TOEFL iBT
OVERVIEW
The TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) tests all 4 language
skills that are important for effective communication: speaking,
listening, reading, and writing. The test helps students
demonstrate that they are able to use English in an academic
setting. There are 4 sections that make up the complete test. The
Speaking section evaluates a person's ability to use spoken
English, and the integrated Writing and Speaking tasks measure
the ability to combine information from more than 1 source and
communicate about it. The integrated tasks will ask test takers
to 1) read, listen, and then speak in response to a question; 2)
listen and then speak in response to a question; or 3) read,
listen, and then write in response to a question.
READING SECTION
In the READING SECTION, you will read 3 to 4 passages
(approximately 700 words in length) and answer 12-14 reading
comprehension questions per passage. Most questions are worth 1
point, but the last question in each set is worth more than 1
point. The directions indicate how many points you may receive.
The TOEFL iBT test includes 3 basic categories of academic texts.
The categories are based on the author's objectives: exposition
(material that provides an explanation of a topic), argumentation
(material that presents a point of view about a topic and
provides evidence to support it), or historical
biographical/event narrative (an account of a past event or of a
person's life, narrated or written by someone else). You do not
need any special background knowledge to correctly answer the
questions in the Reading section; all the information needed to
answer the questions is contained in the passages. There are 2
new types of questions. Reading to learn questions test your
ability to recognize how the passage is organized and understand
the relationships among facts and ideas in different parts of the
passage. You should sort information and place the text options
provided into a category chart or summary. The summary questions
are worth up to 2 points each. The chart questions are worth up
to 3 points if there are 5 options presented, and are worth up to
4 points if there are 7 options presented. Partial credit is
given for this question format. Paraphrase questions are in
multiple-choice format. They test your ability to select the
answer choice that most accurately paraphrases a sentence from
the passage. Some passages include a word or phrase that is
underlined in blue. You can click on the word or phrase to see a
definition or an explanation. You can skip questions and go back
to them later as long as long as there is time remaining. You can
click on Review at any time and the review screen will show you
which questions you have answered and which you have not. From
this review screen, you may go directly to any question you have
already seen in the reading section.
LISTENING SECTION
The LISTENING SECTION measures the ability to understand spoken
English from North America and other English-speaking countries.
In academic environments students need to listen to lectures and
conversations. The possible purposes for academic listening
include 1) listening for basic comprehension, which involves the
ability to comprehend the main idea, major points, and important
details related to the main idea; 2) listening for pragmatic
understanding, which requires the listener to recognize a
speaker's attitude or degree of certainty and to recognize a
speaker's function or purpose; and 3) connecting and synthesizing
information, which involves the ability to recognize the
organization of information presented, understand the
relationships between ideas presented (for example,
compare-and-contrast, cause-and-effect, or steps in a process),
make inferences and draw conclusions based on what is implied in
the listening material, make connections among pieces of
information in a conversation or lecture, recognize topic
changes, examples, digressions, aside statements, in lectures and
conversations, recognize introductions and conclusions in
lectures. Listening materials in the new test include 4-6
academic lectures (3-5 minutes long each, about 500-800 words in
each, with 6 questions per lecture) and 2-3 long conversations
(about 3 minutes long each, about 12-25 exchanges in each, with 5
questions per conversation) in which the speech sounds very
natural. You can take notes on any listening material throughout
the entire test. After testing, notes are collected and shredded
before the test taker leaves the test center. A lecture in the
TOEFL iBT test may be either a monologue by a professor or an
interactive lecture with 1 or 2 students asking questions or
making comments. 1 lecture per test is spoken with a British or
Australian accent. The conversations on the TOEFL iBT test may
take place during an office hour with a professor or teaching
assistant, or it may be with a registrar, housing director,
librarian, bookstore employee, departmental secretary, etc.
Pictures on the computer screen help test takers imagine the
setting and the roles of the speakers. After the listening
material is played, test takers both see and hear each question
before they see the answer choices. This encourages them to
listen for main ideas. There are 4 question formats in the
Listening section: 1) traditional multiple-choice questions with
4 answer choices and a single correct answer, 2) multiple-choice
questions with more than 1 answer (e.g., 2 answers out of 4 or
more choices), 3) questions that require test takers to order
events or steps in a process, 4) questions that require test
takers to match objects or text to categories in a chart.
SPEAKING SECTION
In the SPEAKING SECTION, you will be able to demonstrate your
ability to speak about a variety of topics. You will answer 6
questions by speaking into the microphone. The duration of the
section is around 20 minutes. In questions 1 and 2 (independent
speaking tasks; preparation time: 15 seconds; response time: 45
seconds), you will speak about familiar topics. Your response
will be scored on your ability to speak clearly and coherently
about the topics. In questions 3 and 4 (integrated speaking
tasks; preparation time: 30 seconds, response time: 60 seconds),
you will first read a short text. The text will go away and you
will then listen to a talk on the same topic. You will then be
asked a question about what you have read and heard. You will
need to combine appropriate information from the test and the
talk to provide a complete answer to the question. Your response
will be scored on your ability to speak clearly and coherently
and on your ability to accurately convey information about what
you read and heard. In questions 5 and 6 (integrated speaking
tasks; preparation time: 20 seconds; response time: 60 seconds),
you will listen to part of a conversation or a lecture. You will
then be asked a question about what you heard. Your response will
be scored on your ability to speak clearly and coherently and on
your ability to accurately convey information about what you
heard. You may take notes while you read and while you listen to
the conversations and lectures. You may use your notes to help
prepare your response. You should listen carefully to the
directions for each question. The directions will not be written
on the screen. For each question you will be given a short time
to prepare your response. A clock will show how much preparation
time is remaining. When the preparation time is up, you will be
told to begin your response. A clock will show how much response
time is remaining. A message will appear on the screen when the
response time has ended. For all speaking tasks, test takers use
headsets with a microphone. Test takers speak into the microphone
to record their responses. All responses will be digitally
recorded and transmitted to ETS's Online Scoring Network where
human scorers will rate them. The scorers are carefully monitored
for accuracy, so test takers and score recipients can be assured
of the reliability of the Speaking scores. The responses from
each test taker are scored by at least 3 different human raters.
In addition, some of the tasks are scored by 2 raters in order to
check the reliability of the ratings. The response for each task
is rated on a scale of 0 to 4 according to the standards
(rubrics). The average of all six ratings is converted to a
scaled score of 0 to 30. Raters evaluate the test taker's ability
in topic development, delivery, and language use. For topic
development, raters consider whether the test taker has addressed
the task and conveyed relevant information. They also consider
whether the test taker has effectively synthesized and summarized
the information in the integrated tasks. Raters evaluate if the
delivery of the response is clear and smooth, and whether the
delivery is consistent throughout the response for overall
intelligibility. Lastly, raters evaluate the range and accuracy
of the test taker's vocabulary and grammar.
WRITING SECTION
The WRITING SECTION measures test takers' ability to write in an
academic environment. In English-speaking academic situations,
students need to present their ideas through clear,
well-organized writing. The total time for the Writing section is
50 minutes. At the beginning of the section, make sure your
headset is on. Test takers write their responses to 2 writing
tasks. For the first, integrated, writing task, you will read a
short passage of about 230-300 words (3 minutes' reading time) on
an academic topic and listen to a speaker discussing the same
topic from a different perspective. The listening passage is
about 230-300 words long (or about 2 minutes' listening time).
The listening passage provides additional information that
relates to points made in the reading passage; test takers may
take notes on the listening passage. Then you will be asked to
write a summary in connected English prose of important points
made in the listening passage and explain how these relate to the
points made in the reading passage. Suggested response length is
150-225 words; however, there is no penalty for writing more, as
long as it is in response to the task presented. For the second,
independent, writing task, you will be asked to write an essay
about a topic of general interest based on your own knowledge and
experience. This is the same type of task on the computer-based
TOEFL and the Test of Written English (TWE). An effective essay
will usually contain a minimum of 300 words; however, test takers
may write more if they wish. Test takers need to develop support
for their opinions or choices, rather than simply listing
personal preferences or choices. Typical essay questions begin
with statements such as: "Do you agree or disagree with the
following statement? Use reasons and specific details to support
your answer." or "Some people believe X. Other people believe Y.
Which of these 2 positions do you prefer/agree with? Give reasons
and specific details."
The responses to all Writing tasks are sent to ETS's Online
Scoring Network. Each task is rated by 2 human raters on a score
scale of 0 to 5 according to the standards (rubrics). If the 2
ratings differ by more than 1 point, a third rater evaluates the
response and resolves the score. The average of the scores on the
2 writing tasks is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30. The
response to the integrated writing task is scored on the quality
of writing (organization, appropriate and precise use of grammar
and vocabulary) and the completeness and accuracy of the content.
The independent writing essay is scored on the overall quality of
the writing: development, organization, and appropriate and
precise use of grammar and vocabulary.
BREAK / OTHER INFORMATION
A mandatory 10-minute BREAK is scheduled between the Listening
and the Speaking sections. If you exceed the time allotted, you
may be dismissed or your score may be canceled. To leave your
seat at any time other than the break, raise your hand. Timing of
the test section will not stop. If you must leave the testing
room, you are required to show the administrator your
identification document(s) before you leave the room and when you
return. You cannot have access to your cellphone during the test
or during breaks.
There will be directions for each section which explain how to
answer the questions in that section. The directions can be
dismissed by clicking on the Dismiss Directions icon.
You should work quickly but carefully on the Listening and
Reading questions. Some questions are more difficult than others,
but try to answer each of them to the best of your ability. If
you are not sure of the answer to a question, make the best guess
that you can. The questions that you answer by speaking and
writing are each separately timed. Try to answer each of these
questions as completely as possible in the time allowed.