- TOEFL iBT
- ETS's internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language — academic-English proficiency, taken mainly for university admission.
- Reading section length
- About 35 minutes, scored 0–30, with 2 academic passages of ~700 words and about 10 questions each.
- Factual Information question
- Asks you to find a fact, detail, or definition explicitly stated in the passage.
- Negative Factual Information question
- Asks which choice is NOT stated or NOT true in the passage — usually phrased with 'EXCEPT.'
- Inference question (Reading)
- Asks for a conclusion the passage strongly implies through evidence but does not state outright.
- Rhetorical Purpose question
- Asks why the author includes or organizes a particular piece of information — its function, not its content.
- Vocabulary question (Reading)
- Asks the meaning of a word or phrase as it is used in the passage, which can differ from its dictionary meaning.
- Reference question
- Asks what a pronoun or phrase (it, they, this) refers back to in the passage.
- Sentence Simplification question
- Asks which choice best restates a highlighted sentence's essential meaning while keeping its logic.
- Insert Text question
- Asks where a given sentence best fits among marked squares in the passage.
- Prose Summary question
- A whole-passage item worth 2 points: choose the 3 of 6 choices that capture the passage's major ideas.
- Fill in a Table question
- A whole-passage item worth 3–4 points: sort ideas into a chart by category.
- How many Reading question types are there?
- Ten: Factual, Negative Factual, Inference, Rhetorical Purpose, Vocabulary, Reference, Sentence Simplification, Insert Text, Prose Summary, and Fill in a Table.
- TOEFL Reading passage style
- Expository academic prose drawn from university-level subjects like biology, history, and astronomy.
- Do you need outside knowledge for Reading?
- No — every answer is grounded in the passage itself; never rely on personal knowledge.
- Order of Reading questions
- They follow passage order, except the whole-passage Prose Summary (or Fill in a Table), which comes last.
- Time budget per Reading passage
- Roughly 17–18 minutes per passage (about 35 minutes for 2 passages).
- Penalty for wrong Reading answers?
- None — never leave a question blank; eliminate what you can and make your best guess.
- Vocabulary strategy
- Predict the meaning from context, then plug each choice back into the sentence; the right one keeps the meaning intact.
- Vocabulary trap to avoid
- Picking the most common dictionary definition when it doesn't fit how the word is used in the passage.
- Inference vs. Factual Information
- Inference is strongly implied but not stated; Factual Information is written directly in the passage.
- Insert Text strategy
- Match cohesion cues — pronouns and connectors like 'this,' 'such,' 'therefore' — to the sentence before each square.
- Sentence Simplification strategy
- Keep the main clause and its logic; reject choices that change a key idea, omit one, or add new information.
- Prose Summary strategy
- Pick the 3 MAIN ideas; the wrong choices are true-but-minor details or false statements.
- Negative Factual strategy
- Verify each option against the text; the answer is the one option that is NOT supported.
- Main idea
- The central point a passage conveys — what the whole text is mostly about.
- Supporting detail
- A fact, example, statistic, or reason that explains or proves the main idea.
- Topic sentence
- A sentence (often first in a paragraph) that states the paragraph's main point.
- Expository text
- Writing that explains or informs — the academic register of TOEFL Reading passages.
- Skimming
- Reading quickly for structure — topic sentences and transitions — before answering questions.
- Scanning
- Reading quickly to locate a specific fact or detail for a Factual Information question.
- Cohesion (in a passage)
- How sentences connect through pronouns, connectors, and repeated ideas — key to Insert Text items.
- Paraphrase
- Restating an idea in different words while keeping the meaning — what a correct answer often is.
- Context clue
- A hint in the surrounding text — a definition, example, or contrast — that reveals a word's meaning.
- Why answers are often paraphrases
- TOEFL restates passage ideas with synonyms, so match meaning, not identical wording.
- Author's purpose
- The reason a text was written — to inform, explain, persuade, or describe.
- Tone
- The author's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choice.
- Pronoun reference
- What a pronoun stands in for; resolving it correctly is the whole Reference question.
- Passage length (Reading)
- Each TOEFL Reading passage is about 700 words of academic text.
- Highlighted word (Reading)
- A word marked in the passage that a Vocabulary question asks you to define in context.
- EXCEPT question signal
- A capitalized 'NOT' or 'EXCEPT' marks a Negative Factual question — the answer is the unsupported choice.
- Active reading
- Reading with attention to structure and purpose, not just words — it speeds up answering.
- Distractor
- A wrong answer choice designed to look plausible — often true-but-irrelevant or a misread of the text.
- Analyze (academic verb)
- To examine something in detail to understand its parts or structure.
- Demonstrate (academic verb)
- To show or prove something clearly, often with evidence or an example.
- Derive (academic verb)
- To obtain or develop something from a source ('the word derives from Latin').
- Undermine (academic verb)
- To weaken or damage something gradually ('the data undermine the theory').
- Contribute (academic verb)
- To give or add to something ('factors that contribute to climate change').
- Hypothesis
- A proposed explanation tested by evidence; common in TOEFL science passages.
- Phenomenon
- An observable event or fact, especially one studied scientifically (plural: phenomena).
- Significant (academic adjective)
- Important or large enough to matter; in research, unlikely to be due to chance.
- Subsequent
- Coming after something in time or order ('the subsequent chapter').
- Consequently
- As a result; a transition word signaling cause and effect.
- Furthermore
- In addition; a transition word that adds a related point.
- Nevertheless
- In spite of that; a transition word signaling contrast.
- Constitute
- To make up or form ('these parts constitute the whole').
- Implication
- A conclusion or effect suggested but not stated directly.
- Comprise
- To consist of or be made up of ('the test comprises four sections').
- Conduct (academic verb)
- To carry out an activity, especially research or an experiment.
- Distinct
- Clearly different or separate from something else.
- Predominant
- Most common, frequent, or important in a group or situation.
- Attribute (verb)
- To regard something as caused by a particular thing ('attributed the change to climate').
- Contrast (academic)
- To compare in order to show differences; a key text-structure cue.
- Listening section length
- About 36 minutes, scored 0–30, mixing lectures and conversations with about 28 questions.
- How many times does TOEFL audio play?
- Only once — there is no replay for the whole talk, so note-taking is essential.
- Is note-taking allowed?
- Yes — you may take notes throughout the Listening (and Speaking/Writing) sections and use them to answer.
- Academic lecture (Listening)
- A mini classroom talk on an arts or science topic, sometimes with pauses or student questions.
- Campus conversation (Listening)
- A student talking with a professor or staff member, usually to solve a problem (a deadline, an order, a schedule).
- Gist-Content question
- Asks what a lecture or conversation is mainly about — its overall topic or main idea.
- Gist-Purpose question
- Asks why a talk or conversation is taking place — the reason behind it.
- Detail question (Listening)
- Asks for a specific fact stated in the recording, often as a paraphrase rather than the exact words.
- Function question
- Asks the purpose behind what a speaker says — why they said it, not just the literal words.
- Attitude question
- Asks about a speaker's feeling, opinion, or stance toward the topic.
- Organization question
- Asks how a lecture is structured — compare/contrast, cause/effect, or a sequence of steps.
- Connecting Content question
- Asks about relationships among ideas in a talk, often shown as a table or matching item.
- Inference question (Listening)
- Asks for a logical conclusion the recording implies but does not state directly.
- The 3 Listening question categories
- Basic Comprehension, Pragmatic Understanding, and Connecting Information.
- Basic Comprehension questions
- Gist-Content, Gist-Purpose, and Detail — the literal content of a talk.
- Pragmatic Understanding questions
- Function and Attitude — the intent and tone behind what a speaker says.
- Connecting Information questions
- Organization, Connecting Content, and Inference — how ideas relate across the talk.
- How many Listening question types?
- Eight, grouped into the three categories.
- Why grasp a speaker's purpose?
- Because Pragmatic Understanding questions ask about intended meaning, not just literal words.
- What does a replayed clip signal?
- A Function or Attitude question — listen for tone and intent in the replayed line.
- Signpost (Listening)
- A word or phrase (first, next, however, for example) that marks a talk's structure or direction.
- What does a restated idea signal?
- That the idea is important and likely to be tested — speakers restate what matters.
- Note-taking T-chart
- Main points on the left, examples and details on the right — captures structure and emphasis.
- What to capture in Listening notes
- Topic, signposts, the speaker's emphasis/attitude, and how the parts are organized.
- Transition phrase in a lecture
- Phrases like 'let's turn now to' that signal a shift from one part of the talk to the next.
- Rhetorical question in a lecture
- A question a professor asks to engage listeners and prompt them to think about the answer.
- Why are conversations on campus?
- They simulate real university service and office-hour encounters test-takers will face.
- Should you transcribe the audio?
- No — transcribing makes you miss the next sentence; capture structure and key cues instead.
- Detail answer wording
- Usually a paraphrase of the speaker's words, not a verbatim repeat — match meaning.
- Speaker emphasis cue
- Phrases like 'this is important' or repeating an idea flag content likely to be tested.
- Lecture preview statement
- A line like 'we'll apply it to two case studies' that previews how the rest of the talk is structured.
- Hedging (Listening)
- Tentative language ('I'm not sure that's right') that signals doubt — a clue for Attitude questions.
- Office hours (Listening)
- A common conversation setting where a student meets a professor to ask about coursework.
- Service encounter (Listening)
- A conversation where a student handles a campus issue with staff (library, bookstore, registrar).
- Cause-and-effect lecture
- A talk organized around what leads to what — note each cause and its effect.
- Compare-and-contrast lecture
- A talk organized around similarities and differences — a common Organization structure.
- Process/sequence lecture
- A talk organized as ordered steps — note the order for Organization questions.
- Main idea of a lecture
- Its overall topic — usually stated at the start and the answer to a Gist-Content question.
- Tone of voice (Listening)
- A speaker's pitch and emphasis, which reveal attitude or the function of a remark.
- Connecting two ideas
- Recognizing how a lecture links concepts — the basis of Connecting Content questions.
- Speaking section length
- About 16 minutes, scored 0–30, with 4 tasks spoken into a microphone.
- How many Speaking tasks?
- Four — one Independent task and three Integrated tasks.
- Independent task (Speaking)
- Task 1: state and defend your own opinion or choice on a familiar topic — no source material.
- Integrated task (Speaking)
- Tasks 2–4: read and/or listen to sources, then summarize them; reward accurate paraphrase, not opinion.
- Task 1 timing
- 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to speak.
- Task 2 (Speaking)
- Integrated campus task: read a short announcement, hear a conversation, summarize the speaker's opinion and reasons (30s prep · 60s).
- Task 3 (Speaking)
- Integrated academic task: read a passage defining a concept, hear a lecture's example, explain both (30s prep · 60s).
- Task 4 (Speaking)
- Integrated lecture-only task: hear a lecture and summarize its topic and two key points (20s prep · 60s).
- Independent task template
- State your choice, then two reasons, each with a specific example: 'I prefer X because… First,… Second,…'
- How are Speaking responses scored?
- Each is scored 0–4 on Delivery, Language Use, and Topic Development, then combined and scaled to 0–30.
- Delivery (Speaking rubric)
- How clear, fluent, and well-paced your speech is, including pronunciation and intonation.
- Language Use (Speaking rubric)
- Range and accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, and effective sentence structure.
- Topic Development (Speaking rubric)
- A coherent response that fully addresses the prompt with relevant, sufficient detail.
- Does your opinion matter on Task 1?
- No — graders score how well you develop and deliver the answer, not which side you pick.
- Task 2 response structure
- State the campus proposal and the speaker's opinion, then give their two reasons from the conversation.
- Task 3 response structure
- Define the concept from the reading in one sentence, then explain the lecture's example that illustrates it.
- Task 4 response structure
- State the lecture's topic, then summarize the two examples or points the professor gives.
- Speaking pace advice
- Speak at a steady, natural pace — frequent restarts and pauses lower Delivery more than a slightly slower answer.
- Two reasons or three on Task 1?
- Two well-supported reasons beat three rushed ones — finish within 45 seconds.
- Integrated speaking — opinion?
- No personal opinion — Integrated tasks score accurate summary of the sources.
- Note-taking in Speaking
- Take quick notes during the reading and lecture so your summary captures the speaker's reasons.
- Accent on the Speaking section
- A minor accent is fine — clarity and pace matter more than sounding native.
- First sentence of an Independent answer
- State your choice directly — answer the question in your opening sentence.
- What lowers a Speaking score most?
- An unclear, hesitant, or incomplete response — and, on Integrated tasks, inaccurate summaries.
- Prep time across Speaking tasks
- 15 seconds for Task 1; 20–30 seconds for the integrated Tasks 2–4.
- Response time across Speaking tasks
- 45 seconds for Task 1; 60 seconds for the integrated Tasks 2–4.
- Fluency
- Speaking smoothly without frequent pauses or restarts — part of the Delivery score.
- Pronunciation (Speaking)
- How clearly you produce sounds; it affects Delivery but need not be native-like.
- Intonation
- The rise and fall of your voice; natural intonation makes speech easier to follow.
- Why finish within the time limit?
- An incomplete answer hurts Topic Development; pace yourself to make a full point.
- Paraphrasing a source (Speaking)
- Restating the reading or lecture in your own words — the core skill of the integrated tasks.
- Signposting in a spoken answer
- Using 'first,' 'second,' 'for example' so the listener can follow your structure.
- Writing section length
- About 29 minutes, scored 0–30, with 2 tasks: Integrated Writing and Writing for an Academic Discussion.
- How many Writing tasks?
- Two — Integrated Writing and Writing for an Academic Discussion.
- Integrated Writing task
- Read a passage, hear a lecture that challenges it, then write 150–225 words explaining how they relate (~20 min).
- Writing for an Academic Discussion
- Respond to a professor's discussion-board post and two student replies with your own view (~10 min, 100+ words).
- What was retired in July 2023?
- The 30-minute Independent 'agree/disagree' essay — replaced by Writing for an Academic Discussion.
- How are Writing tasks scored?
- Each task is scored 0–5, then combined and scaled to a 0–30 section score.
- Integrated Writing word count
- About 150–225 words recommended.
- Integrated Writing time
- About 20 minutes to write (after 3 minutes reading and a 2–2.5-minute lecture).
- Academic Discussion word count
- At least 100 words; aim for a focused 120–160.
- Academic Discussion time
- About 10 minutes.
- Integrated Writing — opinion?
- No personal opinion — explain how the lecture relates to the reading; accuracy is scored.
- Lecture vs. reading in Integrated Writing
- The lecture almost always challenges or casts doubt on the reading, point by point.
- Reporting verb
- A verb that attributes a source's idea — 'the lecturer argues,' 'the reading claims,' 'the professor points out.'
- Integrated Writing structure
- Intro (reading claims X, lecture challenges it) + one body paragraph per lecture point paired to its reading point.
- Does the passage stay on screen?
- Yes — the reading passage remains visible while you write the Integrated essay.
- Academic Discussion structure
- State a clear position, give one specific reason with an example, and engage a classmate's point.
- First sentence of a discussion post
- State your position clearly — don't restate the professor's question or sit on the fence.
- Thesis
- The central claim or position a piece of writing argues, usually stated near the start.
- Sentence variety
- Mixing simple and complex sentences and varying openings — it raises Language Use scores.
- Subject-verb agreement
- A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.
- Conciseness (Writing)
- Choosing precise words and cutting wordiness and redundancy.
- Coherence
- Logical ordering of ideas with transitions so writing is easy to follow.
- Transition word
- A word like 'however,' 'therefore,' or 'for example' that signals the relationship between ideas.
- What raises every TOEFL score?
- Strong academic vocabulary and accurate, varied grammar — the TOEFL is academic throughout.
- Common Integrated Writing mistake
- Adding your own opinion instead of accurately reporting how the lecture relates to the reading.
- Why engage a classmate's post?
- It shows you're contributing to the discussion, which the Academic Discussion task rewards.
- Introduction (essay)
- The opening that states the topic and your thesis or, in Integrated Writing, the reading-vs-lecture relationship.
- Body paragraph
- A paragraph developing one main point with a reason and specific support.
- Conclusion (essay)
- A closing that ties the support back to the thesis (optional in short TOEFL tasks).
- Run-on sentence
- Two complete sentences joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction — fix with a period or semicolon.
- Sentence fragment
- An incomplete sentence missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
- Comma splice
- Two complete sentences joined by only a comma — a kind of run-on to avoid.
- Parallel structure
- Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison.
- Verb tense consistency
- Keeping tense consistent unless the meaning requires a shift — a common accuracy point.
- Article usage (a/an/the)
- Choosing the correct article; a frequent grammar challenge for non-native writers.
- Specific example
- A concrete detail or instance that supports a point — what raises a response's development score.
- Academic register
- The formal, precise style expected in TOEFL writing — no slang or casual abbreviations.
- Why pair lecture and reading points?
- Integrated Writing is scored on showing how each lecture point relates to a reading point.
- Word choice (diction)
- Selecting precise, appropriate words — part of the Language Use score.
- TOEFL total score
- 0–120, the sum of four sections each scored 0–30.
- How many sections on the TOEFL iBT?
- Four — Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, in that fixed order.
- Is there a passing TOEFL score?
- No — there is no pass/fail; each institution sets its own minimum required score.
- Section score range
- Each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) is scored 0–30.
- TOEFL test length (since July 2023)
- About 2 hours total, with no scheduled break between sections.
- TOEFL Home Edition
- The same test taken at home on your own computer with a live human proctor — same content and score.
- Who creates the TOEFL?
- ETS (Educational Testing Service), a non-profit assessment organization.
- Who takes the TOEFL?
- Non-native English speakers, mainly for university admission and sometimes visas, scholarships, or licensing.
- 2026 TOEFL redesign
- A January 2026 ETS update: shorter, adaptive Reading/Listening, new task types, and a 1–6 band score scale.
- Scaled score
- A section score (0–30) derived from raw performance; the four scaled scores add to the 0–120 total.
- Order of TOEFL sections
- Reading, then Listening, then Speaking, then Writing — a fixed order with no break.
- What does a good total score require?
- Meeting each program's minimum — roughly 70–80 for many undergrad and 100+ for competitive/grad programs.
- Test delivery modes
- At an authorized test center or at home via the TOEFL iBT Home Edition (live proctor).
- Is the TOEFL a credential?
- No — it reports a score for admissions; it does not award a license or certificate.
- Negative phrasing trap
- Words like 'not,' 'except,' and 'least' flip what a question is asking — read them carefully.
- Reading for gist
- Quickly grasping a passage's overall point before tackling detail questions.
- Inference is not a guess
- It must be supported by passage evidence — if you can't point to the line, it's not the answer.
- Synonym recognition
- Matching a passage idea to a choice that restates it with different words — core to many items.
- Two-passage Reading set
- Since July 2023, the Reading section uses two passages instead of the older three or four.
- Worth more than 1 point
- Prose Summary (2 pts) and Fill in a Table (3–4 pts) carry extra weight — don't rush them.
- Definition in the passage
- TOEFL passages often define key terms in context — the basis of some Vocabulary and Factual items.
- Illustrate (rhetorical function)
- Giving an example to clarify a point — a common answer to a Rhetorical Purpose question.
- Listening parts
- The section is divided into separately timed parts, each with a conversation and one or two lectures.
- Why notes beat memory
- You hear the audio once, so organized notes — not recall alone — drive your answers.
- Catching emphasis
- When a speaker stresses 'the one we'll focus on,' that detail is likely tested.
- Polite refusal (Function)
- An indirect 'no' ('I'd love to, but…') — a Function question may ask what the speaker really means.
- Multiple-answer Listening items
- Some Listening questions ask you to choose more than one correct option.
- Matching/ordering items
- Connecting Content questions can require matching ideas or putting steps in order.
- Microphone response
- All four Speaking tasks are recorded through a microphone and scored by raters and AI.
- Why record practice answers
- Hearing yourself reveals pace, fillers, and clarity issues you can fix before test day.
- Filler words
- Sounds like 'um' and 'uh'; reducing them improves Delivery and fluency.
- Coherent response
- One whose ideas connect logically and fully address the prompt — central to Topic Development.
- Integrated speaking note-taking
- Jot the speaker's opinion and two reasons so your 60-second summary stays accurate.
- Keyboard-typed responses
- Both TOEFL Writing tasks are typed on a computer keyboard, not handwritten.
- Plan before you write
- Spend a minute outlining points and pairings so the essay is organized, not rambling.
- Proofread at the end
- Save a minute to fix grammar, spelling, and punctuation — accuracy affects Language Use.
- Attribute the source
- Use reporting verbs to make clear an idea comes from the reading or the lecture, not from you.
- Discussion-board scenario
- The Academic Discussion task shows a professor's prompt and two student posts you respond to.
- Focused over long
- A clear, well-supported 120–160-word post usually scores better than a longer, vaguer one.
