Everything You Need to Prepare for the TOEFL

Best tips

• Take a look in TOEFL Speaking and Writing templates:
  templates-tfl-94210.html
• Watch TOEFL Instructional videos - Speaking & Writing:
  toefl-instructional-videos-speaking-writing-very-useful-100611.html
• Find a conversation partner to improve your Speaking skills:
  find-your-speaking-partner-100561.html
• Post your essays and have them commented:
  want-your-writing-essay-read-please-read-100613.html
• Practice Speaking questions:
  toefl-speaking-practice-questions-106306.html
• Read the ETS TOEFL official tips official preparation page:
  http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/TOEFL_Tips.pdf

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About TOEFL

The TOEFL

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language - in other words it is English Language Proficiency test that all US Business Schools require International applicants to take. The Internet Based Test or TOEFL iBT is scored from 0 to 120 but schools do not look at it from a scoring standpoint but rather Pass/Fail. Many schools will set a certain minimum that an applicants must get. If you are a native speaker or have been educated at a Western College that used English as the main language of instruction, there is a good chance that TOEFL requirement will be waived. US Residents and graduates of US colleges do not need to take TOEFL.

Sections

TOEFL IBT FORMAT
Test Section	Number of Questions	Timing
Reading	3-5 passages, 12-14 questions each	60-100 minutes
Listening	4-6 lectures, 6 questions each 2-3 conversations, 5 questions each	60-90 minutes
BREAK		8 minutes
Speaking	6 tasks, 2 independent, 4 integrated	20 minutes
Writing	1 integrated task, 1 independent task	20 and 30 minutes

* TOEFL is from 0 to 120 (0 to 30 each section).
* The time duration (Reading and Listening sections) is not fixed and it can differ from one exam to another. You can for example receive a longer Reading section (5 passages, 100 minutes) and then a shorter Listening section (4 lectures, 60 minutes), or the other way around.

Speaking section

SPEAKING SECTION
1.Personal Preference	This question asks the test taker to express and defend a personal choice from a given category—for example, important people, places, events or activities that the test taker enjoys.	Preparation time: 15 seconds Response time: 45 seconds
2.Choice	This question asks the test taker to make and defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviors or courses of action.	Preparation time: 15 seconds Response time: 45 seconds
3.Campus Situation Topic: Fit and Explain	• A reading passage (75–100 words) presents a campus-related issue. • A listening passage (60–80 seconds, 150–180 words) comments on the issue in the reading passage. • The question asks the test taker to summarize the speaker’s opinion within the context of the reading passage.	Preparation time: 30 seconds Response time: 60 seconds
4.Academic Course. Topic: General/Specific	• A reading passage (75–100 words) broadly defines a term, process, or idea from an academic subject. • An excerpt from a lecture (60–90 seconds; 150–220 words) provides examples and specific information to illustrate the term, process, or idea from the reading passage. • The question asks the test taker to combine and convey important information from the reading passage and the lecture excerpt.	Preparation time: 30 seconds Response time: 60 seconds
5.Campus Situation Topic: Problem/Solution	The listening passage (60–90 seconds; 180–220 words) is a conversation about a student-related problem and two possible solutions. • The question asks the test taker to demonstrate an understanding of the problem and to express an opinion about solving the problem.	Preparation time: 20 seconds Response time: 60 seconds
6.Academic Course. Topic: Summary	• The listening passage is an excerpt from a lecture (90–120 seconds; 230–280 words) that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate that term or concept. • The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the examples and the overall topic.	Preparation time: 20 seconds Response time: 60 seconds

FAQ

What score do top business school require?
* Click here TOEFL score requirements for various schools
toefl-score-requirements-for-most-popular-schools-80110.html

What can I expect from the test center on the exam day?
* Contrary to the GMAT, TOEFL exams are not held in ETS official centers. You can expect taking the exam in a High School or other similar places, with no appropriated facilities.
* There will be a lot of people speaking aloud while you are taking the exam. Some test takers skip the Reading and Listening sections and start speaking very soon.
* Think about wearing earplugs to avoid losing concentration. You may use them during the whole exam turning up to the limit the volume of the headphones provided.

Where can I find the best preparation books?
* Everything you need about preparation books:
best-toefl-preparation-books-resources-reviews-comments-79121.html

How do they grade the Speaking section?
* The Speaking section contains six questions, and each one is scored from 0 to 4 points without decimal values.

For example, you can obtain the following set of results [4,4,3,3,3,3]. Then, they calculate the average of the results (sum of the the six scores divided by number of elements):(4+4+3+3+3+3) / 6 = 20 / 6 = 3.33 and the outcome (3.33) is converted to a 30 points scale.

- Rubric table:


-ETS scoring standards for each speaking question: http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pd ... ubrics.pdf

How do they grade the Writing section?
* The Writing section contains two questions/essays, and each one is scored from 0.0 to 5.0 points with an interval of 0.5 points. That means that you can score 4.5 or a 4.0 in one of the questions, but you can't get a 4.25.

For example, lets say you obtain the following set of results: [4.5,4]. Then, they calculate the average (sum of the the two scores divided by number of elements): (4.5 + 4) /2 = 9.5 / 2 = 4.25 and the outcome (4.25) is converted to a 30 points scale.

- Rubric table:


- ETS scoring standards for each writing question: http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pd ... ubrics.pdf

Can I retake the exam?
You can take the exam as many times as you like. There is no restriction.

Is there any TOEFL official statistics?
* Yes, here some statistics from 2009 (thanks to Pkit)
http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pd ... y_2009.pdf

I wonder why the time duration for Reading and listening section is indicated as a range(60-90/60-100 minutes) as compared to a fixed time allocated to other sections? What does this mean?

Great post rid!! Excellent initiative!! +1 when I come online.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi ankitgarg20,

The time duration (and number of questions) is not fixed and it can differ from one exam to another. You can for example receive a longer Reading section (5 passages, 100 minutes) and then a shorter Listening section (4 lectures, 60 minutes). I edited the post.

PS: thanks Hussain15

Excellent Post ! Kudos!

Excellent post rid82. The TOEFL section of gmatclub is getting much better now. +1

Thanks so much. This cm is very effective for me :X

Hey really informative thread... nice job

I have two specific questions though....

1. you mentioned that some people skip few sections and start with speaking... does that mean we are allowed to skip sections in TOEFL and thus arrange the four sections ( RWLS ) according to our preferences?

2. this question is from someone who knew almost nothin about TOEFL before going through the threads in this forum, has 0 preparation and is very anxious ... compared to gettin a 700 in GMAT, how difficult is it to get above 105 in TOEFL???

Hi samidh, thanks.



You are not allowed to skip a section and come back later. Once you have skipped it your score will be 0 in that section.

Some people skip the first sections because they are only interested in the score of the Speaking section. For example, some undergraduate universities require a minimum Speaking score, so a guy that has taken the TOEFL and obtained a good scores in all sections but Speaking, can be told to take it again to reach the Speaking requirement.

In my experience, at least 1/5 of the people who were taking the exam in the same room as me, started talking when I was in the middle of my reading section.



In my opinion I would say that for an average person the time/effort to score a 105 in TOEFL is much less that the time/effort to score a 700 in GMAT. But every one is different and really depends on your actual English level.

Good luck!
rid

This is definitely correct but I should add that from NOV 1st 2011 the reading section in its long format will have 4 passages instead of 5 and therefore the time limit will decrease from 100 minutes to 80 minutes too.

Good Luck in your exams!

Hi guys,
Anyone here knowing good prep material for mac, as the official prep CD-ROMs are only for windows?
Thanks

excellent compilation! kudos!

excellent

Hi all!
Excellent post rid. I came across this post 3 days before my TOEFL exam( I had registerd just a week before test and went through sampler once...thought it would be a piece of cake.....I just needed a 90 to get into the university I applied to) This post actually made me want to prepare for the test..... I took 3 days off from work and literally made notes!!
Today I recived my score.....110....all thanks to you!!

hey guys so how differently does one need to prepare for toefl, meaning is there anything beside the gmat verbal topics that one needs to cover?