TOEFL is a Test of English as a Foreign Language, which is the official name for the test. It assesses your ability to both speak and understand English by analysing your English ability in terms of reading, speaking, listening and writing. These are all the skills which will be needed to carry out your academic studies and the test is used by institutions to ensure students are able to proceed and succeed on their chosen course in a country where the curriculum is taught in English. TOEFL scores are accepted by more than 10,000 universities and other institutions in over 150 countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., the United States, and all across Europe and Asia.
The TOEFL test is usually conducted in the form of an online test, but if the test center does not have an internet connection then a paper-based test can be offered.
- Students planning to study at a higher education institution
- English language learning program admissions and exit
- Scholarship and certification candidates
- English language learners who want to track their progress
- Students and workers applying for visas
During the test, you are asked to perform tasks that combine your English communication skills, such as:
- Read, listen and then speak in response to a question
- Listen and then speak in response to a question
- Read, listen and then write in response to a question
Test Sections of TOEFL iBT
| Section | Time Limit | Questions | Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 54-72 minutes | 30–40 questions | Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. |
| Listening | 41-57 minutes | 28–39 questions | Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. |
| Break | 10 minutes | ——- | ——- |
| Speaking | 17 minutes | 4 Tasks | Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. |
| Writing | 50 minutes | 2 Tasks | Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. |
The test you take may include extra questions in the Reading or Listening section that do not count toward your score. These are either questions that enable ETS to make test scores comparable across administrations or new questions that help ETS determine how such questions function under actual testing conditions.
Please read the timing instructions for the Reading Section carefully. The instructions will indicate how many passages you will receive and the amount of time you have to respond to questions for those passages. Be sure to pace yourself so that you have time to answer all the questions.
English Accent of a Native Speaker
- The Listening and Speaking sections of the TOEFL iBT test include other
native-speaker English accents in addition to accents from North America. You may hear accents from the U.K., New Zealand or Australia. - ETS added these accents to better reflect the variety of native English accents you may encounter while studying abroad.
- Below are examples similar to what you might hear in the Speaking and Listening sections.
Listening Section
- Listen to a talk. The lecturer is from Great Britain.
Speaking Section
In the Speaking section, only item 1 of the 4 tasks may have accented speech. Below are two examples similar to what you might hear. The speakers are from Great Britain. In each instance, the example is 15 seconds long, and you would have 45 seconds to respond.
- If friends from another country were going to spend time in your country, what city or place would you suggest they visit? Using details and examples, explain why
- Some people enjoy taking risks and trying new things. Others are not adventurous; they are cautious and prefer to avoid danger. Which behavior do you think is better? Explain why.
| Item | Fees |
|---|---|
| Registration | Fees vary by country. |
| Late Registration | US$40 |
| Rescheduling | US$60 |
| Reinstatment of canceled scores | US$20 |
| Additional score reports (per institution or agency) | US$20each |
| Speaking or Writing Section score review | US$80 |
| Speaking and Writing Section score review | US$160 |
| Returned payment | US$20 |
Fees are subject to change without notice. The above amounts are inclusive of any Value Added or similar taxes that ETS is liable to pay. In jurisdictions where the customer is required to account for any local taxes due, the price remitted to ETS excludes those taxes. In those circumstances, it is the sole responsibility of the customer to pay those taxes to the local tax authority. ETS is not responsible or liable for collecting and remitting those taxes on the customer’s behalf.
If your payment is declined by your bank or your debit/credit card provider, you will be charged a fee of US$20.
- Please make sure all payments for tests:
- Are paid in full at the time the service is requested
- have the correct numeric and written dollar amount
- have appropriate signature(s)
- Any outstanding balances from prior ETS tests or services must be paid in full before you register. Services or test scores may be withheld for non-payment.
- If you do not submit the correct fee, your registration form or request for service will be returned.