TOEFL Basics - Introduction to TOEFL iBT

Summary

In this informative session, Rebecca introduces the TOEFL exam, explaining its purpose as an English proficiency test for non-native speakers. She details the exam's structure, including the reading, listening, speaking, and writing sections, and the importance of academic English. Rebecca also shares tips for scoring high, such as understanding the test format, developing necessary skills, maintaining a positive attitude, and utilizing quality resources. She recommends www.goodlucktoefl.com for further assistance, wishing all students success in their TOEFL journey.

Takeaways

• 📚 The TOEFL is an acronym for Test of English as a Foreign Language, an English proficiency exam used to assess non-native speakers' ability to understand academic English.
• 💻 The TOEFL IBT stands for Internet Based Test, which is conducted entirely online without the need for face-to-face interaction with an examiner.
• 🎓 The exam is taken by individuals seeking university or college admission, professional certification, or to demonstrate fluency in English to potential employers.
• 📚 TOEFL tests both formal and informal academic English, including lectures and campus conversations.
• ⏱ The TOEFL exam duration is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours, covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking sections.
• 📚 Reading section times vary from 60 to 100 minutes, with the possibility of additional unscored sections used by ETS for testing new questions.
• 🎧 The listening section can last between 60 to 100 minutes, following the reading section.
• 🗣️ Speaking section consists of six tasks and lasts about 20 minutes, occurring after a 10-minute break.
• ✍️ Writing section includes an integrated task and an independent essay, with a total time of about 30 minutes to write approximately 300 to 350 words.
• 📈 To score high on the TOEFL, one must understand the test structure, possess necessary language skills, maintain a positive attitude, and utilize quality study resources.
• 🌐 For additional resources and information, the website www.goodlucktoefl.com is recommended for TOEFL preparation.

Q & A

What does TOEFL stand for?

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language.

What is the TOEFL IBT?

TOEFL IBT stands for Internet Based Test, which means the test is conducted completely and entirely over the Internet.

Who typically takes the TOEFL exam?

The TOEFL is taken by non-native speakers of English who need it for university admission, professional certification, or to demonstrate fluency in English to potential employers.

What kind of English is tested on the TOEFL?

The TOEFL tests both formal and informal academic English, including language used in academic lectures and campus conversations.

How long does the TOEFL exam take?

The TOEFL exam takes about three and a half to four hours, covering four sections: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

What is the minimum time for the reading section of the TOEFL?

The minimum time for the reading section is 60 minutes, but it could be extended to about 100 minutes if additional sections are included.

Why might the reading section be longer than 60 minutes?

The reading section might be longer because ETS, the company that creates the TOEFL exam, uses extra sections to test and experiment with new questions.

What is the speaking section of the TOEFL like?

The speaking section lasts about 20 minutes and consists of six different tasks.

What are the two parts of the TOEFL writing section?

The TOEFL writing section consists of an integrated task, where you summarize or contrast information from a reading and listening passage, and an independent task where you write an essay.

How can one improve their chances of getting a high score on the TOEFL iBT?

To get a high score on the TOEFL iBT, one should understand the test structure, develop necessary skills like reading, writing, listening, and speaking, maintain a positive attitude, and utilize good resources such as books, online materials, and lessons.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to TOEFL and IBT

In this introductory paragraph, Rebecca explains the basics of the TOEFL exam, addressing common questions from students. She clarifies that TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is also known as TOEFL IBT (Internet Based Test), conducted entirely online. The exam assesses English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, specifically in an academic context. Rebecca mentions that the TOEFL is taken by non-native English speakers for university admission, professional certification, or to demonstrate fluency to potential employers. She also outlines the structure of the exam, including the four sections and the time allocated to each, and notes that the exam duration can vary due to additional sections used for testing new questions.

05:04

🏆 Tips for Scoring High on TOEFL iBT

In the second paragraph, Rebecca provides advice on how to achieve a high score on the TOEFL iBT. She emphasizes four key strategies: understanding the test structure, mastering the necessary skills (primary and secondary), maintaining a positive attitude to reduce anxiety, and utilizing available resources. Rebecca suggests that knowledge of the test, including its format and expectations, is crucial. She also highlights the importance of academic skills like note-taking and summarizing. Additionally, she recommends using current TOEFL iBT materials and attending lessons, possibly in English-speaking countries, to improve scores. Rebecca concludes by recommending a helpful website, www.goodlucktoefl.com, which offers resources and a blog for further assistance.

Keywords

💡TOEFL

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is an English proficiency exam used to test non-native speakers' knowledge of reading, writing, listening, and understanding English in an academic context. This exam is crucial for admission to universities, certification in certain professions, or demonstrating English fluency to potential employers.

💡IBT

IBT stands for Internet Based Test, referring to the format of the TOEFL exam conducted entirely online. This means that the test is taken on a computer without the need for a physical examiner, ensuring a standardized testing environment for all candidates.

💡Academic English

Academic English refers to the formal and informal language used in educational settings, such as universities and colleges. The TOEFL exam focuses on this type of English, including formal lectures and informal campus conversations, to assess a student's ability to function in an academic environment.

💡Reading Section

The Reading Section of the TOEFL exam tests the ability to understand and analyze written English in academic contexts. It lasts between 60 to 100 minutes, depending on the number of passages, and includes both scored and experimental sections used by ETS to test new questions.

💡Listening Section

The Listening Section of the TOEFL exam assesses the ability to comprehend spoken English, including lectures and conversations typical in academic settings. This section also ranges from 60 to 100 minutes and is followed by a short break before the Speaking Section.

💡Speaking Section

The Speaking Section of the TOEFL exam evaluates the ability to communicate effectively in English. Lasting about 20 minutes, it consists of six tasks that simulate real-life academic scenarios, such as discussing a topic or expressing an opinion.

💡Writing Section

The Writing Section of the TOEFL exam measures the ability to write in English in an academic context. It includes two tasks: an integrated task that involves reading, listening, and writing, and an independent essay task that requires clear and structured writing on a given topic.

💡ETS

ETS stands for Educational Testing Service, the organization that develops and administers the TOEFL exam. ETS ensures the test's validity and reliability by continuously updating and testing new questions to maintain its high standards.

💡Test Preparation

Test preparation involves understanding the structure of the TOEFL exam, practicing primary skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), and secondary skills (grammar, vocabulary, note-taking). Access to current study materials, books, and possibly attending preparatory classes are essential for achieving a high score.

💡TOEFL Score

A TOEFL score reflects a candidate's proficiency in English across four sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Universities and employers use these scores to gauge an individual's ability to function in an English-speaking academic or professional environment. High scores can enhance opportunities for admission and employment.

Highlights

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is also known as TOEFL IBT (Internet Based Test).

TOEFL IBT is conducted completely online without meeting an examiner.

The TOEFL assesses English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for academic purposes.

The language used in TOEFL is academic or campus-based English.

TOEFL is taken by non-native English speakers for university admission, professional certification, or demonstrating fluency to employers.

Academic English, including formal lectures and informal campus conversations, is tested on the TOEFL.

The TOEFL exam duration is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

TOEFL has four sections: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Reading section time ranges from 60 to 100 minutes with 3 to 5 passages.

ETS includes unscored sections in the exam to test new questions.

Listening section lasts 60 or 100 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break.

Speaking section consists of six tasks and lasts about 20 minutes.

Writing section includes an integrated task and an independent essay.

To score high on TOEFL, understand the test structure, develop necessary skills, maintain a positive attitude, and use quality resources.

Good resources for TOEFL preparation include official materials, books, online videos, and attending lessons.

www.goodlucktoefl.com is a recommended website for TOEFL preparation resources and information.

The transcript provides a comprehensive overview of the TOEFL exam, its purpose, structure, and preparation strategies.

Transcripts

Hi, I'm Rebecca, and today we'll be answering some questions that students have asked about

the TOEFL exam.

For those of you who've just been told or found out that you need to do the TOEFL, here

are some very basic information so that you have an idea of what the TOEFL is all about.

So Ricardo has asked, "What is the TOEFL?" and "What is IBT?"

So let's start from the beginning.

TOEFL is actually an acronym, an acronym means that each letter of TOEFL stands for a word.

In this case it stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Now it's also called the TOEFL IBT, and that also stands for something, that stands for

Internet Based Test, because the TOEFL IBT is conducted completely and entirely over

the Internet.

You don't actually have to meet an examiner at all, it's just you and the computer throughout

the four hours or so of this exam, alright?

So what is the TOEFL then?

The TOEFL is an English proficiency exam, which is used to test your knowledge of reading,

writing, listening and understanding English in an academic context, alright?

So that's why a lot of the language used in the TOEFL is in fact academic or campus-based

language.

I'll be talking about this in another moment.

Kumiko from Japan asks, "Who takes the TOEFL?"

Well, the TOEFL is obviously taken by people who are non-native speakers of English, right?

And why do they take that?

They take it to get admission to university or college, sometimes they take it for professional

reasons to get certification in their profession in certain countries, and some students take

it simply to demonstrate their fluency in English for a potential employer.

Ok, Kumiko?

I hope that answers your question.

Sven asks us, "What kind of English is tested on the TOEFL?"

As I mentioned, TOEFL is really testing your academic English, the formal and the informal

English.

So formal means academic lectures, and the informal part of it means conversations on

campus between student and student, between student and professor, or student and librarian.

These are the types of listening and reading passages that you find there.

Ok, Prakash from India asks us, "How long is the TOEFL?"

Well, the TOEFL is a pretty long exam, it actually takes about three and a half to four

hours, it varies for certain reasons, I'll explain that in a moment.

The TOEFL has four sections, reading, writing, listening, and speaking, ok?

You start with the reading section, the minimum time of the reading section is 60 minutes.

In that scenario, you would have three sections.

It's possible that the reading section could be a little bit longer, it could actually

be about five sections, in which case, each time they add a section, they give you another

20 minutes.

So it can be anything from about 60 to 100 minutes for the reading section.

Whether you have three sections or five sections, you're always tested on only, you're always

scored on only three sections, but you don't know which three sections.

The reason sometimes you're given extra sections is because ETS, the company that makes the

TOEFL exam, wants to try out and experiment with new questions, and you are, as it happens,

the ones on which, on whom they try out these questions.

So you may have to do a longer reading section, you may get the bare minimum, which is three

sections and one hour long.

In any case, you don't know which sections are going to be scored, so you're going to

try your best to do very well throughout the exam, ok?

That's the 60 minutes reading section.

That's followed by 60 minutes or 100 minutes, again, of a listening section.

Then you have a 10 minute break, alright?

After the break is the speaking section.

This lasts for about 20 minutes or so, you have six different tasks.

And last of all, you have your TOEFL writing section.

TOEFL writing today consists of two sections.

In the first part, it's an integrated task.

You're given something to read, which is a few paragraphs long, then you have something

to listen to, and last, you have to write something, which integrates the information

that you read and that you heard.

You have to sort of summarize it or contrast it, and so on.

And last of all, you have to write an essay.

This essay you have about half an hour to write, and it should be about 300 to 350 words,

which is about five paragraphs long, alright?

Now, most important of all, almost all my students ask me, "How can I get a high score

on the TOEFL iBT?"

Well, there's really four different ways.

The first way is to have knowledge of the test itself.

To understand the structure of the test, to know what to expect in each section, and so

on.

The second part is to have the skills necessary to do well.

The primary skills, reading, writing, listening, speaking; secondary skills, such as grammar

and vocabulary, spelling, and so on; and also academic skills are required to do well on

the TOEFL.

For example, note-taking, summarizing, skimming, scanning, things like this are going to be

necessary while you're doing the TOEFL exam, as they will be necessary when you go to university.

The third point, which matters a lot to do well in the TOEFL, is your attitude.

Of course, you want to minimize your fear and your anxiety, and you want to optimize

your positive feeling that you can do well.

Last of all are the resources that you have access to.

For example, you should refer to good and current TOEFL iBT materials and books, whether

they're online, videos such as these, books made by ETS or Barron's or Delta or various

other companies that produce these books, and also it would be very, very helpful to

attend actual lessons.

There are lessons in your countries.

There are many students who travel around the world to attend TOEFL programs in English-speaking

countries to bolster their score, to strengthen their score, and to improve their score.

So for whatever reason you're doing the TOEFL, I wish you all the best.

Very good website, which I believe can help you a lot, is called www.goodlucktoefl.com.

I'll just write that for you.

Here you'll find a lot of the information which I have mentioned here, as well as much,

much more.

Lots of resources, lots of information, and there's also a TOEFL blog and other questions

and answers that will help you, all right?

So whatever happens, good luck on your TOEFL.

Bye for now.