TOEFL exam pattern specifics you should be aware of

Due to the pandemic, Educational Testing Service, the TOEFL exam’s administering body, has introduced the TOEFL at Home for applicants who want to take the TOEFL test from the comfort of their own homes during the pandemic. ETS has also restarted TOEFL journal article tests in India to provide more candidates with access to the TOEFL exam. 

Conclusive guide on TOEFL exam pattern 2022

The TOEFL exam pattern 2022 consists of four sections – reading, listening, speaking, and writing – as well as a total score. Candidates are always advised to rehearse more and more, as the more they practice TOEFL Sample Papers, the higher their scores will be. The ETS, which oversees the TOEFL exam, determines the TOEFL exam pattern. All preparation materials are created with the TOEFL test pattern in mind.

The TOEFL syllabus is divided into four major sections-

• Reading

The reading section makes it appear first in the TOEFL exam pattern. The primary goal of the TOEFL reading section is to assess the candidate’s ability to understand English and provide an appropriate answer. The reading pattern of the TOEFL test is linked to academic study materials.

The reading section of the exam consists of three to four multiple-focus passages (compare/contrast, cause-and-effect). Each passage contains ten questions. Based on the number of passages in the test, the time allocation to this segment can range between 54 and 72 minutes. This section of the test has a possible score range of 0 to 30. You can access the TOEFL reading practice test right here.

Also, read- Universities offering a TOEFL waiver | US, UK, Canada, and more!

• Listening

Listening is one of the most important skills for living abroad. TOEFL listening focuses on assessing the aspirant’s ability to comprehend the English language and the various accents used worldwide. Universities will have lessons, and offices will require constant interaction – TOEFL listening assesses all aspects while taking the test.

This section includes three to four lessons, some of which include group discussion. Each lecture lasts about 3-5 minutes, and you’ll be asked six questions at the conclusion. This section also includes everyday conversations. You’ll be able to listen to 2-3 three-minute conversations. At the extreme of each conversation, you will be asked five questions. 

The pronunciations used in the listening section are native speakers across North America. Aside from North American accents, you may hear accents from those other English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, and The United Kingdom (UK).

The total time assigned to this section can range from 41 to 57 minutes, and the points tally for this test section ranges from 0 to 30. A listening section sample can be found here.

• Speaking

Speaking in English is the most important skill when attending a lecture, asking about a topic, or displaying a PPT, and the TOEFL speaking test evaluates the skills needed to ensure fluency. The primary goal of the TOEFL speaking pattern is to determine the candidate’s comfort level in speaking English in formal educational settings. To comprehend the question format, experts recommend obtaining TOEFL speaking topics from recent years.

There are four tasks in this segment of the exam. You will be given one independent task to convey your thoughts on a topic you are familiar with. 30 seconds to think of a response and have 3 main speaking jobs based on listening and reading. One minute to prepare a response. This section has a total time of 17 minutes. You will be scored on a scale of 0 to 4, and your marks will be transformed to a scale of 0 to 30.

• Writing

Composing a decent answer or review is required to excel in university or the workplace. English-speaking countries are also very stringent about English writing. As a result, the TOEFL writing pattern focuses on testing through an essay and similar cross-functional tasks such as integrated writing. This segment of the test will consist of two tasks-

• Section 1- It consists of a combined task based on what has been read and heard. Individuals have 20 minutes to accomplish this task.
• Section 2- An individual task to endorse a point of view on a subject. Individuals have 30 minutes to accomplish this task.

This section will take 50 minutes, and you will be graded on a point scale of 0 to 5, which will be transferred to a score scale of 0 to 30.

Section	Set of questions & time duration	Tasks
Reading	30 to 40 questions 54-72 minutes	Reading three or four passages from academic texts and responding to questions relying on them.
Listening	28-38 questions 41-57 minutes	Listening to lecture notes, conversations, and classroom discussions before answering questions about them.
Speaking	4 tasks or 4 questions 17 minutes	Candidates must express their thoughts on a familiar topic and talk oriented to reading and hearing tasks
Writing	2 tasks: 2 questions 50 minutes	Candidates must write essay answers based on listening and reading tasks, as well as support their arguments in writing.

Key takeaways

• The TOEFL exam pattern includes four sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing, as well as a total score.
• The reading section’s primary objective is to evaluate the candidate’s ability to comprehend English and respond appropriately.
• TOEFL listening tests an aspirant’s ability to understand the English language and the various pronunciations used worldwide.
• The speaking pattern’s primary objective is to assess the candidate’s level of comfort speaking English in formal classroom settings.
• The writing pattern of the exam emphasizes essay testing and similar cross-functional activities such as integrated writing.

FAQs

1. Is the TOEFL exam difficult?

TOEFL is thought to be easier than other exams such as the SAT or ACT. It is a language proficiency exam that assesses the test-taker’s linguistic abilities. The IELTS reading section is simpler than the TOEFL reading section.

2. What is the TOEFL test passing score?

There is no specified TOEFL passing score. Each university has established its own admissions criteria. The average TOEFL iBT score for undergraduate students is 74.2, and 82.6 for graduates.

3. How do I send TOEFL marks to universities in other countries?

When you charge your TOEFL test fee, it involves four free TOEFL score reports that ETS, the TOEFL exam’s administering body, will send to one pre-selected university. Candidates who wish to send their final scores to additional universities must pay an additional fee.