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TOEFL

The Three Types Of TOEFL

 Paper-based TOEFL

Until 1998 everybody had to take the paper-based TOEFL test. It has three parts – listening comprehension, reading comprehension and grammar. Answers had to be marked with a pencil. The maximum score you could get in the TOEFL PBT was 677.

Computer based TOEFL

The computer based TOEFL test was introduced in 1998. The maximum points you can score in the TOEFL CBT is 300.

The TOEFL CBT has four sections – listening, grammar, reading and writing.

The listening comprehension and grammar tests are adaptive. That means the kind of questions you get depends upon your level of English. Just keep in mind that questions that are easy to answer carry less points.

You will know your TOEFL CBT score instantly. Official results are available in 14 days. Don’t rush through the questions. Remember that after you have given your answers, you can’t change them.

Internet based TOEFL

The internet based TOEFL (iBT) was introduced in 2005. It has four sections – listening, speaking, reading and writing. Note that the speaking test is not included in the paper based and computer based TOEFL.

There are integrated tasks in the TOEFL iBT. That means some of the questions require you to combine more than one skill. For example, sometimes you will have to read a question and then speak in response.

As you may have noticed, the TOEFL iBT doesn’t have a section on grammar.

TOEFL: General Information

 TOEFL is the most widely accepted and most popular English language test in the world. It is recognized by more than 8,500 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 130 countries.

The TOEFL test has two formats. You can do it on paper or on a computer.

The Paper-based TOEFL is still administered in countries where the internet based TOEFL (iBT) is not available. Note that you can’t choose the format you take: it depends upon your location. If your local TOEFL test center gives the iBT, it is the format you will have to take.

There is also a TOEFL exam for younger students. It is called TOEFL Junior.

Where do I take the test?

The TOEFL test is organized by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). It is administered 30 – 40 times a year at test-centers authorized by ETS.

How much does the TOEFL test cost to take?

Prices vary in each country. The paper-based TOEFL costs approximately $160. The TOEFL iBT can cost as much as $240.

The Paper-based TOEFL test has the following format.

Why You Need a Strong Vocabulary To Succeed On TOEFL

 The TOEFL tests your proficiency in all four areas of English application: reading, listening, grammar and writing. The purpose of the TOEFL test is to assess a student’s ability to succeed in an academic environment where English is the medium of instruction.

The TOEFL has two formats. In most countries it is now administered via the internet. If the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) is not available in your country, you will have to take the paper based TOEFL.

Why a Strong Vocabulary Is Important?

A good command over all areas of the English language is essential to score well on the TOEFL test. One of the skills that is especially useful is a strong knowledge of English vocabulary. In all the four sections of the TOEFL you are required to read and understand the meaning of many English words and phrases. The reading section, especially, focuses on a test taker’s ability to understand words using context.

Learn idioms and phrases

Your ability to interpret what you hear is the crux of the Listening section of TOEFL. You will not be able to score well on this section if you don’t have a good understanding of English phrases, idioms and homophones.

While the paper-based TOEFL doesn’t have a section on writing, it is an integral part of the internet-based TOEFL. You have to write an essay on a given topic. You won’t be able to write an effective, persuasive essay if you don’t have an adequate vocabulary. Remember that you get only around 30 minutes to write your essay, so you won’t be able to search for the right words. Instead you should be able to produce them at will. You must also be able to form those words into grammatically correct sentences.

Tips For TOEFL Writing And Reading Sections

While writing your TOEFL essay, try to use words that express the idea more precisely.

Correct: While holidaying in London, Susie acquired a strong British accent.

Incorrect: While holidaying in London, Susie got a strong British accent.

If you use so many general words, the examiner will not be too happy with your essay.

Use familiar and natural sentence structures

While evaluating your essay, the examiner will play close attention to your grammatical range and accuracy. That means you will not get a good score if you only write short and simple sentences of the same pattern. If you repeat the same sentence patterns, it will make your writing boring. To avoid this try to use different sentence structures. Also write sentences of various lengths. For example, by writing a long sentence after one or two short sentences you can add variety to your writing. However, you must not use different sentence structures just for the sake of adding variety. Avoid unfamiliar sentence patterns because you are more likely to make grammar mistakes while writing them.

Also avoid extremely long sentences. Instead, keep your sentences relatively short.

TOEFL Reading

Pay careful attention to modifying phrases and expressions

Modifying expressions specify ideas such as time, place, person, cause, effect, intention, condition and contrast. Incorrect answer choices may omit or alter the modifying expressions given in the passage. For example, the modifier some does not mean the same as the modifier all.

Study the sentence given below.

Some forms of cancer are curable.

This sentence doesn’t mean that all forms of cancer are curable. If you read the passage too quickly you may miss these modifiers and choose incorrect answer options.

How To Write a Good TOEFL Essay?

 If you are going to take TOEFL iBT, you will need to write an essay. Note that the paper based TOEFL does not have a section on writing. A good essay will raise your overall TOEFL score. ETS says that it is worth about 1/6th of your total TOEFL score.

You have to write an essay of at least 300 words on a given topic. You will have to write on the topic you are given. No choice is available. TOEFL iBT is a computerized test. You have to type both essays on a computer. If you do not know typewriting well, you must practice on a keyboard before your test.

You can cut, copy and paste as you type your essays, but remember that the computer will not check your spelling or grammar. That means you have to do your homework. Learn the spellings of all words you tend to misspell.

How to write a good essay?

It is very important for students to practice writing as many essays as possible before they take the test. As you practice, watch your grammar, spelling and punctuation. Many students can write excellent essays, but they need a lot of time. Unfortunately, on the TOEFL test you will get only half an hour to write your essay. That means you need to work on your speed.

 You will be able to download sample essay topics from the official TOEFL website. Practice writing on these topics. If you are really lucky, one of these topics could be asked during your TOEFL test.

Understanding the TOEFL question

There are very many types of TOEFL essay questions. You must be able to write on all of them because you don’t know which question you will be asked. Before you start writing make sure that you have fully understood the question. Failure to do so will lower your score in the writing section.

TOEFL Reading: What Skills Are Necessary?

 The TOEFL iBT reading section takes about 60 – 90 minutes. This section tests your ability to read and understand English passages.

What kind of passages are given?

The reading passages are usually taken from academic text books. In terms of difficulty, they are no different from the passages students in their first and second year of university will have to study. The passages can deal with subjects like natural sciences, social sciences, arts and business. You don’t require any specific subject knowledge to do well in the reading test. Note that the reading section is designed to measure your ability to read and understand. It is not designed to test your expertise in a particular subject.

The two formats of TOEFL reading

The TOEFL reading section has two formats – the short format and the long format. If you get the short format, you will have to read three passages. You will get about 20 minutes to read each passage. There will be about 12-14 questions on each passage. The short format takes about 60 minutes.

If you have the long format, you can get up to 5 passages. The long format takes about 100 minutes. There are about 10 types of questions in the reading section. Familiarity with each type of question is essential to score well.

What skills are necessary?

Certain reading strategies are essential to improve your score. For example, you should be able to read fast, skim, scan and summarize the given passage. You must also be able to make inferences and use context. Good note-taking and synthesizing skills are also necessary.

TOEFL Reading Passages And Types Of Questions

 The passages given for reading are not much different from what college and university students in North America will have to encounter in their courses. Three to five passages are given for reading. Each passage may contain roughly 700 words.

Reading questions

10 different types of questions are asked on the TOEFL iBT reading section. They can be classified into three general categories.

Language use

These questions test a student’s ability to understand language. Some of these questions test your understanding of the meaning of a word.

Basic comprehension

Roughly a third of the total questions in the Reading section belong to this category. They test a student’s general understanding of the main idea of the passage and the ability to make inference based on the given information.

Reading to learn

They are of two types: Drag-n-Drop Table completion and Drag-n-Drop summary.

If a question refers to a particular word or phrase in the passage, that word or phrase is highlighted, so you don’t have to search for it. Many questions also identify the particular passages where you can find the answer.

All questions except the Drag-n-Drop Table completion and Summary are multiple choice questions with four answer options. These types of questions are worth more than one point.

Infer meaning

You should be able to infer ideas using logic and certain details. Sometimes you will need to infer ideas that are not directly mentioned by the writer. However, you must be careful not to infer much. All inferences must be supported by the passage. Note that many incorrect answers are based on assumptions that are not supported by details in the passage.

Special Features Of The TOEFL Reading Section

 You must not commit the mistake of preparing notes in complete sentences. If you do that, you will wait a lot of precious time. Remember that you will not get any marks for your notes. They are only clues that might remind you about what you have heard or read. That said, your notes should still make sense to you.

Special features of the TOEFL reading section

Reading is the first section of the TOEFL iBT. In the reading section, you will find reading passages on the right side of the divided computer screen and questions on the left side. The passages are long so you will have to scroll up and down to read the entire passage.

As the reading section begins, you will find the instructions right away. You must have studied these instructions while preparing for the test. If you are already familiar with them, you should be able to skip them during the actual test and save valuable time.

The first question in the reading section appears with the passage. You can move through the questions by clicking the Next and Back buttons at the top of the screen.

The Review Function

The TOEFL iBT reading section comes with a Review Function. When you click on the Review button, you will be able to see all the questions in the section and their status – answered, not answered, not yet seen.

The Glossary Function

This is another feature of the Reading section. Some words in the passage are highlighted in blue. What this means is that a definition is available for the word. You can see the definition by clicking on the word.

Before appearing for the actual TOEFL test, you must attempt at least one mock TOEFL test to get a better understanding of how the special features work.

How To Attempt The TOEFL Reading Test?

 While reading the passage for the first time, your focus should be on understanding the main ideas and the connections among them. Try to understand as much information as possible. As you should know, this won’t be possible if you let your attention wander.

 Find a strategy that works for you

You might have heard some TOEFL trainers advising that you should skim the passage rather than read it. This approach may not work for everybody. During the preparation stage itself, you must find out the strategies that work for you. Personally, I haven’t had much success with skimming. For one thing, TOEFL reading passages are complex. If you do not read them thoroughly, you may have trouble answering the questions. That said, you cannot spend more than 20 minutes on any given passage. That means all that ‘thorough reading’ has to be done within a very short span of time.

 Take notes

Note-taking is allowed during the Reading test. However, you will not require any detailed notes for answering the questions. That is because you can always see the reading passage next to every question.

Some questions on the TOEFL Reading test include references to specific paragraphs. A question about an idea mentioned in the second paragraph, may include a phrase like ‘in the second paragraph’ or ‘in paragraph 2’. This makes locating the idea a whole lot of easier, because you only have to look in the specified paragraph. However, some questions may include ideas from several parts of the test. You will need to read the entire passage to answer these questions.

Summarizing tasks

There is yet another type of question that may require you to summarize the main ideas of the passage by choosing three key points from a list. If you have already prepared an outline of the main ideas of the passage, you might find it helpful while answering this type of question. While preparing the outline, jot down the important points in words, phrases, symbols, abbreviations etc.

Listening Comprehension

The listening comprehension test takes 30 to 40 minutes. You will have to answer 50 questions.

Structure and written expression

It takes about 25 minutes. You will have to answer 40 minutes.

Reading comprehension

The reading comprehension test takes about 55 minutes. You will have to answer 50 questions.

Writing (An essay)

You will get 30 minutes to write your TOEFL essay. You have to write on the topic you are given.

Reading Comprehension

 The reading comprehension test is an integral part of almost all major competitive exams like TOEFL and IELTS. Passages are given for reading and students have to answer questions based on the information given in them.

As the name itself suggests, the reading comprehension test is designed to assess a student’s ability to understand a piece of text by reading it. To do well on a reading comprehension test, you must have a good vocabulary because your ability to answer questions depends upon your ability to understand the passage. You must also learn how to figure out the meaning of a given passage using context.

How to prepare for a reading comprehension

To do well on a reading comprehension test, you must read extensively. Read as much as you can. Read newspapers, magazines and journals. Read anything that is of an academic nature. While reading, look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary.

If the exam format permits this, read all the questions before you start reading the passage. It will help you to zero in on the relevant portion of the passage.

Read the given passage carefully before attempting to answer the questions. Some people counter that skimming the given passage is better than reading it carefully because it saves time. Although skimming might work for some, it may not be the right method for you. While practicing for the exam, try both methods to find out which one works for you.

Write the answers neatly in your own words avoiding mistakes in grammar and spelling.

Improve your reading speed. This is possible only through passage. That said, you are not supposed to rush through the passage. Start slowly and then increase your speed as you gain familiarity with the subject.

TOEFL Grammar Test

Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the verb.

1. I could not meet him because he ———————- out before I arrived.

a) had gone b) went c) goes has gone

2. This ———————- on for a long time.

a) had been going b) has gone c) was going d) is going

3. When I ——————— to London, I will see him.

a) go b) went c) goes d) have gone

4. If I ——————— this, I would have done wrong.

a) had done b) would have done c) would do d) have done

5. I ———————– for a walk yesterday.

a) go b) went c) had been d) would go

6. The rebels ————————- the monarch’s head.

a) cut b) cut off c) cut down d) cut into

7. I ———————– him to go.

a) said to b) told c) say to d) told to

8. He ———————— to swim.

a) knows b) know c) knows how d) know how

9. He —————————– his bicycle.

a) got down b) got off c) got down from d) got of

10. He took —————————– his shoes.

a) out b) off c) of d) from

Answers

1. I could not meet him because he had gone out before I arrived.

2. This had been going on for a long time.

3. When I go to London, I will see him.

4. If I had done this I would have done wrong.

5. I went for a walk yesterday.

6. The rebels cut off the monarch’s head.

7. I told him to go.

8. He knows how to swim.

9. He got off his bicycle.

10. He took off his shoes.

TOEFL Grammar Test 

 Fill in the blanks with appropriate grammatical structures. Each question is followed by four suggested answers. Choose the most appropriate one.

1. He is ———————- family man.

a) Very much of a

b) Very much

c) Much a

d) A very

2. I couldn’t recognize him because he was

———————— a dark suit.

a) Dressed in

b) Dressed with

c) Dressing in

d) Dressing with

3. He ——————— while trying to swim across the river.

a) Drowned

b) Was drowned

c) Has drowned

d) Had drowned

4. My parents encouraged me to study medicine, but I didn’t ————————-

a) Want to

b) Want

c) Wanted to

d) Wanted

5. ‘Are you interested in going to university?’ ‘I would ———————-.’

a) Like

b) Like to

c) Have liked to

d) Have liked

6. I saw the book ——————— on the table.

a) Lie

b) Lying

c) To lie

d) Lain

7. I could see John ——————— on the bus.

a) Get

b) Getting

c) To get

d) Got

8. If I ———————- her name, I would tell you.

a) Know

b) Knew

c) Would know

d) Had known

9. It would be nice if you ———————- me a pound.

a) Lend

b) Would lend

c) Lent

d) Had lent

10. If you had invited them, they ———————– .

a) Would come

b) Would have come

c) Came

d) Had come

Answers

1. Very much of a

2. Dressed in

3. Drowned

4. Want to

5. Like to

6. Lying

7. Getting

8. Knew

9. Lent

10. Would have come

TOEFL Grammar Test

 Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the verb.

1. I could not meet him because he ———————- out before I arrived.

a) had gone b) went c) goes has gone

2. This ———————- on for a long time.

a) had been going b) has gone c) was going d) is going

3. When I ——————— to London, I will see him.

a) go b) went c) goes d) have gone

4. If I ——————— this, I would have done wrong.

a) had done b) would have done c) would do d) have done

5. I ———————– for a walk yesterday.

a) go b) went c) had been d) would go

6. The rebels ————————- the monarch’s head.

a) cut b) cut off c) cut down d) cut into

7. I ———————– him to go.

a) said to b) told c) say to d) told to

8. He ———————— to swim.

a) knows b) know c) knows how d) know how

9. He —————————– his bicycle.

a) got down b) got off c) got down from d) got of

10. He took —————————– his shoes.

a) out b) off c) of d) from

Answers

1. I could not meet him because he had gone out before I arrived.

2. This had been going on for a long time.

3. When I go to London, I will see him.

4. If I had done this I would have done wrong.

5. I went for a walk yesterday.

6. The rebels cut off the monarch’s head.

7. I told him to go.

8. He knows how to swim.

9. He got off his bicycle.

10. He took off his shoes.