TOEFL stands for Test Of English as a Foreign Language.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by more than 11,000 universities and other institutions in over 190 countries and territories. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS.
TOEFL Exam Formats and Content
Internet-Based Test (iBT)
The TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) measures all four academic English skills- reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Since its introduction in late 2005, the Internet-based Test format has progressively replaced the computer-based tests (CBT) and paper-based tests (PBT), although paper-based testing is still used in select areas. The TOEFL iBT test has been introduced in phases, with the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy in 2005 and the rest of the world in 2006, with test centers added regularly. It is offered weekly at authorized test centers. The CBT was discontinued in September 2006 and these scores are no longer valid.
Paper-Delivered Test
The TOEFL Paper-delivered Test is an official test for use where the internet test is unavailable, usually due to internet & computer issues.
It consists of the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections, with scores that are the same scale as the Internet Based Test. There is no total score. Not all centers have the possibility of delivering this type of test, so it will generally be necessary to reschedule the day of the test on another available day.
TOEFL Exam Format:
| Section | Time Limit | Questions | Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 54–72 minutes | 30–40 questions | Read passages and respond to questions |
| Listening | 41–57 minutes | 28–39 questions | Answer questions about brief lectures or classroom discussions |
| Break | 10 minutes | —– | —– |
| Speaking | 17 minutes | 4 tasks | Talk about a familiar topic and discuss material you read and listened to |
| Writing | 50 minutes | 2 tasks | Read a passage, listen to a recording, type your response |
