The TOEFL is one of the exams where you can get qualified for academic and professional success paths. A Perfect TOEFL score is essential if you're aspiring to study at a top-tier university or go on an international career.However, there are some essential points that you must know when taking this exam.Therefore, in this comprehensive guide, we'll share with you everything that you must know about the TOEFL exam.What is TOEFL?
It is shorten for Test of English as a Foreign Language. And it's a test that checks how well non-native speakers can use the English language.The Educational Testing Service (ETS), a non-profit group, came up with this test back in 1964.Since then, it's been updated to keep up with how education has changed and how technology has advanced. Therefore, by today, it's one of the most well-known tests for checking non-native speakers' English skills around the world.Why is it important?
Now, you might be wondering why TOEFL matters so much.It's super important if you're an international student wanting to study in an English-speaking country. This is because, universities worldwide look at TOEFL scores to see if you can handle all the lessons that are conducted in English.But here's the thing – TOEFL is useful for more than just getting into a college. Some countries look at TOEFL scores when you're trying to immigrate, especially if you're a skilled worker.And if you're looking to get certified in certain professions, a good TOEFL score can really help you out. The test checks how well you can read, listen, speak, and write in English, so it gives a pretty good picture of how well you can use the language in real life.TOEFL Test Formats
TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test)
It's the version of TOEFL that most people take these days. As you can guess from the name, you take this test entirely online. Most schools prefer this version because it covers all the bases – reading, listening, speaking, and writing – and it's easy for people to access.One cool thing about the iBT is that it tests how well you can use information from different sources.For example, in the speaking part, you might have to listen to someone talk, read a short bit of text, and then speak about how the listening and reading parts connect.This structure is pretty clever because it's a lot like what you'd actually do in a real-world scenario.TOEFL PBT (Paper-Based Test)
Now, even though most people take the iBT, there's still the TOEFL PBT which is the Paper-Based Test. This one's mainly used in places where the internet isn't great or isn't available. In this case, the scoring pattern is different as well.While the iBT gives you separate scores for each part on a 0-30 scale, the PBT uses a scale from 310 to 677.Another big difference is how often you can take it. You can take the iBT more than 50 times a year, but the PBT is only offered a few times annually.Because of these differences, most schools prefer the iBT, but the PBT is still a good option if you can't take the iBT where you live.Test Sections
Reading
This part checks how well you can understand and break down academic texts. You'll usually see 3 or 4 passages, each about 700 words long. These aren't just random texts – they're taken from university-level textbooks on all sorts of subjects like social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Don't worry, though. You don't need to be an expert in these fields. The passages are written so that anyone can understand them, but they're still at a university level.However, time management is super important here. You'll have 54-72 minutes to read all the passages and answer all the questions, so you need to be quick and efficient.Listening
This part tests how well you can understand the spoken English at a university level. In this case, you'll hear lectures and conversations that sound like what you'd hear on a college campus. The conversations are like chats you might have with university staff or other students.The questions in this section are diverse. You'll see multiple-choice questions, matching tasks, and ordering tasks. These questions check if you can get the main ideas, pick up on important details, understand the speakers' attitudes, and follow how the information is organized. One key fact over here is the skill of taking notes. You're allowed to jot things down while you listen, and good notes can really help you to answer the questions correctly, especially for the longer lectures.Speaking
This part is unique in how it tests your speaking skills. There are four tasks, that are split into two types: as in independent and integrated tasks.For the independent tasks, you'll speak about topics that you're familiar with or give your opinion on something. The integrated tasks are a bit trickier – you'll need to read something, listen to some information, and then speak about how the reading and listening parts relate to each other.When it comes to scoring, they look at three main things: how you deliver your speech (like how clear and fluent you are), how you use the language (your grammar and vocabulary), and how well you develop the topic (by making sense and giving complete answers). Time management is crucial over here as well.Each task has strict time limits for preparing and speaking. A good strategy is to practice giving concise but thorough responses and to get comfortable on speaking into a microphone, since your responses will be recorded for scoring.Writing
Last but not least, we have the Writing section.This part has two tasks as well just like in the listening part.For the integrated task, you'll read a short academic passage, listen to a related lecture, and then write an essay by comparing and contrasting the info from both sources.This task checks how well you can bring all the information together from different places which is a key skill for academic writing.The independent task is where you write an essay by giving your opinion on a topic and backing it up. This task looks at how well you can express and defend your ideas clearly and logically.Both tasks are scored based on how good your writing is including the areas of grammar, vocabulary, structure and how effectively you present your argument or synthesis.Common challenges here include managing your time (you get 30 minutes for the integrated task and 20 minutes for the independent task) and staying focused and coherent throughout your essays.Scoring System
Overall score calculation
For the total TOEFL iBT score, you can get anywhere from 0 to 120 points. They simply add up the scores from all four sections.Each section counts equally towards your total score, which shows that the language skills are equally important.Here's something interesting – there's no such thing as passing or failing the TOEFL.Instead, each university or institution sets its own required scores.Some might want higher scores for graduate programs compared to undergraduate ones. Others might have different requirements for different sections based on what kind of language skills are most important for particular fields of study.ConclusionPreparing thoroughly for the TOEFL can make a huge difference in your score. It's not just about improving your English skills, but also about getting familiar with the test format and developing effective strategies for each section.Remember, the TOEFL is just one step in your journey towards studying or working in an English-speaking environment.While it's important to do well, it's equally important to continue improving your English skills beyond the test as well.For more information call TEVS a
student visa consultant in Sri Lanka.
