of answers will be given. You have to choose one answer. In long conversations, you will be asked multiple questions based on the conversation.

Question type: a) 3–4 lectures (3-5 minutes long, about 500-800 words), 6 questions each; About 30 questions in total
b) 2–3 conversations (about 3 minutes long, about 12-25 exchanges), 5 questions each; About 12 questions in total
Total no. of questions: 40+
Total time: 41–57 minutes

TOEFL Syllabus: Speaking Section

For you to earn the highest scores in the Speaking Section, your responses must fulfil the demands of the task given with only minor mistakes or lapses. The test graders are looking for a highly intelligible and sustained conversation. There are three main factors that comprise scoring for the section.

Speaking Questions covered in TOEFL Syllabus:

a) 1 independent task (prep time: 15 sec; response time: 45 sec)

b) 3 integrated tasks – Read/Listen/Speak (prep time: 30 sec; response time: 60 sec)

Total no. of questions: 4

Total time: 17 minutes

TOEFL Syllabus: Writing Section

The essay should effectively address a topic. The response should be well-organized and well-developed using relevant explanations and detailed support. Furthermore, it should also display unity, progression, and coherence. If you want to achieve a high writing score, make sure that you demonstrate syntactic variety and appropriate word choice with minor grammatical errors.
Writing Questions Covered in TOEFL Syllabus:

a) 1 integrated task – Read/Listen/Write (20 minutes) (reading time: 3 min; Listening
time: 2 min; writing: 15 min)
b) 1 independent task (30 minutes)
Total no. of questions: 2
Total time: 50 minutes

TOEFL Exam Pattern

TOEFL pattern: Given below is a detailed TOEFL Exam pattern 2023 for the benefit of our test takers.

TOEFL Scoring Scale:

•Your Score Report will include the Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing component scores, as well as the overall score.

•Each section’s band score ranges from 0 to 30.

•The overall score ranges from 0 to 120 based on the combined score of all four components.