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TOEFL Test Syllabus

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TOEFL Test Syllabus

shape Introduction

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a comprehensive analysis of an individual’s ability to express thoughts and understand others with English as a mode of communication. If an individual is a non-native English speaker in the USA or the United Kingdom or aspires to go there to propel his/her career by enrolling in a good university, then achieving a good score in TOEFL can certainly boost the chance of acceptance into a good university.
The TOEFL Test measures the students’ reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
TOEFL Test is given in English and administered via the internet. There are four segments in TOEFL, namely, listening, reading, speaking and writing. In this article, students can check the TOEFL syllabus for listening, reading, speaking and writing sections.

shape Pattern

Section Name Number of questions Time Duration Task Scores Level
Reading 36-56 questions 60 to 80 minutes Reading 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answering questions. 0-30 High (22–30) Intermediate (15–21) Low (0–14)
Listening 34-51 questions 60 to 90 minutes Listening to lectures dialogues, classroom discussions, and conversations, and after answering questions. 0-30 High (22–30) Intermediate (15–21) Low (0–14)
Break 10 minutes
Speaking 6 tasks 20 minutes Expressing your opinion on a well know subject and speaking in view of reading and listening tasks. 0-30 Good (26–30) Fair (18–25) Limited (10–17) Weak (0–9)
Writing 2 tasks 50 minutes Writing essay responses based on reading and listening tasks, along with supporting an opinion in writing. 0-30 Good (24–30) Fair (17–23) Limited (1–16)
In the event that you take the paper-based test, you'll get a sent score report 3 – 6 weeks after you take your test. Same as the iBT, your score report will give you both your aggregate TOEFL score and also your individual sectional scores.

  • The TOEFL score range on the PBT is 310 – 677.

  • The lowest TOEFL score you can gain on the PBT is a 310.

  • The highest TOEFL score you can gain on the PBT is a 677.

  • Once more, similar to the iBT, schools tend to give careful consideration to your aggregate TOEFL score, however a few schools will likewise take a gander at your individual segment scores.

  • There are three various decision segments—listening, written expression, and reading—and you will get an individual score for each segment. You will also have to write an essay, on which you can win a base score of 0 and a greatest score of 6.

TOFEL PBT test pattern
Section Name Number of questions Time Duration Task Scores
Listening Comprehension 50 30-40 minutes 4 to 5 English audios will be played. Most of the audios were the conversations between two to three persons. 31 to 68
Reading Comprehension 50 55 minutes 4 to 5 passages will be given, candidate has to answer for the questions. 31 to 67
Structure and Written Expression 40 25 minutes Almost like fill in the blanks. Candidate has to choose one appropriate word which suites for the sentence. 31 to 68
Writing (Test of Written English) 1 topic 30 minutes 30 minutes

shape Syllabus

TOEFL Reading section: Reading Question Format: Multiple Choice
The most common format is multiple choice. For these type of questions, there are always 4 options and only one correct answer.For each correct answer will get one point.
There are 7 types of multiple-choice questions:
  • Vocabulary
  • Detail
  • Purpose
  • Negative factual information
  • Essential information
  • Reference
  • Inference

Reading question Type: Vocabulary This reading question type is easy to identify because you are asked what a word or expression is nearest in meaning to which of the 4 answer choices. You need to understand the meaning of the word that is used in the passage. Since the word or phrase is highlighted in the reading passage, you can easily re-read the sentence it's in to help you answer.
Reading question Type: Detail The detail type of reading question asks you to identify factual information that is stated directly in the passage. Usually the data is just given once in the section. The question will not ask about a topic or thought.
Sample questions for this kind of question: According to the paragraph, which of the following is true of DETAIL? The author's description of DETAIL mentions which of the following? According to paragraph 2, why did DETAIL do ________? According to the paragraph, how did DETAIL do ________?
Reading question Type: Purpose In this kind of perusing inquiry, candidate should have the capacity to comprehend WHY a detail or thought or argument has been used as a part of the reading section.
Reading question Type: Negative Factual Information In this type, it is easy to identify this type of question because it will always have either "EXCEPT" or "NOT" in the prompt. And there will be 4 options, you must choose which one is wrong, which one has a detail or idea that you did not read in the passage or is stated inaccurately.
Reading question Type: Essential Information It is easy to identify this type of questions in the exam. If you see an entire sentence highlighted in the reading passage, then it must be this type. The question will ask you to choose which of the 4 answer choice sentences is equivalent to the highlighted sentence. The correct sentence will be less difficult than the highlighted one but still, convey all the important information. Incorrect sentences will leave out an important detail, or represent a detail or concept inaccurately, or change the original meaning of the sentence.
Reading question Type: Reference This question is similar to the vocabulary type of questions. A word, usually a pronoun, is highlighted in the passage. Candidate are asked what the highlighted word refers to. If it's a pronoun then you need to identify what word the pronoun is replacing. All 4 answer options will be words in the reading passage near the highlighted word. In that one option is the correct choice.
Reading Question Format and Type: Insert a Sentence At most you will see this type of reading questions in every passage. You will be asked to decide where a new sentence best fits into the reading passage. Four squares will be marked off in the reading passage. Four squares will be separated in the reading passage section. Tap on the square that you believe is the right place and the sentence will be included there. Read through the paragraph with the sentence now added. Does it make sense? Or maybe it should go in one of the other 3 positions.
Reading Question Format and Type: Complete the Summary You will see this kind of reading question once per passage. With this question, candidates are given a summary statement of the reading passage and there will be 6 options. Candidate must choose which 3 represent main ideas or contain critical information from the passage. The 3 correct options will NOT have the exact wording of any sentence in the passage. The other 3 will have mistaken in detail, or state an insignificant concept.
This question carries 2 points. Candidate can get 0-2 points depending on how many of the options you correctly match. For 2 correct options out of 3 questions candidate worth 1 point.
Reading Question Format and Type: Complete the Table You will have this type of reading question or the total summary type once per passage. You will see 2 or 3 classes in a general table. From the choices gave, you should choose which ones effectively belong to each class. Each right alternative is used just once, yet there will also be 2 choices that won't be useful. There will either be 5 or 7 correct options depending on the question. Questions with 5 correct choices are justified and worth a maximum of 3 points, and ones with 7 are justified and worth a maximum of 4 focuses. You require 3/5 or 4/7 done accurately to get not less than 1 point, 4/5 or 5/7 for 2 points, 5/5 or 6/7 for 3 points.
To be able to pick the right choice, you must have the capacity to sort out real thoughts of the reading passage and important information. You need to be able to recognize what information is essential. To get every one of them right, you should be able to understand cause-effect relationships, ready to thoroughly analyze ideas, and be ready to put significant thoughts in their appropriate context.
TOEFL listening section- The listening section of TOEFL iBT contains two types of listening materials:
  • Conversations
  • Lectures

Both are based on the speech that is used in North American universities/colleges. The test-takers will hear a passage only once and then they need to answer the questions after listening to the tapescript completely, the questions are based on the main idea or concept, supporting details or the way the speaker use of language. He section measures the ability of a test taker to understand the conversation and lectures in the English language. The section carries 30 marks and contains
  • 4-6 lectures (6 questions each)
  • 2-3 conversations (5 questions each)
Both last for 3-5 minutes. As a whole the section lasts for 60-90 minutes. Each conversation and lecture is followed by several multiple choice questions.
Conversations- The TOEFL iBT contains two types of conversations in the listening section:
  • Service encounters
  • Office hours

These types of conversations are usually occurringring on North American universities. The service encounters are the interactions that takes place on a university campus and contain non-academic content, such as inquiring about the registration for the class, discussing about the accommodation and more. Whereas the office hours conversations are the interactions that take place with professor in his/her office. The content will be academic and related to the course details, such as a student requesting the extension of a due date and more.
Lectures- The listening section lectures represent the language generally used by professors in a classroom, the main concept of a lecture includes just a professor speaking to the questions asked by a student or professor asking questions to students and calling on one student for a response. Following are the concepts covered in the lecture:
Life Science- Following may be the topics covered in life science.
  • Fish and other aquatic organisms
  • Viruses
  • Bacteria and other one-celled organisms
  • Public health
  • Medical development
  • Animals and their behaviors

Social Science- Following may be the topics covered in social science.
  • Education
  • Child development or child labor
  • History
  • Business, managements, finance and marketing.
  • Communication development
  • Social behavior of various groups

Arts- Following may be the topics covered in arts.
  • Authors and books
  • Photography
  • Architecture
  • Books, newspapers, magazines and more
  • Physical Science
  • Following may be the topics covered in arts.
  • Oceanography
  • Computer science
  • Weather and atmosphere
  • Pollution
  • Population
  • Technology development

The section contains 4 formats and 9 Question types as follows: Format-1: Multiple Choice 1. Question Type: Main Idea 2. Question Type: Detail 3. Question Type: Purpose 4. Question Type: Organization 5. Question Type: Imply
Format-2: Multi-Select Multiple Choice 6. Question Type: Multi-Select Multiple Choice
Format-3: Complete a Table 7 .Question Type: Complete a Table
Format-4: Listen Again 8. Question Type: Listen Again: Inference 9. Question Type: Listen Again: Imply
Audio file Length for listening section- The audio file length and format for TOFEL iBT listening section should be:
Length Should be minimum 2:30 (MM:SS) and maximum 4:30 (MM:SS).
Format Should be a MP3 or MP4 file.
Size The file size can range from 1kb to 10mb.
TOEFL Speaking section -
The speaking section of TOEFL iBT will check the English speaking proficiency of a test taker whose native language is not English but prefer to study under graduation or graduation in an English speaking context. The section is delivered through the internet. The section contains 6 types of questions and are divided into two types as follows:
  • Independent Speaking Task
  • Integrated Speaking Task

The first two questions are called Independent Speaking Task, these questions require the test takers to draw their own ideas, experiences or opinions while responding.
The next 4 questions are called as Integrated Speaking Task, these questions require the test taker to listen to the conversation or to an excerpt from a lecture, or read a passage and then listen to a brief discussion or lecture excerpt before they asked by question.
The speaking section takes around 20 minutes. Response time allowed for each question is 45 or 60 seconds. For speaking questions that includes listening, the test taker will hear short lectures or conversations on headphones. For speaking questions that includes understanding, the test taker will read short written passages on their PC screen. Test takers can take notes all through the speaking section and utilize their notes when responding to the speaking questions. For each of the six questions. Test takers will be given a brief time to set up a response and then should answer each of the questions by talking into a microphone. Test taker's responses will be recorded and sent to a scoring center, and they will be scored by experienced raters.
Responds Audio file Length for listening section-
Length Should be minimum 1:30 (MM:SS) and maximum 3:30 (MM:SS).
Format The file size can range from 1kb to 1mb.
Size Should be a MP3 or MP4 file.
Quick Reference- Following are the score range, time durations and number questions for both the sections:
Section Score Range Level Duration Questions
Listening 0–30 High (22–30)Intermediate (15–21)Low (0–14) 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions
Speaking 0–30 Good (26–30)Fair (18–25)Limited (10–17)Weak (0–9) 20 minutes 6 tasks
TOEFL writing section- Other than talking, the other main way we communicate is through writing. In the event that you go to a local English talking college, you will compose many reports, articles, and research papers. You won't get far if you can't get your assignments done. The TOEFL test Writing segment isn't as trying as composing a research paper, however, you certainly need to demonstrate you know how to compose a couple of passages utilizing proper grammar, and how to express what is on your mind clearly and convincingly.
  • The IBT test writing section has 2 tasks.
  • Candidate is allowed to complete the task within 50 minutes.
  • Each of the questions is given a mark of 0-5.
  • Your total score is then scaled to a value out of 30.
  • To get a good score you must get at least 4 out of 5 for both writing tasks.

The main way to get scores of 4 or 5 is to practice your writing skills. Be that as it may, you aren't required to compose a perfect essay for these 2 tasks as the measure of time given just doesn't allow it. Don't think that writing lots of information will get you a better grade than a shorter essay. If the essay has many spelling mistakes, has bad sentence formation, has poor grammar, goes out of topic, doesn't express your thoughts clearly or doesn't give examples that support your reasons for this reason your score will below.
Writing Question Format-1: Integrated Task In the writing section question, 1 is similar to the second question of the second format in the Speaking section. The reading passage is longer and clearly you'll compose, not talk, your reaction. To begin, you will have 3 minutes to read a short content. The reading passage will become available again once you get to the question. You will then hear an academic talk on a similar topic. You should take notes while listening since the discussion will not repeat again.
Get ready with your earphones on as you will hear and see the question. The question gets some information about a connection between the content and the discussion. Utilizing data from the passage and talk, answer the question as totally as possible. You won't be made a request to give your feeling. You will have 20 minutes to compose your essay, and you have to compose an essay not less than 150 words. Candidates are being tested on your capacity to compress and look at data from more than one source. You should outline thoughts from the scholarly talk and have the capacity to clarify how they relate somehow to focuses in the perusing section. Some of the time what you hear in the discussion will go against with what you have read up on the subject.
Try not to depend completely on the passage to form your response. The general purpose of the section is to use information from both the listening and reading passages. You should also not copy information from the passage to be part of your essay!
Writing Question Format-2: Independent Task For the second writing task, you are required to write an essay of your own understanding and thoughts. It's called an independent task because you alone are the source of the information you will use to write your response. There's only the question prompt. You will be asked to express and support your opinion about a well-known topic or issue. Think of the wide range of topics you'd read in the day by day news – politics, health, economy, business, education, the environment, social issues – any of these you may see as the subject for this question.
You will be given 30 minutes to compose your essay. Your essay to be not less than 300 words in length. Your presentation, the main section, should clearly express your view and briefly mention the reasons you need to support it. The main part of the essay should give your reasons with details that support your opinion. The last paragraph should restate your view and outline the reasons you provided to support it.
The three principal factors that are used to grade this essay are development: Organization and language use. Development is how much support do you provide for your feeling. Did you give details, examples, and reasons? Or on the other hand, did you write lots but fail to actually develop your ideas.
For an organization, does your essay make sense? Would a person understand what you are attempting to convey or would they be confused? Language use covers grammar, spelling, vocabulary, word decision and sentence structure. What number of mistakes did you make? Are the errors bad enough that the grader would have a hard time understanding what you mean? You also need to show a range of vocabulary and sentence types.

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