Purpose of the TOEFL Test

Purpose of the TOEFL Test

The purpose of the TOEFL test is to evaluate the English proficiency of people who are non-native English speakers. In addition, international companies, government agencies, scholarship programs, and recruitment agencies use TOEFL scores to evaluate English proficiency.

CBT: The TOEFL test on computer combines many of the same question types as the traditional paper-based test with new question types that can be offered only in the computer format. This is an easy-to-use testing system for even the most basic computer users.

The Computer-Based TOEFL Test has 4 sections

Section 1: Listening
Section 2: Structure (Grammar)
Section 3: Reading
Section 4: Writing

1. Listening Comprehension:
Measures the ESL student's ability to understand North American English.

2. Structure & Written Expression
Measures the ESL student's ability to recognize language appropriate for standard written English.

3. Vocabulary & Reading Comprehension
Measures the ESL student's ability to understand non-technical reading material.

4. Essay Writing
Measures the ESL student's ability to express ideas in standard written English.

Scoring:

The score range on the CBT TOEFL Test is: 0-300. In other words, the highest possible total score is 300 points.

This breaks down in each section as a scaled score:

Listening: 0-30
Structure/Writing: 0-30
Reading Comprehension: 0-30
TOTAL SCALED SCORE: 0-300

The score from the essay in the Writing Section is included in the Structure score. The essay is graded on a scaled score of 0 to 6. 6 is the highest possible total score on the Writing Section. Note: The essay score is one sixth of the total test score.

Number of Questions in the test and the time to complete each section:

Tutorials: 7 untimed tutorials explaining in detail the exam procedure

Listening: 30 to 49 questions with 15-25 minutes to answer the questions. 40-60 minutes to complete entire section. The clock runs while you are answering questions, but not while you are listening to conversations and talks.

Structure: 20-25 questions with 15-20 minutes to complete the questions.

Reading: 44-55 questions with 70-90 minutes to complete the section (includes time spent reading passages and answering questions).

Writing: One assigned essay topic, with 30 minutes to write the essay.


How often can I take the CBT TOEFL test?

If I cancel my scores, can I take the test again?

You may take the CBT TOEFL test only once in any calendar month, even if you took the test and cancelled your scores. For example, if you test in May, you must wait until June to take it again. IMPORTANT: If you take the test more than once in a calendar month, your new scores will not be reported and your test fee will not be refunded. Violation of this policy may also result in additional action being taken.