About the TOEFL iBT

What is the TOEFL iBT?

The TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test) is an internationally recognized exam that assesses the ability of non-native people to use and understand the English language in an academic setting. It is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is accepted by thousands of universities, agencies and programs around the world, especially in English-speaking countries.

Each section of the TOEFL iBT test is scored on a scale of 0 to 30, and the total score for all four sections can add up to 120.

The TOEFL iBT test is divided into four sections that test reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills in English.

Reading

The reading section consists of 20 questions based on two text passages, with an estimated time of 35 minutes to complete.

The passages come from university textbooks and cover a variety of disciplines, including natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. The questions require candidates to read and understand the texts, identify main ideas and details, understand vocabulary in context, and make inferences based on what they have read.

Understanding the structure of the text and the ability to recognize the relationship between ideas are also assessed in this section.

Listening

The listening section consists of 28 questions and has an estimated duration of 36 minutes.

In this section, candidates listen to recordings of lectures and classroom discussions that last 3-5 minutes. Lectures can be on a variety of topics and can include student interactions. Discussions can involve a conversation between two people or a monologue.

Candidates must demonstrate their ability to understand the conversation or lecture, follow the speech, grasp the main points and details, recognize the attitude or purpose of the speaker, and understand the content and organization of the information presented.

Speaking

The speaking section includes 4 tasks and has an estimated time of 16 minutes.

Two of these tasks involve talking about familiar topics and two involve talking from what the candidates have read and heard.

Candidates must demonstrate their ability to express their ideas coherently and effectively in English, using an appropriate range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. They must also show their ability to synthesize and convey information effectively.

Responses are recorded and assessed by English language assessment experts.

Writing

The writing section consists of two tasks with a total estimated time of 29 minutes.

One of the tasks is an "Integrated Task" that involves reading a passage, listening to a lecture or conversation on the same topic, and then writing a response that combines information from both.

In the other task, called "Writing for an Academic Discussion," candidates must express and support an opinion on a topic in an online class discussion context.

Candidates must demonstrate their ability to present and support their ideas clearly and effectively, using an appropriate range of vocabulary and grammatical structures.