What is the TOEFL test ?
If you are looking to study undergraduate or postgraduate studies in the English language, you will have to pass a test to prove your proficiency in the English language, and to ensure your skills and language abilities required necessary for study, and the TOEFL is one of the standardized tests related to measuring language abilities in the English language
The TOEFL test is organized by the ETS Foundation, and the test is of two types, the first is a paper-based test (PBT) and the second is Internet-based (IBT), and the main purpose of the test is to measure your ability to understand spoken and written English and to identify the suitability of your written ability in English to the university level
The TOEFL test is recognized in more than 130 countries worldwide, and more than 7,500 university colleges and other educational institutions accept TOEFL worldwide, and the results of the TOEFL test are used for admission to English language study programs, by enrolling in a scholarship, or for immigration.
The test was developed to measure the English language proficiency of foreign students wishing to study at American and Canadian universities. Thus, the test system was designed to fit accurately with the many study destinations, and fit the American university examination system, and now most universities in the United Kingdom accept TOEFL.
Test parts
The parts of the TOEFL test do not differ much in the two types, whether (PBT) or (IBT), and it consists of four sections:
- reading
You will be asked to read a few paragraphs of different articles. Similar to those taught at the university level, answer the questions that follow each paragraph in the form of a choice of answer from among multiple options (MCQ = Multi Choice Questions), and the questions are designed to assess your understanding during reading of the main facts, vocabulary and language style.
- listening
In this part you will hear excerpts from talks or conferences. Most of them are about university life, such as a conversation between a student and a teacher or a lecture in a field of study, and the questions are questions that choose from multiple answers and ask you about details, suggestions and linguistic words, and they are very familiar and ordinary passages. You may hear words such as “uh” or “mm” or sometimes groans during Conversation.
- talk
This is talking through a microphone that records what you say, and at a later time, the examinee listens to your answers and evaluates you accordingly. Your opinions, and you will find other questions that ask you to summarize information in the form of a short conversation.
- Writing
In the end, you will have to write two short articles. In the paper-based test (PBT), you will be given important topics to write about. Like how the internet changed our lives or if you could change one thing in your country, what is it. In the second type (IBT), you will need to analyze material from a text or lecture given to you and you will have to write a discussion article, analyzing the information given.
What is the difference between the IELTS exam and the TOEFL exam?
First, the result in the two exams varies from one exam to another. IELTS scores are in the form of ordinal ratings from 1 to 9, while the results of the TOEFL are more plural, as your total score is calculated in the different sections of the exam, and you find that in the IELTS test you talk with the examinee face to face while in the IELTS The TOEFL speaks through a microphone and you have to answer six questions through the microphone.
IELTS is the most popular test in Britain and Europe, while TOEFL is most accepted in American, Canadian and Australian universities. However, most universities now accept both. The purpose of the two exams is the same and depends more on the study destination chosen by the student, and you can pass the TOEFL test via the Internet (Computer Based Test), which is an option that may be desirable for many students who live abroad.