Now traveling abroad, studying and emigration to different countries are no longer a curiosity. Many people have long been free to move around the world without feeling any discomfort. That is why various international exams, including TOEFL, are very popular.
TOEFL - what is this exam?
This international exam was the first available exam for Russians and was originally designed for those people who were going to enter universities in the US and Canada. In addition, it was created for non-native English speakers and was developed by the Princeton University Board of Examiners.
Later, the TOEFL exam significantly expanded its scope: its results began to be required for various international internships and for some scientific and professional certification programs. Also, the presence of a certificate for this test is necessary for those who are going to enter international MBA programs and for those people who are looking for a job for which it is necessary to have this certificate.
TOEFL parts - what is it?
The Listening part tests the examinee's ability to perceive English speech by ear. This part is one of the mostdifficult, nevertheless, it is simpler than Speaking, because it is a passive perception of information. It consists of three tests with a total duration of about an hour.
The next part of the TOEFL test is Vocabulary and Reading, which tests the subject's vocabulary and ability to comprehend written information. Moreover, some answers are rather ambiguous, however, having the experience of reading books and various articles in English, passing this part is not so difficult. This part lasts an hour or more and consists of 3-5 texts and 14-16 questions for each of the texts.
Another part is Writing, or writing, where the literacy of written speech, grammatical structures and style is checked. It includes 2 parts of 50 minutes each.
The last part is Speaking, or testing the ability to express your thoughts aloud. This part is the shortest, but for some, the most difficult. After all, the well-known "language barrier" can add many exciting minutes.
Exam Features
If you ask about this TOEFL - what kind of test it is, what are its features for a person who has only heard a little about it, then it will hardly be possible to hear a clear answer. In fact, this exam has a few features to keep in mind.
First of all, the exam assesses American English, not British. Therefore, trying to enter an English university with this certificate will not work. The fact is that in American Englishthere are a number of differences that make it unlike the British version.
Also, an interesting feature of the exam is that it is impossible not to pass it. In any case, some number of points will be awarded. Another question is whether this number of points will satisfy the future employer and whether this will be enough for admission to a higher educational institution.
In addition, the TOEFL exam has an expiration date. After two years, the test results will no longer be considered valid, so you will need to retake this test again. This, of course, is a very big minus, because, for example, various British exams are open-ended, which makes life much easier.
And the last interesting feature of the TOEFL exam is that there are two options for passing: a written Paper-based test (PBT) and an Internet-based test (IBT) - a test that must be taken via the Internet.
IBT TOEFL test
Currently, this type of test, which is taken via the Internet, is considered more preferable because it contains an oral part, which is not in the paper version of the test. In addition, it also has combined tasks that will give a more voluminous description of the subject's knowledge. Because of this, this type of exam is more in demand by employers.
IBT TOEFL test appeared in Russia in 2006, and almost all test centers now offer this exam. One of the advantages of this test is that all its parts are taken on the same day, which, on the one hand,takes more time, however, testing is not delayed for weeks, as is often the case with other international exams. In addition, in this testing option, you can make notes and write something down while listening, for example, audio tasks, which greatly facilitates their further implementation.
Registration for testing takes place via the Internet by the person who is going to take the exam. In addition to online registration, you can also sign up by phone and send a request by mail. It is also possible to find out the results, which will appear on the site in 15 days.
TOEFL preparation
Given that the TOEFL exam is paid (which is why you don’t want to take it several times at all), you need to minimize the risk of failing the test. It seems that if you know the language well, then passing this test is not at all difficult. In fact, everything is not so simple. The fact is that you need to be prepared for the format of the exam, for its features. If this preparation is not provided, you can get confused and lose precious time trying to figure out the nuances of the exam.
That's why TOEFL preparation is necessary even for those who know English at a high level. For those who are not very sure of their language, the preparation is very serious and lengthy. It is advisable to start preparing in advance in order to have more time left. You can enroll in special courses or take online courses. You can also try to prepare yourself using special literature, but only on condition of a good levellanguage.
Also, there are many sites on the Internet that explain the features of TOEFL, what kind of testing it is, and where you can take trial testing via the Internet, which will help you identify your language level and the likelihood of passing the exam.
Conclusion
The TOEFL IBT exam can be taken on strictly specified dates by the examining center, and delivery takes place 30-40 times a year. The paper version of the exam is given much less often, but its popularity has also fallen significantly. The cost of the exam is $ 250, which imposes a considerable responsibility for the quality of preparation for the examinee.
TOEFL test is often the door that leads to a completely new quality of life, but also requires very serious preparatory work.
