TOEFL Introduction
TOEFL is one of the most popular English proficiency exams accepted at American and Canadian universities and schools abroad. TOEFL tests the international students’ usage and understanding of English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university surroundings. The Educational Testing Services (ETS) is the conducting body of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and is responsible for setting the TOEFL questions, conducting the test, and sending each examinee their scorecard. Students wanting to study abroad, can choose from multiple TOEFL Test Dates available round-the-year and select from the various test centres located across major cities to appear for their TOEFL Exam.
- The TOEFL is mostly undertaken by students who are planning to pursue higher education abroad. Appearing for TOEFL would also allow students to be eligible for several scholarships and also help students and candidates looking for employment abroad with their visa application process. Accepted in over 10,000 universities and other institutions worldwide, including universities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, the United States, and across Europe and Asia, TOEFL is one of the most preferred English-language tests for students wanting to study abroad.
- Students wanting to study abroad and opting for TOEFL comes with many benefits. TOEFL is a more preferred exam among students who want to pursue higher education abroad, as more TOEFL scores are sent to universities in the United States and Canada, compared to others. Similarly, TOEFL is a more preferred English Test among countries as more TOEFL scores are sent to German, French, US and Canadian universities than other English tests. ETS the conducting body of the TOEFL also guarantees students a fair and unbiased process of score reporting, making the test more authentic in nature.
- Registration for TOEFL is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Candidates can register for their TOEFL exam via the online method, via phone or through mail or in person. Candidates should keep in mind that TOEFL online registrations close 7 days prior to the exam and late registration closes 4 days prior to the test date with a late fee of US$40. Candidates appearing for their TOEFL from India are required to pay a TOEFL registration fee of US$180.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | TOEFL |
| TOEFL full form | Test of English as a Foreign Language |
| Official Website | https://www.ets.org/toefl |
| Conducting body | Educational Testing Service (ETS) |
| Widely popular as | English language proficiency test |
| Generally accepted by | Universities in USA and Canada |
| Mode of exam | Internet-based and Paper-based |
| TOEFL iBT fee | US$180 |
| TOEFL Paper-based test fee | US$180 |
| Score Range | Reading: 030 |
| Score Range | Listening: 030 |
| Score Range | Speaking: 030 |
| Score Range | Writing: 030 |
| TOEFL Helpline | 1-609-771-7100, 1-877-863-3546 |
| Fax | 1-610-290-8972 |
- TOEFL is a language proficiency test that is given by those who want to study abroad and aspire to gain global exposure.
- There are no specific eligibility criteria for the TOEFL exam prescribed by the ETS, the body that conducts the TOEFL test. Majorly, it is given by students who wish to get admission in universities, colleges or educational institutions of English-speaking countries.
- Those who have passed out high school or equivalent give this exam. Apart from this, candidates should hold a valid passport to present as proof of identity at the time of the exam.
- As it is an English language proficiency test, it is always advisable to students to check the requirements of the specific college/university they are applying to. All those students whose native language is not English need to appear for this exam. The universities in major English-speaking countries like USA and Canada require students to prove their language proficiency for getting admission in their educational institutions. Apart from the students, professionals also give the TOEFL exam 2020 as it is a requirement for getting a visa. Also, there is no age limit set by the ETS, the body that governs this exam
TOEFL 2020 Important Dates
- The TOEFL iBT test is administered online and is conducted on more than 50 dates per year at authorized test centers in India.
- To find available test centers and dates, you will have to create a TOEFL iBT account. When you click “Register for a Test”, you will be able to see the available dates and test centers.
- You don’t have to register for TOEFL to see available centers and dates, you only need to log into your account.
- Since you can choose whichever date convenient for you, you can plan your test preparation for TOEFL accordingly
TOEFL 2020 Registration
- TOEFL registration is a fairly simple and uncomplicated process.
- The candidates have the liberty of taking the exam anytime in the year as per their convenience.
- The important thing to note is that the candidates can reschedule their next attempt only after 12 days of taking the first attempt.
- A candidate is only allowed five attempts in one year.
Here are the steps you are required to follow to register online for your TOEFL Exam.
- In-person - You can register in person at a TOEFL Resource Center. Here is the address: Prometric 2 Floor, DLF Infinity Tower-A Sector-25, Phase-II DLF City Gurgaon – 122002 Haryana
- By phone - Go through the registration form before you call. Spell your name correctly and exactly as it appears on your passport. Call the Regional Registration Center on this number 91-124-4147700. Pay with credit/debit cards as directed. Registration closes seven days before your test date.
- By mail - Download and print the registration form. Then fill out the form. Spell your name exactly as it appears on the identification you will bring on the test day. Send the form with your payment to the address on the form or to the Gurgaon center address, mentioned above. Forms must be received at least four weeks before your test date.
TOEFL 2020 Test Pattern
| Section | Duration | Questions | Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 6080 minutes | 3656 questions | Reading 3 or 4 passages from the academic texts and answering questions based on them. |
| Listening | 6090 minutes | 3451 questions | Listening to lectures, conversations, classroom discussions, and, then answer questions based on them |
| Speaking | 20 minutes | 6 tasks | Candidates need to express their opinion on a topic familiar to them and speak based on reading and listening tasks. |
| Writing | 50 minutes | 2 tasks | Candidates need to write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks, along with supporting the opinion in writing |
TOEFL 2020 Syllabus
The TOEFL syllabus for iBT tests students’ reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The TOEFL Pattern is designed to assess various skills of the candidates and knows their English language proficiency. Here is the TOEFL exam format covering writing syllabus, reading syllabus, listening syllabus, and speaking syllabus:
In this section, you will read 3-5 passages and answer 12-14 questions about each passage. The section is scored based on the number of correct reading comprehension responses.
- Question type: 34 passages, 10 questions each
- Total no. of questions: About 40
- Total time: 54-72 minutes
In the test section, you will hear short conversations as well as long conversations. After the short conversation, you will be asked one question and multiple choices of answers will be given. You have to choose one answer. In long conversations, you will be asked multiple questions based on the conversation.
Question type:
a) 34 lectures (3-5 minutes long, about 500-800 words), 6 questions each; About 30 questions in total
b) 23 conversations (about 3 minutes long, about 12-25 exchanges), 5 questions each; About 12 questions in total
Total no. of questions: 40+
Total time: 4157 minutes
For you to earn the highest scores in the Speaking Section, your responses must fulfill the demands of the task given with only minor mistakes or lapses. The test graders are looking for a highly intelligible and sustained conversation. There are three main factors that comprise scoring for the section.
Speaking Questions covered in TOEFL Syllabus:
a) 1 independent task (prep time: 15 sec; response time: 45 sec)
b) 3 integrated tasks Read/Listen/Speak (prep time: 30 sec; response time: 60 sec)
Total no. of questions: 4
Total time: 17 minutes
The essay should effectively address a topic. The response should be well-organized and well-developed using relevant explanations and detailed support. Furthermore, it should also display unity, progression, and coherence. If you want to achieve a high writing score, make sure that you demonstrate the syntactic variety and appropriate word choice with minor grammatical errors.
Writing Questions Covered in TOEFL Syllabus:
a) 1 integrated task Read/Listen/Write (20 minutes) (reading time: 3 min; listening time: 2 min; writing: 15 min)
b) 1 independent task (30 minutes)
Total no. of questions: 2
Total time: 50 minutes
