TOEFL - Test Of English as a Foreign Language

About the Exam

TOEFL is to be taken for seeking admission in any course in USA and Canada. The score is also used for admission in many other countries where the medium of instruction is English. The test aims at evaluating proficiency in English of candidates whose mother tongue is not English. It is important to note that 'American English' is not quite like the language we are used to in India. Their accent in particular, is quite different. Scores in TOEFL help the colleges to judge whether the applicant, seeking admission, would be able to comprehend the lectures etc.

Eligibility

TOEFL is mandatory for seeking admission in any academic course at any level- undergraduate, graduate or post graduate, in USA and Canada.

Test Details

TOEFL can be taken in any working day of the month meaning it is held five days in a week. It is advisable that a candidate takes the test as early as possible so that the score is reported timely.

Exam Structure

OEFL has been introduced as a computer based test in most of the countries. The computer-based test has four sections

The first two sections- Listening and Structure are computer adaptive, meaning, each time a question is answered, the computer scores that question and adjusts to the response. It determines the next question to be presented to the candidate by using this information. Both of these are multiple-choice sections and the candidate is presented with a question of moderate difficulty at first. If answered correctly, the second question will be tougher and if the response is incorrect the second question would be easier. The computer will continue presenting questions based on the responses, with the goal of determining the ability level of the candidate and at the same time meeting the requirement of the test for which it is designed.

Listening Section evaluates the ability of the candidate to understand English as spoken in US and Canada. Candidates are given headphones to hear recorded sessions. The questions based on the recording appear on the screen and thereafter the answer choices appear. The time spent in hearing the test material is not counted, however the material and the questions are presented only once. Structure Section contains incomplete and incorrect sentences. These are required to be completed or corrected by using words/phrases from the given choice

The other two sections are Reading and Writing respectively. These sections are not 'computer adaptive' since the selection of passages and topics in them are not based on the performance of the candidate. The section on Reading contains short passages and questions on them. It measures the ability of the candidate to comprehend short passages, similar to those, which he may actually encounter while pursuing the actual course. The section on Writing comprises of essay writing on a given topic, within 30 minutes. The candidate has the option to type out his essay on the computer or write it on a sheet

Application Details

For details like scheduling of an appointment for the test, list of test centers, and more it is best to obtain a copy of the 'TOEFL Information Bulletin for Computer Based Testing'. It is a free publication and can be obtained from the Regional Registration Center or downloaded from http://www.toefl.org

The purpose of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is to evaluate the English proficiency of students whose native language is not English.The Scores are required by more than 4,300 colleges, universities, professional schools, and sponsoring institutions of United States.

Online Test Registration [ Top ]

To make it easier to sign up for the paper-based
TOEFL test and the TSE® test, you can now register online! Register now

The TSE is changing...for the better!
In the coming months the Test of Spoken English (TSE) will undergo changes in its testing format. Find out more.

LanguEdgeTM Courseware
Introducing a CD-ROM instructional tool for use in the ESL classroom that makes it easier for teachers to build and assess the communicative skills of their students. Find out more.

ScoreItNow! TM Online Writing Practice for Students
Prepare for the writing section of the TOEFL test. Get immediate score feedback on your essay responses, and receive general suggestions for improving your writing skills. Learn more now.

Global testing programs [ Top ]

English Language Tests administered by ETS at specific locations worldwide

1. TOEFL Testing Program

Link directly to the Computer-Based Testing Directory
Link directly to the Paper-Based Testing Directory

2. TSE

The Test of Spoken English measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to communicate orally in English. The test is approximately 20 minutes long.

Your performance on the Test of Spoken English indicates how your oral language ability might affect your ability to communicate successfully in an academic or professional environment. TSE scores are used by many North American institutions of higher education to select international teaching assistants, sometimes called ITAs. The scores also are used for selecting and certifying health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and veterinarians.

The test requires you to demonstrate your ability to communicate in English by responding orally on tape under timed conditions to a variety of printed and recorded information.

Online Registration

About the TSE Test
Testing Schedule
Bulletins and Test Center Lists
Updated Testing Information
Distribution Offices
Test Fee
Test-Taking Tips
Practice Questions

Frequently Asked Questions
Identification Requirements
Getting Your TSE Test Scores
Requesting Additional TSE Score Reports

On-site testing Programs [ Top ]

English Language Tests administered by your school

1. TOEFL ITP

The Right Fit for Your English Language Program
The Institutional Testing Program (ITP) gives schools, colleges and universities, English language institutes, and other agencies throughout the world the opportunity to administer the TOEFL ITP test locally to their own students. The program uses retired versions of the paper-based TOEFL test. Approximately 1,500 institutions administer more than 300,000 tests annually under the Institutional Testing Program.

In addition to the TOEFL ITP test, which is appropriate for use with students at the intermediate and higher levels of English language proficiency, ITP offers the Preliminary Test of English as a Foreign Language (Pre-TOEFL). It is especially appropriate for students at beginning levels of English study. Pre-TOEFL scores are on the same scale as TOEFL scores (up to a maximum score of 500), but the test provides more discriminating measurements at the lower end of the TOEFL scale.

This site now offers test questions online that can be used by testing candidates to prepare for the TOEFL ITP and Pre-TOEFL. The practice questions and the directions for each section are similar to those in the ITP TOEFL and Pre-TOEFL tests. Students can choose individual questions to answer, or they can go through a complete, timed test that simulates the actual testing environment. Students can download an answer sheet, or they can use their own piece of paper to record their answers.

2. SLEP

The SLEP® test is a measure of English language ability for nonnative speakers in two primary areas: listening comprehension and reading comprehension.

Results of the test can be very helpful in making decisions related to the following:

Assignment to ESL classes
Placement in a mainstream English-medium program
Exit from an ESL program

A standardized, norm-referenced test, SLEP contains 150 multiple-choice questions of eight different types. It is divided into two sections:

Section 1 -- Measures the ability to understand spoken English. The questions are recorded samples of spoken North American English that test listening comprehension and do not rely heavily on written material.

Section 2 -- Measures the ability to understand written English. The questions cover grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

Each SLEP Basic Test Package contains 20 test books, 100 two-ply answer sheets, a cassette recording, and a SLEP Test Manual. Additional test books can be ordered separately

3. Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK)

The SPEAK system was developed to provide institutions with a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the English speaking proficiency of people who are not native speakers of the language. Under this program, test forms are administered and scored by institutions at their convenience, using their own facilities and staff.

The SPEAK kit includes material for training staff to administer the test and rate the oral test responses

Features in this link :
About Speak
TSE and SPEAK Score Users
Research
Contact SPEAK

Learning Tools [ Top ]

Tools that enhance English Language instruction, provide student practice, measure learning, and improve teaching skills.

1. LanguEdge
2. Criterion
3. TAST
4. Test Prep