INTRODUCTION TO TOEFL TEST

TOEFL stands for Test of English as Foreign Language, it is often

used to measure the English competencies of non native
speakers.

The Types of TOEFL

There are four different types which get the “TOEFL” label, they are
as follows :

1. TOEFL ITP

ITP means Institutional Testing Program. Don’t confuse this with the
IBT! The ITP is not a test that you take for admission to graduate
school or college abroad. The ITP is a test given in classes by
teachers who want to evaluate the skills of their students. It is not
given at a special test center, and you (the student) don’t usually
choose to take it. The teacher decides, and the scores are for the
teacher to use. So you can basically forget about this test, unless
you have a teacher/professor who wants you to take the TOEFL
ITP. It sometime used for local Universities entrance requirement.

2. TOEFL CBT

“CBT” means “computer-based test.” This test is not used today,

because it has been replaced by the IBT (internet-based test). If you
have material for the CBT, they won’t be useful to prepare for the
IBT. And if your target university lists required CBT scores, ignore
them. This test doesn’t exist today.

3. TOEFL IBT

The IBT is given anywhere that ETS (the company who makes the
TOEFL) has a test center with internet access. If your country or
area has internet access, then you will take the IBT. Very, very few
people have the choice to take the PBT.
The TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-
Based Test) is the most widely used method of certifying a non-
native English speaker’s ability to speak, read, write, and
understand the English language. International students seeking to
gain admission to a university in an English-speaking country are
the primary test-takers for the TOEFL iBT. In the UK and Australia,
the TOEFL is even used to satisfy the requirements for certain visas
(such as student visas). Since it’s accepted by over 9,000
educational institutions in 130 countries, the TOEFL has been taken
by over 30 million people.

While the TOEFL is crucial to gain admittance into many

universities, it’s also a great tool to prepare students who aren’t
fluent in the English language for the rigors of studying at an
English-speaking university. Unfortunately, many students struggle
to get scores that are high enough to be accepted by the universities
they wish to attend, and they must retake the test multiple times. Not
only can that be demoralizing, but it’s also expensive – the test
costs $160 - $250 with the average at about $200 each time it’s
taken.

4. TOEFL PBT

The paper-based test is for students who live in areas that don’t
have an internet-based test center. It still exists, but soon ETS will
completely replace it with the IBT.

If your area has the PBT, then it probably does not have the IBT.

Interestingly, the PBT is a very different test from the IBT. It does not
have the same four sections. Instead, there is reading,
grammar/writing, listening, and a separate essay. The reading and
listening sections is similar to the IBT, but not the same. For
example, the listening recordings are shorter on the PBT.
Meanwhile, the PBT grammar section is completely unlike anything
on the IBT. The scoring is also different. Whereas the IBT is scored
from 0 to 120, the PBT is scored from 310 to 677 (I know it’s a
strange maximum score!). it is sometime used for prediction scores.

TIPS FOR ANSWERING TOEFL :

Reading Tips

As an English language learner, you can improve your reading skills

by reading regularly, especially textbooks or other materials that
cover a variety of subject areas (for example, sciences, social
sciences, arts, business) and are written in an academic style. A
wide variety of academic texts are available on the Internet as well
as in magazines and journals.

Reading to find information –

■ Scan passages to find and highlight key facts and information
such as dates, numbers, or terms

■ Practice frequently to increase reading rate and fluency

Reading for basic comprehension –

■ Increase vocabulary; flashcards can help

■ Practice skimming a passage quickly to get a general impression of

the main idea, instead of carefully reading each word and each
sentence

■ Develop the ability to skim quickly and identify major points

■ After skimming a passage, read it again more carefully and write

down the main idea, major points and important facts
■ Choose some unfamiliar words in the passage and guess the
meaning from the context (surrounding sentences); then, look
them up to determine their meaning

■ Underline all pronouns (he, him, they, them, etc.) and identify the
nouns to which they refer in the passage

■ Practice making inferences and drawing conclusions based on

what is implied in the passage as a whole
Listening Tips
Watching movies and television and listening to the radio provide
excellent opportunities to build your listening skills. Audiotapes and CDs
of lectures and presentations are equally valuable and helpful. The
Internet is also a great resource for listening material (for example,
www.npr.org or www.bbc.co.uk/radio or www.bbc.
co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish).

Listening for basic comprehension ( 50 % ).

■ Increase vocabulary
■ Focus on the second speaker and flow of spoken material.
Don’t be distracted by the speaker’s style and delivery

■ Anticipate what a person is going to say as a way to stay focused

■ Stay active by asking yourself questions (for example, What
main idea is the professor communicating?)

■ On sections of a piece of paper, write “Main Idea,”“Major Points” and

“Important Details.” Listen carefully, and write these down while
listening. Continue listening until all important points and details are
written down, and then review them

■ Listen to a portion of a lecture or talk, and create an outline of

important points.
Use the outline to write a brief summary. Gradually increase the
amount of the presentation you use to write the summary

Listening for pragmatic understanding ( 25% )

■ Think about what each speaker hopes to accomplish: What is the
purpose of the speech or conversation? Is the speaker apologizing,
complaining, or making suggestions?
 ■ Notice each speaker’s style. Is the language formal or casual? Is the
speaker’s voice calm or emotional? What does the speaker’s tone
of voice tell you?

■ Notice the speaker’s degree of certainty. How sure is the speaker

about the information? Does the speaker’s tone of voice indicate
something about his or her degree of certainty?

■ Watch a recorded TV or movie comedy. Pay careful attention to the

way stress and intonation patterns are used to convey meanin

Listening to connect information ( 25% ).

■ Think about how the lecture is organized. Listen for signal words
that indicate the introduction, major steps or ideas, examples,
and the conclusion or summary

■ Identify the relationships between ideas. Possible relationships

include cause/effect, compare/contrast, and steps in a process

■ Listen for words that show connections and relationships between

ideas
■ Listen to recorded material and stop the recording at various
points. Predict what information or idea will be expressed next

■ Create an outline of the information discussed while listening or after

listening

Structure and Written Expression Tips

Use the language every day –
■ Set aside some time each day to communicate only in English
■ Listen, read and write in English every chance you get
Use Proven Test-Taking Strategies

■ Carefully follow directions in each section of the test to avoid wasting

time.
■ Don’t panic. Concentrate exclusively on the current question only.
Don’t think about how you answered other questions. This is a habit
that can be learned through practice.

■ Avoid spending too much time on any single question. If you

have given the question some thought and you still don’t know
the answer, eliminate as many choices as possible and then
select the best choice.

■ Pace yourself so you have enough time to answer every question.

Be aware of the time limit for each section and budget enough time
for each question so you don’t have to rush at the end.
Completing Your Answer Sheet
When you mark your answers on the answer sheet:
■ Use a medium soft (#2 of HB) black lead pencil
■ Mark only one answer to each question
■ Be sure to mark your answer in the row with the same number as the question you are
answering

■ Carefully and completely fill in the oval corresponding to the answer you choose for each
question. If you change your mind about an answer after you have marked it on your answer
sheet, completely erase your old answer and then mark your new answer

QUIZ : PLEASE DISCUSS AND ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BRIEFLY !

1. What does TOEFL stand for ?

2. What is TOEFL ITP ?
3. Please mention all types of TOEFL then explain briefly !
4. What is the difference between CBT and iBT ?
5. What are the differences of TOEFL test score system?
6. Please explain tips about listening for basic information!
7. Please explain tips about listening for pragmatic understanding !
8. Explain tips about answering structure and written expression!
9. Please explain tips about answering Reading for basic comprehension
10. Explain about tips for Completing Your Answer Sheet !

Good luck & GBU