TOEFL – Overview
The TOEFL test went through some major overhauls in September 2005. Since then, the TOEFL is offered as an Internet Based
Test (iBT) at certified test centers around the world. Unlike the old version of the exam which includes four sections:
Grammar, Listening Comprehension, Reading, and Writing,
the new iBT version includes: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
According to the ETS (Educational Testing Services), the creator of the TOEFL, the new version is designed to allow
universities and colleges to better evaluate the performance and academic readiness of non-native English-speaking students
in English-speaking classroom and campus settings.
The main changes in the TOEFL include the addition of a Speaking section to test your pronunciation and conversational
skills. One type of the Speaking tasks even asks you to (a) read a short passage, (b) listen to a response, and then (c)
make an oral response. Furthermore, it did away with the Grammar section and incorporates it across the four traditional
and basic areas of English skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Throughout the new TOEFL, students'
integrated academic skills, such as analysis and synthesis and the ability to organize an argument, will be tested as well.
Please note:
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TOEFL iBT is not computer adaptive. Each test taker receives the same range of questions. |
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Test takers can take notes throughout the entire test. At the end of testing, all notes are collected and destroyed at the test center. |
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For the Speaking section, test takers speak into a microphone, and their responses are digitally recorded and sent to the ETS Online Scoring Network. |
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For the Writing section, test takers must type their responses, which are sent to the ETS Online Scoring Network. |
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Human raters, trained and certified by ETS, rate the Speaking and Writing responses. |
Comparison of Old and New TOEFL Formats after Sept 2005
| Topic |
Previous Paper TOEFL |
New TOEFL iBT |
| Total Sections |
4 Sections
(No Speaking):
Grammar,
Listening Comprehension,
Reading, and
Writing |
4 Sections
(No Grammar):
Reading,
Listening,
Speaking, and
Writing |
| Reading |
Question Type: 4-5 passages
Total No. of Questions: 44-55
Total Time: 70-90 minutes |
Question Type: 3–5 passages
(About 700 words each),
12–14 questions each;
Total No. of Questions: About 50
Total Time: 60–100 minutes |
| Listening |
Question Type: Single questions;
a) a short statement
b) a short conversation
Total No. of Questions: 30-49
Total Time: 40-60 minutes |
Question Type:
a) 4–6 lectures (3-5 minutes long, about 500-800 words), 6 questions each; About 30 questions in total
b) 2–3 conversations (about 3 minutes long, about 12-25 exchanges), 5 questions each; About 12 questions in total
Total No. of Questions: 40+
Total Time: 60–90 minutes |
| Speaking |
Does not exist |
Question Type:
a) 2 independent tasks (prep time: 15 sec; response time: 45 sec)
b) 2 integrated tasks – Read/Listen/Speak (prep time: 30 sec; response time: 60 sec)
c) 2 integrated tasks – Listen/Speak (prep time: 20 sec; response time: 60 sec)
Total No. of Questions: 6
Total Time: 20 minutes |
| Writing |
One 30 minute essay |
Question Type:
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 |
| Time |
Approx. 2.5 hours |
Approx 4.0 hours |
| Summary |
Primarily measure receptive language skills/knowledge, so some students are able to achieve high scores, without being able to effectively communicate in English |
Addition of speaking section and expansion of writing section will require students to communicate in original English.
New integrated-skills questions test ability to learn, to integrate information across multiple tests; They are more difficult and more reflective of actual academic English |
| Grammar |
Grammar tested independently as well as with in the skills sections
Total No. of Questions: 20-25
Total Time: 15-20 minutes |
Grammar tested wholly within the four skill areas (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking);
No stand-alone Grammar section |
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| Testimonial |
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I talked with my friend about this after every class. The consensus was that we both were charged after coming out of your classes. It was the type of feeling where if I had the time I would have study for a good 12 hours. I hit a 47 for an 82nd percentile on the math...Verbal went a touch better at 48 for 99, leaving me with a Total scaled score of 760 and knocking me into the 99th percentile…. I also received 6 out of 6 on my AWA.
Thanks for all of your help.
-Eric (This student took our New York GMAT long course.)
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