2- ] Qualifying For IELTS , SAT , TOEFL , Other Courses
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.
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.
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