If you want to study or immigrate to an English-speaking country, then you must fulfill an important prerequisite which is scoring well on an English language proficiency test. Among the most prolific English language proficiency tests, the TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is extremely popular and widely accepted in different countries.
The main objective of TOEFL is to evaluate the English language mastery of the candidate using a comprehensive and analytical process that includes speaking, reading, listening, and writing. In this article, we will discuss all the necessary things you need to know about TOEFL and how to prepare for TOEFL?
1. A Quick Guide to Follow for the TOEFL exam
If you want to study or immigrate to an English-speaking country, then you must fulfill an
important prerequisite which is scoring well on an English language proficiency test. Among the
most prolific English language proficiency tests, the TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign
Language is extremely popular and widely accepted in different countries.
The main objective of TOEFL is to evaluate the English language mastery of the candidate using
a comprehensive and analytical process that includes speaking, reading, listening, and writing.
In this article, we will discuss all the necessary things you need to know about TOEFL and how
to prepare for TOEFL?
Overview of TOEFL Exam
Exam name TOEFL
Purpose of exam English language proficiency level test
Full-form Test of English as a Foreign Language
Accepted countries UK, US, Canada, Australia, etc.
Conducting body Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Mode of exam Internet-based (iBT)
Examination level International
Sections Reading, writing, listening, and speaking
Exam fee TOEFL iBT fee: $185 (INR 13,652)
Score range Reading: 0–30
Listening: 0–30
Speaking: 0–30
Writing: 0–30
Duration Around 3 hours and 30 minutes
Official website https://www.ets.org/toefl
TOEFL helpline 1-609-771-7100
1-877-863-3546
TOEFL test centers 4500 across the world
What is TOEFL?
TOEFL is an English proficiency level exam that gets conducted by the ETS or Educational
Testing Service (which is a non-profit organization). The result of this test or exam gets
accepted extensively in more than 150 countries worldwide. Also, more than 11,000 academic
establishments and universities spread across different regions such as Australia, Europe, Asia,
Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States accept TOEFL.
Previously, there used to be a total of two types of TOEFL tests: TOEFL PBT and TOEFL iBT.
TOEFL PBT used to be a paper-based test and this test was conducted in places where the
2. internet was not available. On the other hand, TOEFL iBT is a computer-based exam that gets
conducted with the help of the internet.
From 11th April 2021, the TOEFL applicants can give exams using two different iBT formats i.e.,
TOEFL iBT home edition and TOEFL iBT computer-based format.
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About TOEFL iBT home edition
With the help of the TOEFL iBT home edition, you will be able to appear for the TOEFL exam
from your home or your comfort zone. You need to remember the following important details
regarding the TOEFL iBT home edition before you start TOEFL exam preparation:
• Except for Iran and Mainland China, all the other countries that accept TOEFL results offer
the TOEFL iBT home edition exam.
• The test is available 4 days a week and 24 hours a day. If you have completed your
registration, then you can take the examination immediately after 24 hours.
• You can take the TOEFL iBT home edition test from home using your own computer, and the
test gets monitored through ProctorU with the help of a human examiner.
Eligibility criteria of TOEFL
If anyone wants to appear for the TOEFL exam, then he/she must fulfill the specific conditions
mentioned below:
• The applicant must have passed his/her 10 + 2 qualification exam from an acknowledged
Indian board.
• There is no specific age limit for the candidates who want to appear for the TOEFL exam.
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How to register for TOEFL
You can register for the TOEFL exam using three different modes. Let us have a look at them
below:
Online registration
One of the most convenient modes of registration is online as the facilities remain open 24*7
but the seats must be booked about 7 days prior to the final date of the examination.
Telephonic registration
Aspiring applicants have the alternative option of booking slots over a phone call. The official
TOEFL phone number for aspirants in India is 91-124-4147700.
3. In-mail registration
Applicants who find it difficult to register through telephonic or online methods can select the
in-mail method of registration. This involves a series of simple steps starting from downloading
the TOEFL examination form available on the official TOEFL website https://www.ets.org/toefl.
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Total duration and TOEFL test pattern
In order to test your fluency, this test is categorized into four separate sections that you will
have to complete within 3 to 4 hours of time. The pattern for this test is elaborated in the table
below:
TOEFL test section Duration Total number of questions
Listening 41 to 57 minutes 28 to 39
Reading 54 to 72 minutes 30 to 40
Break 10 minutes NA
Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks
Speaking 17 minutes 4 tasks
Question pattern of TOEFL
The TOEFL iBT exam is conducted based on the applicant’s reading, writing, speaking, and
listening abilities. Let us discuss each of them categorically below:
Reading
The reading part of the TOEFL evaluates the applicant’s reaction to difficult words, various
narratives, complex sentence structures, motive, and mood of the author along with various
other elements.
The reading section of the TOEFL examination has a total of three question formats. The
formats are:
• Normal multiple-choice questions that have four options and only one of them is a correct
answer.
• Another type of multiple-choice question where you need to insert a sentence in order to
complete it. In this case, the candidate will be given four options from which he/she will be
required to choose the best option that will complete the sentence.
• The last type of question in the reading section will have more than four options along with
multiple correct answers. Each and every passage will have this type of question at least
once.
4. Speaking
With the help of the speaking test, the evaluator will be able to find out if the candidate is able
to speak and understand the English language comfortably in a real-life conversation as well as
at a class level. The test gets conducted online, and the question format of this section is
mentioned below:
• Independent speaking task
In this task, the speaker will be questioned to express his/her personal opinion, ideas, and
experiences. The questionnaire comprises introductory questions such as how the applicant
will introduce himself/herself, what is his/her speaking style, how his/her attitude will be,
and likewise.
• Integrated speaking task
Integrated speaking is entirely different from the above because it amalgamates two
different skills of English such as listening and reading. The question for this task can be
derived from any academic course or a campus situation.
Listening
The listening part of the TOEFL test comprehensively analyses the applicant’s ability to
comprehend spoken English. Through this test, the TOEFL test evaluator can find out what will
be your response in an academic environment where the presentations and discussions entail
multiple information, the intention of the speaker, convoluted sentence structures, etc.
Depending upon the lectures and discussions, the applicant can face multiple types of
questions which include:
• Normal multiple-choice questions with four different options and a single right answer
among the given options.
• Multiple-choice questions that have multiple answers as well as more than four options
provided in the questionnaire.
• Different ordering question that instructs the candidates to organize the provided events
according to their occurrence in the provided lecture recordings.
• Matching question in which the applicant will have to complement the relevant phrases,
texts, and objects with the respective categories.
Writing
Through this section, the applicant’s ability to form arguments, phrase ideas, create a
connection between provided information, compare ideas, make a conclusion, etc. gets
analyzed. The information on two different types of tasks for the writing test of TOEFL is
mentioned below:
• Integrated writing task
In this test, the applicants will have to listen to a 20 minutes recording and also have to read
a passage of at least 230 to 300 words. Depending on their understanding of both recording
5. and passage, they will need to establish a connection between the same. For this test, there
are no exact or perfect answers, and you also need to remember that note-taking is not
allowed.
• Independent writing task
In this task, a topic will be provided to the candidate, and he/she will write down his/her
opinion on the respective topic. The evaluator will assess the grammatical performance,
sentence construction, detailing, how organized the writing is, and the writer’s ability to
support his/her claim with due evidence, conclusion, etc.
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Are TOEFL iBT examinees eligible for a break?
Understanding the importance of recess timing in between stressful examinations, the TOEFL
administrators have made a 10-minute break mandatory for everyone, and they must leave
the examination room for a breath of fresh air outside.
TOEFL iBT test scores criteria
Range of TOEFL score (0 to 30) Level of expertise according to the score
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)
Total 120
Calculation of TOEFL test scores
6. In the online TOEFL iBT test score system, the result is four-scaled, accompanied by a total
score. ETS offers around 4 to 5 competence levels for every skill in order to make your exam
experience deeply personalized and facilitate a better score per your capabilities.
Score of TOEFL iBT Expertise level
0 - 31 Extremely limited / Non-English user
32 - 34 Limited user
35 - 41 Modest user
42 - 59 Modest user
60 - 78 Competent user
79 - 93 Competent user
94 - 101 Good user
102 - 109 Good user
110 - 114 Very good user
115 - 117 Very good user
118 - 120 Expert user
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Available TOEFL test centers
A total of 4500 TOEFL-approved examination centers are located across 165 countries. In India,
aspirants can request for test centers in 59 cities based on their proximity and convenience.
Some of the most popular test centers are New Delhi, Indore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana,
Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Gandhinagar, Jabalpur, Allahabad, Hyderabad,
Cochin, Madurai, and Mumbai.
Key takeaways
• TOEFL is a highly renowned English language proficiency test accepted globally by top
colleges and institutions.
• The TOEFL exam assesses a candidate’s analytical and comprehensive abilities.
• The test is divided into four sections, including reading, listening, writing, and speaking,
each with a different score range.
• You need to complete your 10+2 qualification from an Indian board-acknowledged school
to be eligible to sit for TOEFL.
• There are multiple resources available to prepare for the TOEFL exam that come with
sample question papers to help you familiarize yourself with the exam pattern.
Reach out to SIEC for TOEFL Guidance, Coaching and Assistance.
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