TOEFL



What Is the TOEFL Test?

The Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL®) measures the English-ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written, and heard in college and university settings.

The TOEFL test is offered in different formats depending on a test taker's location.

For TOEFL Model Questions, Click Here...

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.

What Is the 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.

When Will TOEFL iBT Be Available?

TOEFL iBT was introduced in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Puerto Rico in 2005. The second phase of the rollout began on March 25, 2006, when test centers in selected cities in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East, and North Africa offered TOEFL iBT for the first time. TOEFL iBT introduction dates have not yet been set for some countries . When these countries are ready to implement TOEFL iBT, a message will be posted on this Web site. To provide continued access for TOEFL and TSE test takers in these areas, ETS will offer the paper-based and compute-based TOEFL test and the TSE test until TOEFL iBT can be delivered.

What Is Happening To The Current TOEFL Tests?

The computer- and paper-based (CBT, PBT) versions of the TOEFL test will be given at a particular location until the Internet-based version is implemented.

Why Take the TOEFL Test?

Most people take the TOEFL test as a prerequisite for admission into colleges and universities where English is used or required. In addition, many government, licensing, and certification agencies and exchange and scholarship programs use TOEFL scores to evaluate the English proficiency of people for whom English is not their native language.

Who Should Take the TOEFL Test?

Nonnative English speakers at the 11th-grade level or above should take the TOEFL test to provide evidence of their English proficiency before beginning academic work. The test content is considered too difficult for students below 11th grade. Many institutions report that they frequently do not require TOEFL test scores of certain kinds of international applicants.

These include

• nonnative speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from postsecondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)
• nonnative speakers who have successfully completed at least a two-year course of study in which English was the language of instruction.
• transfer students from institutions in the United States or Canada whose academic course work was favorably evaluated in relation to its demands and duration.
• nonnative speakers who have taken the TOEFL test within the past two years.
• nonnative speakers who have successfully pursued academic work at schools where English was the language of instruction in an English-speaking country for a specified period, generally two years.
Students should contact their prospective institutions directly concerning their specific admission requirements.



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.

Who Accepts TOEFL Scores?

More than 6,000 colleges, universities, and licensing agencies in 110 countries accept TOEFL scores.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Internet-based Test

This Frequently Asked Questions section contains questions and answers about the TOEFL Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT).

Registration

• When will TOEFL iBT be introduced in my country?
• How will I know when my test center is transitioning to TOEFL iBT?
• How much longer will TOEFL CBT or PBT testing be available in my country?
• How much does the TOEFL iBT test cost?
• How far in advance can I register?
• How do I register for the test?
• If I'm already registered to take a paper-based or computer-based test at a test center and the center begins offering the iBT test, what happens?

Scores and Score Reports

• How do I get my scores?
• How do I order additional score reports?

Test Delivery

• How is the TOEFL iBT test administered?
• What is the Internet-based test like?
• What's different about the test?
• Can I take just a specific section of the test?

Test Benefits

• Is the Internet-based test more difficult?
• What benefits does the Internet-based test provide?

Test Scores

• How is the Speaking section scored?
• How is the Writing section scored?
• Has the TOEFL score scale changed for Internet-based testing?
• What happens to scores from previous tests?
• Will institutions still accept previous scores?

Test Preparation

• How can I practice for the Internet-based test? General
• Will the Test of Spoken English? (TSE®) be available as a stand-alone test after September 2005?

Registration

When will TOEFL iBT be introduced in my country?

Rather than delivering TOEFL iBT in every location within a country, ETS is introducing the iBT test in selected cities in specific countries.

How will I know when my test center is transitioning to TOEFL iBT?

Test takers should check this information before registering to determine whether TOEFL iBT will be administered in their area. They should also check the TOEFL iBT online registration system because additional test centers are added daily to the testing network.
TOEFL iBT introduction dates have not yet been set for some countries . When these countries are ready to implement TOEFL iBT, a message will be posted on this Web site.

How much longer will TOEFL CBT or PBT testing be available in my country?

The TOEFL iBT test is being introduced in selected cities in a country as test centers become available. At the same time, the current form of testing (CBT or PBT) is being retained to ensure that there is sufficient capacity for all who want to test. ETS will maintain the current version of the test in locations where TOEFL iBT has not yet been introduced.

How much does the TOEFL iBT test cost?

The TOEFL iBT test fee varies by country. Select the country where you plan to test to see the fee. See Fees for Tests and Services for preferred forms of payment.

How far in advance can I register?

When a particular city is ready to offer TOEFL iBT, and the centers are added to the TOEFL iBT test center list, you will be able to register for that particular city approximately one month in advance.



Test takers may register:

• online (credit card or e-check required)
• by phone (credit card or e-check required) - In the United States, Canada, or U.S. Territories, call 1-443-751-4862 or 1-800-GO-TOEFL (1-800-468-6335). Outside the U.S., Canada, or U.S. Territories, call your Regional Registration Center. If you live outside the U.S. and want to test in the U.S., call 1-443-751-4862. For TTY access, call 1-800-529-3590.
• by mail - Complete the TOEFL iBT Registration Form. Include payment. Mail the completed form according to the instructions on the form.

If I'm already registered to take a paper-based or computer-based test at a test center and the center begins offering the iBT test, what happens?

If you are already registered for a particular format of the test (either computer- or paper-based), ETS will honor that registration and administer the TOEFL in that format. At this time, students who registered for TOEFL computer- or paper-based tests will not be required to take TOEFL iBT.

Scores and Score Reports

How do I get my scores?

Your TOEFL test payment entitles you to • one printed and one online examinee score record
• up to four official score reports that ETS will send directly to the institutions or agencies you designate when registering for the test.

Scores are posted online 15 business days after the test date and then mailed to you and your designated score recipients.

How do I order additional score reports?

You can order additional iBT score reports online, by fax, or by mail, and have them sent to institutions you did not identify when you registered to test. You need your registration number to place an order. Credit cards are required for online and fax orders.

To order by fax, print and complete the TOEFL® iBT Score Report Request Form and fax it with your complete credit card information to 1-610-290-8972.

To order by mail, print and complete the TOEFL® iBT Score Report Request Form and mail it with your payment to:

ETS-TOEFL iBT
P.O. Box 6153
Princeton, NJ 08541-6153 U.S.A.
www.ets.org/TOEFL



Test Delivery

How is the TOEFL iBT test administered?

The test is administered on fixed dates at secure Internet-based test centers. Internet-based testing makes it possible to greatly expand the number of test centers in what is already the world's largest testing network.

Most areas where the TOEFL iBT test is offered will have 30 to 40 administrations a year, but the number will vary based on the number of test takers and test center capacity.

What is the Internet-based test like?

The test includes four sections and takes about four hours to complete.

Reading Comprehension Section:
Time limit: 60-100 minutes
No. of Questions: 36-70


Listening Comprehension Section:
Time limit: 60-90 minutes
No. of Questions: 34-51

Break : 10 minutes

Speaking Section:
Time limit: 20 minutes
No. of Questions: 6 tasks


Writing Section:
Time limit: 50 minutes
No. of Questions: 2 tasks

For TOEFL Model Questions, Click Here...

What's different about the test?

• The TOEFL iBT has a new Speaking section, which includes independent and integrated tasks.

• There is no longer a Structure section. Grammar is tested on questions and tasks in each section.

• Lectures and conversations in the Listening section are longer, but note-taking is allowed. In fact, note-taking is allowed throughout the entire test.

• The speech in the listening material sounds more natural. Also, there are new questions that measure understanding of a speaker's attitude, degree of certainty, and purpose.

• The Reading section has new questions that ask test takers to categorize information and fill in a chart or complete a summary.

• The Writing section requires typing. There is an integrated task in addition to the current independent task, and the scoring guides (rubrics) used for rating are different from the current test.

Can I take just a specific section of the test?

No, the entire test must be taken to receive a score.

Test Benefits

Is the Internet-based test more difficult?

The TOEFL iBT Reading and Listening sections are not dramatically different from those on the current TOEFL test. The integrated tasks on the TOEFL iBT Speaking and Writing sections may be considered more challenging because they are new to test takers. However, to succeed academically in English-speaking colleges and universities, students need to be able to combine their language skills in the classroom.

The integrated tasks in the new test will help learners build the confidence needed to communicate in the academic environments they plan to enter.

What benefits does the Internet-based test provide?

The inclusion of Speaking, the use of integrated skills, and the emphasis on communicative competence will have great impact on how English is taught in the future. Students and other test takers will develop a higher level of English ability as a result, and will have confidence that they will be able to communicate and succeed.

Admissions officials and faculty at English-speaking colleges and universities, as well as administrators of certification and licensing agencies, will have better information about their applicants' English communication abilities.

Test Scores

How is the Speaking section scored?

Each of the six tasks is rated from 0 to 4, and the average of these scores is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30. Human scorers rate the responses. They evaluate the test-taker's ability in topic development, delivery, and language use.

How is the Writing section scored?

The two tasks are rated from 0 to 5, and the average of these scores is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30.

Human scorers rate the responses. Scorers evaluate the integrated writing task on the overall quality of the writing (development, organization, appropriate and precise use of grammar and vocabulary) and the completeness and accuracy of the content. Scorers rate the independent writing essay on the overall quality of the writing:

. Development
. Organization
. Appropriate and precise use of grammar and vocabulary.

Has the TOEFL score scale changed for Internet-based testing?

Yes. The new score scale is shown here.

Listening Score range: 0-30

Reading0 Score range: 0-30

Speaking Score range: 0-30

Writing Score range: 0-30

Total Score range: 0-120

The total score is the sum of the four skill scores.

What happens to scores from previous tests?

ETS will report previous scores for two years after the original test date.

Will institutions still accept previous scores?

Requirements vary from institution to institution. Test takers should check with their prospective institutions or agencies to determine specific requirements.

Test Preparation

How can I practice for the Internet-based test?

This Web site has many resources you may find helpful to familiarize yourself with the test.

Purchase other practice materials through store.

General

Will the Test of Spoken English (TSE®) be available as a stand-alone test after September 2005?

The TSE test will be administered as a stand-alone test until TOEFL iBT is available worldwide.

The Computer-based TOEFL Test

The computer-based TOEFL test (TOEFL CBT) measures English language proficiency in the following areas:

* Listening

* Structure

* Reading

* Writing

In areas where TOEFL iBT is not yet available, the paper-based version of the TOEFL test will be offered to continue to provide access for TOEFL test takers in these areas.

TOEFL CBT scores are valid for two years from the administration date. During this period you can send your TOEFL CBT score report to the institutions of your choice.

The Paper-based TOEFL Test

The paper-based TOEFL test measures

Listening Comprehension
Structure and Written Expression
Reading Comprehension.

For TOEFL Model Questions, Click Here...

For more information regarding TOEFL...
www.ets.org/toefl

TOEFL to HOME PAGE

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