The Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is a recognized English proficiency test for non-native speakers worldwide. The reputation of this test precedes it, and it is recognized by over 13,000+ universities in over 180 countries. The TOEFL is a mandatory test for a student who wishes to pursue their academic goals abroad. It is designed in a way to assess your overall English language competencies.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the syllabus for this distinguished test and highlight the strategies to stay on top of it.
TOEFL Exam Structure
Currently, the test is also known as the TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) exam since the test has now completely replaced its counterpart, the TOEFL CBT (Computer-Based Test) exam. This 116-minute test is structured to evaluate you in the following four sections.
| Section | Timing | Question |
| Reading | 35 minutes | 20 questions |
| Listening | 36 minutes | 28 questions |
| Speaking | 16 minutes | 4 tasks |
| Writing | 29 minutes | 2 tasks |
| Total | 116 Minutes |
Breakdown of sections
TOEFL is designed to test your English proficiency in an academic setting, and each section has a score range of 0-30 for a total of 0-120. The range that you obtain will be used to determine your proficiency using the below table.
| 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) |
Let us break the exam into sections to understand it better and have a clear picture of what the Test of English as a Foreign Language looks like.
TOEFL Listening Section
The listening section focuses on your capability to understand and keep up with a conversation happening in English. This section expects you to listen and comprehend the speaker’s ideas and connect the relevant information.
The conversation being used in this test is always of a university setting to able to assess if you can keep up with your classes and lectures.
Format
- 3 lectures, 3–5 minutes each, some with classroom discussion; 6 questions per lecture
- 2 conversations, 3 minutes each; 5 questions per conversation
- You can take notes while the audio is being played.
- You can check out some sample questions here.
You are expected to complete this test in 36 minutes.
TOEFL Reading Section
The reading section is designed to score your reading capabilities and understanding of various academic materials. The passages are picked from university-level textbooks, and the answers lie in the passages themselves.
Format
- Two 700 words long reading passage
- 10 questions per passage
- This section also has an accessible glossary for any uncommon word in the passage.
- You can check out sample questions here.
You are expected to complete this section in 35 minutes.
TOEFL Writing Section
The writing section judges your capability to express your ideas in English within a limited timeframe.
Format
This test has two dedicated sections which are
- Integrated Writing Task (20 minutes): The integrated writing task consists of writing a complete prompt of an audio lecture that will be played.
- Writing for an Academic Discussion Task (10 minutes): As the name suggests, the academic discussion consists of writing an opinion piece on a class discussion.
- You’ll type your responses on a computer keyboard.
- You can check out sample questions here.
You are expected to complete this section in 35 minutes and will be scored on the Rubrics Writing Scoring Guide.
TOEFL Speaking Section
The speaking section tests your English-speaking capability in an academic environment to ensure you can keep up with your academic course.
Format
- Question 1: Independent Speaking Task: You will formulate your ideas and experience while talking on this task.
- Questions 2–4: Integrated Speaking Tasks: It is a culmination of all the other three skills for you to express your ideas verbally in a classroom setting.
- You will get 15–30 seconds of preparation time.
- You can check out sample questions here.
You are expected to complete this section in 16 minutes and will be scored on the Speaking Scoring Guides (Rubrics) (PDF).
Preparation Tips for Each Section
Now that we know the sectional breakdown of the TOEFL test, let us get some insight on how to prepare for this dignified exam.
ETS has a free eight-week plan to practice for the test, which you can check here. Apart from this, you can follow the below points to have an upper hand in your preparation.
Listening Preparation Strategies
- It is of critical importance that you understand the kind of format the exam has, to familiarize yourself with the questions.
- Apart from focusing on the content being played, to develop active listening skills, you must ensure you have a system of your own to quickly jot down the important points.
- But noting down the essential point, it’s not enough, an active or skilled listener is the one who can figure out the purpose of the speaker.
- You must ensure that you listen to academic lectures, podcasts, and discussions that are in line with the content given in the sample paper to ensure a fruitful practice.
- You might get a different accent in your test from the one you practiced, so exposure to multiple accents is of utmost importance.
- Lastly, you must time yourself when you are practicing to ensure you get the most out of it.
Reading Preparation Strategies
- Preparing for the reading section has the same guidelines as the listening one. Firstly, it is of foremost importance that you familiarize yourself with the question pattern.
- You have to improve your reading skills by reading passages from academic textbooks and learning the skill of skimming out important ideas and words.
- You can regularly practice the TOEFL practice set to analyze your performance daily.
- The critical thing you have to remember in this section is, that it is not about finding a similar word in the passage from the question, but scrutinizing the idea of the passage.
- You have to summarize the passage that you read in your own words to be able to have an upper hand on this section.
- The reading section is about testing your analytical skills too, so you have to ensure that you can make logical conclusions from the text provided.
- Lastly, time management with your practice sets and ensuring that you are practicing daily is the best way to prepare for this section.
Writing Preparation Strategies
- Apart from improving your grammar and vocabulary, which is going to be a saving grace in this section, you need to ensure that your essay has a distinctive and clear structure.
- Adhering to the pattern in the TOEFL sample paper and timing yourself while solving, is an optimal way to prepare.
- You should always seek feedback on your write-up from legitimate sources to assess your performance.
- The writing section might seem overwhelming, but if you are consistent with your practice and have reviewed enough sample essays and test papers, this is going to be a piece of cake for you.
Speaking preparation strategies
- The speaking section is a dynamic one. It will give you the freedom to formulate your ideas and at the same time prepare structured responses for a discussion in a classroom setting. So you have to equally attend to both situations to ace this test.
- The best way to assess yourself for the TOEFL speaking test is to record yourself. Once you hear your responses to practice questions, you will be able to assess where you are lacking.
- Building vocabulary and grammar is the basis of the TOEFL exam, but with the speaking test, you have to ensure you can put it to use and construct slightly different sentences as per the situation.
- The speaking test doesn’t test your vocal cord prowess, but how you can structure your answers and be relevant without losing the point of the discussion.
- You have to practice, not using fillers or extending your pauses while you’re trying to speak.
- Apart from all the above points, like any other section, a thorough practice of the sample test paper is going to go a long way.
Resources for TOEFL Preparation
ETS has a varied amount of resources available online for you to familiarize yourself with the test and its pattern, which you can check here. It will help you understand the type of questions that you will be facing in the exam and help you have an upper hand on them.
You can time yourself and practice with the sample papers to assess your pitfalls, take necessary measures to avoid them.
However, we have also curated a list of books which you can check to aid in your preparation.
Conclusion
TOEFL is a world-renowned test for any student who wishes to pursue their global academic dreams. The sound of it might sound overwhelming, but it is not the case.
ETS or Education Testing Services has ensured, that there are multiple sample papers and videos which will ensure that your preparation journey is nothing but smooth sailing.
The syllabus is concise and the sample papers are readily available. All you have to do is schedule a routine that works in your favor and jump into it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the TOEFL exam structure?
The TOEFL is an 116 minutes online exam divided into four sections divided into questions and tasks.
2. How many sections are there in the TOEFL exam?
There are four sections in the esteemed exam, namely Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
3. What topics are covered in the TOEFL listening section?
The topics covered in the TOEFL listening section are 3 lectures which are 3–5 minutes each, 6 questions per lecture 2 conversations, 3 minutes each; 5 questions per conversation.
4. What types of questions are in the TOEFL reading section?
The TOEFL reading section has two 700 word passages picked from university textbooks.
5. What tasks are included in the TOEFL writing section?
The writing section of TOEFL includes two tasks, which are named as Integrated Writing Task and Writing for an Academic Discussion Task.
6. How is the TOEFL speaking section structured?
It is a 16-minute test consisting of two tasks, namely Independent Speaking Task and Integrated Speaking Task.
7. What skills are tested in the TOEFL exam?
Your overall English proficiency as a non-native speaker is tested in the TOEFL exam.
8. How can I prepare for the TOEFL listening section?
There are multiple ways in which you can prepare for the listening section, which includes listening to audiobooks, related podcasts, but most importantly familiarize yourself with the format.
9. What are some effective strategies for the TOEFL reading section?
Some effective strategies to conquer the TOEFL reading section is as follows. #Familiarise yourself with the pattern
#Try to understand the purpose of the speaker rather than finding similar words
#Read similar texts as in the sample papers
#practise as many sample tests in a timed environment.
10. Where can I find resources for TOEFL preparation?
You can check online for books as per your need or visit ETS’s official website and access all the required material to aid in your preparation.