What is TOEFL Test?
TOEFL is one of the two main English proficiency Test, other being IELTS. TOEFL is required to be given by the students who want to apply for higher studies in USA or any other country or university that accepts the TOEFL score. The test is conducted to check the English speaking, reading, writing and listening skills of the non-native English speakers. The objective of the exam is to check whether the students who is applying to study abroad in a foreign country knows sufficient English language required to study and manage their day today activities in foreign country. The complete detail about the TOEFL exam is given below:
What is the full form of TOEFL?
TOEFL full form: – Test of English as a Foreign Language.
What is TOEFL exam used for?
The TOEFL test is given by a students who is from a non-English speaking country and want to take the admission in a university of a English speaking country. Many English speaking countries accept the TOEFL score to confirm the English Language eligibility of a student.
Why TOEFL is Important?
TOEFL is most important test because more than 12K universities across the 160 countries trust on TOEFL score. ETS ensure the Fair, Unbiased, reliable scores and accurate prediction of potential. TOEFL is a bridge between you and your dream of study abroad.
Who conducts TOEFL?
TOEFL is conducted and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) a non-profit organization. And it is exclusively meant for admissions to foreign universities unlike IELTS which is also applicable for job and immigration purposes. One of the biggest differences in TOEFL and IELTS is that TOEFL is exclusive for admissions to foreign universities and IELTS is applicable for both for studying abroad, jobs, and immigration purposes.
TOEFL was started in 1964 it is much older than the IELTS. And, it was developed by the centre for applied linguistics under the direction of Stanford University. The objective of conducting this Test was to resolve the problem of the non-native English speakers who wanted to enrol themselves into the universities of the USA. An international level council was formed in which representatives of over thirty countries participated and finally the TOELF Test was formulated for the screening of non-native English speakers. It is the test to check the ability to speak English of the non-native English speaker. The score of the Test is valid for two years.
In united states almost every university accepts the score of the TOEFL test. If the students wanted to study in any of the university of the USA, then this Test is like must for you. However, the Test is not mandator in fact IELTS is also not mandatory but if you are applying in the foreign universities, it is advisable that you should have to apply and clear this test before going abroad because it can help you at many stages like visa clearance, immigration and admission process. The Test is not mandatory as many universities has their own eligibility criteria for the admission of the students, however, it is an additional document which most of the universities demands during admission process. So, before heading to any foreign university it is advised that students should apply for these Tests as it is always better to be on the safer side.
It is on the discretion of the universities as in many universities it is mandatory and in many it is not. In many universities TOEFL is mandatory and in many it is not. There are other criteria as well to assess the students like academic Record, Letter of Recommendation, Statement of Purpose (SOP) and for many professional courses the score of other Exams is also very significant like GATE, GMAT, GRE, LSAT etc. These Tests are mandatory in many specialized and professional courses like management, law, engineering, and medicine etc.
TOEFL Exam Sample Paper / Free Practice Test
A sample paper / free practice test is available on ETS official website. This sample will help students to practice before appearing in TOEFL test. This practice test will clear you many doubts and will give aspirant a confidence. A student can download the sample paper from ETS website or you can click here to download TOEFL free practice test.
What is TOEFL Exam Pattern and Marks?
3–4 passages
- 700 words
- multiple-focus passages (compare/contrast, cause/effect)
- 10 questions for each passage
Time: 54–72 minutes
Score scale: 0–30
3–4 lectures, some with classroom discussion
- each 3–5 minutes, 6 questions each
2–3 conversations
- each 3 minutes, 5 questions each
Time: 41–57 minutes
Score scale: 0–30
2 tasks
- 1 integrated task based on what is read and heard
- 1 independent task to support an opinion on a topic
Time: 50 minutes
- 20 minutes for integrated task
- 30 minutes for independent task
Score scale: 0–30 points
4 Tasks
- 1 independent task to express an opinion on a familiar topic
- 3 integrated tasks based on what is read and heard
- Up to 30 seconds to prepare the response
- Up to 1 minute to respond
Time: 17 minutes
Score scale: 0–30 points
TOEFL Score board
TOEFL has 4 scaled section scores and a total score of 120.
- Each section has a score range of 0–30.
- All these sections form together for a total score of 0–120.
Each skill has 4 or 5 proficiency levels, so where your score falls within that range tells you your proficiency for that skill.
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
| Reading | Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (18–23) Low-Intermediate (4–17) Below Low-Intermediate (0–3) |
| Listening | Advanced (22–30) High-Intermediate (17–21) Low-Intermediate (9–16) Below Low-Intermediate (0–8) |
| Speaking | Advanced (25–30) High-Intermediate (20–24) Low-Intermediate (16–19) Basic (10–15) Below Basic (0–9) |
| Writing | Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (17–23) Low-Intermediate (13–16) Basic (7–12) Below Basic (0–6) |
What is TOEFL Exam Fee?
| Item | Fees |
|---|---|
| Registration | Fees vary by Testing Location. |
| Late registration | US$40 |
| Rescheduling | US$60 |
| Reinstatement of cancelled scores | US$20 |
| Additional score reports (per institution or agency) | US$20 each |
| Speaking or Writing Section score review | US$80 |
| Speaking and Writing Section score review | US$160 |
| Returned payment | US$20 |
Kindly remember it is clearly mentioned on the official website that TOEFL exam Fee are subject to change without notice.
Registration process for TOEFL Test
The TOEFL iBT test is conducted around 60 times in a year at its authorized test centres around the world. Though the exams have been conducted plenty of times however applicants are advised to register at least 3-4 months prior to your desired test date because walk in registration at test centre is not permissible and the seats also gets filled very quickly.
Steps Before Registration
Please collect all the information about the fee, mode of payment and keep the documents handy like your passport which will be required while filling the application form.
Confirmation After registration
Once you will complete the registration you will get a confirmation from your test centre. You can also check the details before the exams in your ETS account. Please verify the details of the date and timing of the TOEFL examination and whether the centre you have selected is correct or not. Once everything is set you can start preparation for the TOEFL examination.
How to Apply
First create your account or Register with the ETS. Then in step 2 select the test centre and date and third and last is complete your registration form and make the payment. Applicants can also register by phone and e-mail. The information regarding the registration via phone and e-mail is given on the official website. To know the details interested aspirants can click here
Who is eligible for the TOEFL exam?
As of the Education Testing Service (ETS) has not set any specific eligibility criteria. People belonging to non-English speaking countries can take the TOEFL test regardless of age limit and education background.