Content Attributes
Most of the best universities in the world are English-speaking. The students in these establishments are required to have the proper knowledge of English because all the lectures are in this language. The non-native speakers are not easily allowed to take the programs because of that. The TOEFL test has come to your rescue because it has been accepted by most institutions.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language is a standardized exam administered to the non-native speakers who want to join the English-speaking universities. The purpose of this test is to check their ability to use this very language in different ways. It is one of the major English-language exams known in the world. Most English-speaking institutions accept and use the TOEFL. That is why we will talk about it in this article.
Main Sections
The TOEFL Exam consists of four sections (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) that you are required to complete in about 3 hours. There is a mandatory break of 10 minutes between the parts in the middle of the test. Let’s have a detailed look at these exam sections.
Reading
This section contains 3 to 4 passages with each one being about 700 words long. You will have 54-72 minutes to answer about 40 questions. To complete this part, you need to understand rhetorical functions such as compare and contrast. The topics in these passages are on academics. You don’t need to be familiar with the subject being discussed to answer the questions correctly. The most important thing in this section is how well you read and are able to understand the material.
Listening
In this section, your ability to understand lectures and conversations in English will be evaluated. You will have to deal with about two or three 3-minute conversations between the students each consisting of five questions. Also, you will be given 3-4 academic lectures with six questions each. You only have to listen to each conversation once and you have about 3-5 minutes for that. However, you are allowed to take notes while listening, and you can refer to them when answering the questions. All in all, this part will cover about 41-57 minutes of your time.
Speaking
This section consists of 4 tasks with one of them being independent and three others are integrated. The independent speaking tasks evaluate your ability to speak freely and clearly convey your ideas.The integrated part evaluates your ability to pass information gathered from Reading and Listening.
You will be assessed on your capability to use all the English-language skills, just as you would do it in your everyday life. Your response should be done within 1 minute and the whole section will be 17 minutes. In this area, taking notes when listening and reading is fine. You are also getting some minutes to prepare before beginning to speak.
Writing
This section comes with two tasks where one is integrated and the other independent. This part measures your ability to write while in an academic setting and present your ideas in a well-organised manner.In the integrated area, you should read a passage and then listen as the concerned speaker discusses it.
Your main task is to summarise all the important points through writing. You will have 20 minutes for this. In the independent option, you are supposed to write an essay that states your opinion and explain it within 30 minutes.
Conclusion
If you fail the TOEFL, you will have permission to retake it after 12 days. However, to avoid possible retakes, you need to prepare adequately. Develop a study plan, read the questions carefully, use the recommended materials for your revision, and take practice tests to focus on your weaknesses.
If you are a non-native English speaker who wants to join an English-speaking university, the best test to consider is the TOEFL. A high score in this exam can help you join an institution of your choice and bring a lot of changes to your life.So, isn’t it worth its salt?