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التاريخ Mon, Apr 11, 2022

Everything you want to know about the TOEFL test and how to prepare to pass it?

The TOEFL test has become an indispensable necessity for many people. For example, if you want to enroll in university studies in many countries of the world and to obtain scholarships and fellowships, or if you are applying for a job that requires proof of your proficiency in the English language, although you may be fluent in English, but you need proof for these institutions and universities, then here you must pass the TOEFL test, so in this article we try to explain the TOEFL test in detail

What is the TOEFL test?

TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language (in Arabic: Test of English as a Second Language) is an English language test for non-native speakers or people who use English as a second language to measure their level of the language and their degree of proficiency in it. The TOEFL test is required for international students if they want to enroll and study in American colleges and universities as well as many other places in the world. The TOEFL test is developed and prepared by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) headquartered in New Jersey.

What is the difference between the TOEFL IBT® test and the TOEFL® PAPER-DELIVERED TEST?

The TOEFL iBT test, which can be taken online, measures reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. It is offered more than 50 times a year at selected testing locations around the world.

The now-discontinued TOEFL PBT was a paper-and-pencil test measuring reading, listening, grammar and writing skills and was offered in places where online testing was not possible.

The revised TOEFL Paper-delivered test, which replaced the TOEFL PBT, measures reading, listening, and writing skills. There is no speaking section due to the technical requirements of capturing spoken speech.

TOEFL test scores are accepted by more than 10,000 universities and institutions around the world, including universities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and many countries in Europe and Asia.

The TOEFL test is the preferred test in the United States: 9 out of 10 American universities prefer the TOEFL test more than all other language tests combined.

Very popular in Canada: More than 80% of graduate programs in Canada prefer the TOEFL test over all other language tests combined.

100% Accepted in Australia and New Zealand: TOEFL is accepted by all universities in Australia and New Zealand.

Preferred in France and Germany: French and German universities prefer the TOEFL test and universities there receive more TOEFL test results than all other tests.

Widely accepted in the UK: more than 90% of UK universities accept TOEFL results.

What are the TOEFL test sections?

TOEFL test is divided into three main types: TOEFL CBT test The abbreviation CBT stands for Computer Based Test, meaning the computer-based TOEFL test. However, this type of test is no longer used today, as it has been replaced by the TOEFL IBT test on the Internet. TOEFL IBT test is an abbreviation for Internet Based Test, meaning the TOEFL test that is based on the Internet .

TOEFL IBT is the most popular test today, accounting for 97% of all test takers. Most of the study resources available online or in libraries are related to this type. The TOEFL IBT test is held in most areas of the world where there are centers affiliated with the American ETS testing organization that organizes this test. TOEFL PBT This abbreviation refers to the phrase Paper Based Test, the TOEFL PBT test is less popular than the computer-based test via the Internet (IBT), and is currently held only in areas without Internet access.

The TOEFL test consists of 140 questions and is divided into four parts as follows:

  • Listening Comprehension
  • Structure and Written Expression
  • Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
  • Essay Writing

Exam period.

There are four sections, each marked out of 30, with 120 being the maximum score. Top universities require a score of at least 80 or 90 to offer unconditional admission.

TOEFL iBT Reading Section (60-90 minutes to complete)

The reading section will contain 3-4 text passages, each with 12-14 questions. This section will assess your understanding of detail, your inferential skills, and your rhetorical abilities. You should plan to spend 20 minutes on each passage, so make sure you keep your eye on the time!

TOEFL Listening Section (60-90 minutes to complete)

There are two types of audio segments: talks about campus life and academic lectures. You will hear 2-3 talks with 5 questions each and 4-6 lectures with 6 questions each. After the audio section there is a mandatory 10-minute break.

TOEFL Speaking Section (20 minutes to complete)

There are 6 tasks or sections in this exam, the first two are independent, in which you talk about an experience familiar to you and give your opinion (45 seconds each). The remaining four sections or sections are combined with listening and reading. With the combined tasks, you have to summarise and synthesize the most important things you have read or heard (60 seconds for each section).

TOEFL iBT Writing Section (50 minutes to complete)

Your task in the writing section is to write two essays. The first is a comprehensive essay based on written and audio clips, where you must summarize and write down the most important points of what you heard. The second essay is independent, and you must write a persuasive or descriptive essay based on the guidance.

Why do you need the TOEFL test?

The TOEFL iBT is primarily used in the United States to assess the English language skills of those applying to study abroad in this country, so if a student wants to go to university, school, college or the like in the United States, this is the right test for them. In addition, the test result is only recognized for two years, which makes it useful for a student with short-term goals. If you are looking to study in the United Kingdom (UK), the IELTS test may be the best option for you.

- To enter universities and colleges mainly located in the United States of America.

- To measure his academic progress.

Some companies and businesses accept the TOEFL as proof of the applicant's English language abilities and skills.

TOEFL test evaluation and correction mechanism:

The paper-based TOEFL (PBT) test is scored between 310 and 677, with scores distributed equally across the three sections, with scores ranging from 31 to 68 in each section, while in the computer-based test (IBT), questions are scored between 0 and 120, distributed equally across the four sections of the test (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), with scores ranging from 0 to 30 in each section.

Is the TOEFL test difficult?

The paper-based test is known to be easier than the TOEFL iBT as the audio recordings in the listening section are shorter, and the computer-based test requires writing an essay while the writing section in the paper-based test is separate.

Is there a retake of the TOEFL test?

The TOEFL iBT test is available on specific dates and is administered more than 50 times a year. If you do not get the required score, you can repeat the test after preparing well for it.

How do you study for the TOEFL test?

Firstly:

Vocabulary Learning vocabulary for all parts of the test (writing, reading , speaking, and listening) will help you. The secret to learning vocabulary for the TOEFL exam, and for any language in fact, is to stick to a small amount over a long period of time. Some people make the mistake of cramming long hours of work into a specific time, then abandoning studying for a long time, then going back to cramming for several hours, and so on. This approach will actually get you nowhere. It is better to learn 5 words a day at most. This seemingly small amount will get you fluent in more than 1,000 words a year. In fact, to speak English, you only need between 2,000 and 4,000 words, depending on the type of conversation, whether general or specialized. Well, you need to build your English vocabulary. By taking your time and following these proven steps, memorizing the essential words for the TOEFL exam will be easy and fun.

  1. Categorizing Categorizing words is important because it makes it easier for you to visualize vocabulary in context. This is how your brain works; words are not stored in your memory in isolated islands. You always organize your thoughts around different categories and topics. Divide vocabulary into a list of specific categories that are relevant to your life and the TOEFL test. Some of the most important categories that you will find in the TOEFL and your life as well are: Education; Business; Relationships; Family; Sports; Religion; Politics; Environment; Health; Food; Culture; Travel. Next, divide the categories into sub-sections such as:

People; Groups; Places; Actions; Things; Feelings; Personality Now fill in those sections with the current vocabulary and phrases you already know, then move on to searching for other words you don't know, for example, the Education category has: People section: teacher, student, doctor Group section: class, classroom, club Place section: school, university, classroom Tools section: pen, computer, eraser Personality section: lazy, quiet, hardworking

  1. Choose your words Choose a category to study each week. Vary the categories every week or every two weeks to avoid boredom and to build up your vocabulary. Choose five new words related to your category each day. You can choose all 25 words for the week before the week starts or at the beginning of each day, but don’t try to memorize more than five words each day. Also, don’t add new words to your list on the weekend; instead, use them for review and rest.

But how do you choose those new words? You can read the topics related to your categories and underline the new words that are repeated.

  1. Know your words Once you have chosen your words for the day, start by trying to guess the meaning of each word. Then look it up in a dictionary. Use a monolingual (English only) dictionary to get used to thinking in English. Don’t use a bilingual (Arabic-English) dictionary to check the meaning in your native language if it is absolutely necessary. Once you know the meaning of the word, write it in your own words in a sentence or phrase, and relate that sentence to your life experiences or people you have met to make it easier for you to remember.
  2. Review your words It is important to review your words as much as possible; schedule quick review sessions of 3 to 10 minutes each.

You can use flashcards to write the word on one side and the definition on the other, or use sticky notes and place them around your room or home, such as on the fridge or bathroom mirror. Use your words throughout the day on social media, talking to English speakers, or taking conversation classes.

There is no minimum or maximum number of times you should do this, but take every opportunity. It is also important to use your words in sentences; remember that words are not used alone but in the context of sentences, texts, audio, videos and conversations. The purpose of the TOEFL test is to measure your ability to use English in a real-world setting.

secondly:

Writing Preparing for a TOEFL essay is very different from preparing for a classroom essay. In a classroom, you have plenty of time to carefully formulate and write down your thoughts, whereas on the TOEFL, time is strictly timed. So you need to practice before the test. You need to think fast, write fast and correct your writing fast. You need to practice this, especially if you are not good at typing on a computer. After expanding your vocabulary, here are some ways you can improve your writing and thus get higher scores:

  1. Writing Practice Before the Test Choose a topic, set a timer for thirty minutes, and continue writing without stopping. When the time is up, read your writing carefully, checking your grammar and how much you have written. Repeat this exercise several times a week; practice will help you think and write your ideas faster.
  2. Quality over quantity Short, well-written answers are better than long, rambling texts. Use transitions between sentences and paragraphs, avoid repetition, and proofread your writing to ensure that the language is clear. If your writing is too long, you won’t be able to check grammar and spelling, and you may include off-topic ideas. But don’t make your answer so short that you don’t show that you can write your thoughts fluently.
  3. Learn sentence patterns The TOEFL test administrators look at your ability to write different types of sentences. Practice writing and using a variety of sentences.
  4. Organizing ideas before writing them down Do not start writing until you have determined the order of ideas and given some examples. Planning usually takes less than 3 minutes Figures of Speech
  5. The main essay sentence This is the first thing the evaluation team will read about your answer, so you should write a clear, grammatically correct sentence that states the main idea of ​​the topic.

Third:

Reading Look at textbook excerpts and scholarly articles to practice. The best place to get them is Google Scholar, which searches for academic work based on the keywords you provide with links to actual topics! You can also use summaries of long academic papers. Don’t use keywords that are too difficult or complicated. You want a text that is written in an academic style, but that you can understand without being a science expert. After you’ve gathered the texts, write questions about them, about 14 questions per text. Here are some ways to formulate questions: Choose a sentence and identify its purpose Where it fits in the paragraph Choose an odd word and guess its meaning Choose a paragraph from the middle of the passage and summarize it in one sentence

Fourth:

Speaking Many people dread the TOEFL Speaking section because even those who are fluent in foreign languages ​​may not practice speaking as much as they do memorizing vocabulary and grammar. But don’t worry! Practicing speaking at home is the best way to prepare for the TOEFL Speaking test . Prepare some topics that you understand well, such as car maintenance or your academic studies, and then speak on a specific point in 45 seconds. Record yourself and listen to it, checking your pronunciation, the organization of your thoughts, and the speed of your speech. You can ask someone you know who is fluent in English to help you. Then move on to topics that you know a little bit about, and repeat the same exercise. Know that you will be speaking into a microphone and not to a person on the TOEFL test, so pretend that you are holding a microphone if you don’t have one.

Fifth: Listening:

Practice listening to a variety of conversations. You can browse YouTube, watch academic lectures, and student conversations. At first, try to understand what they are saying without the help of translation or written text, but beware that machine-written text contains some errors. Identify the main idea or topic of the recording you heard, state the facts directly, and determine the reason for the conversation. Guess the real meaning of the conversation. Sometimes, a person says something that he or she means something else.

For example: If you are eating food and your friend says that the food looks delicious, he or she will probably want to eat some. These inferential and implied questions are the most difficult, so try to practice them a lot. On the TOEFL, you will usually have the option to listen again, but remember that time is limited, so it is important to practice. Don’t limit your practice to justlistening to an American accent . Since 2013, the TOEFL test has included lectures and conversations with speakers from the UK, New Zealand, or Australia. Preparing for the TOEFL can be stressful, but it is essential for applying to university and scholarships, and studying for it is also fun. Make it your goal to improve your language skills, not just get a score. Taking the TOEFL is one of the best ways to study English, as you are practicing your basic language skills.

Finally, we have provided you with everything you need to know about the TOEFL test, who is responsible for taking the TOEFL test and why it is important to them, and how to prepare for it. Always remember, dear reader, that the secret to successfully passing the TOEFL test is to prepare for it well.

نشرت: Mon, Apr 11, 2022

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