TOEFL internet-based test (iBT)

Resource centre - ESL exams - TOEFL - iBT

The changes introduced in the iBT are designed to assess test takers' ability to communicate effectively in English, rather than simply being able to learn complex grammar rules and test-taking strategies. The test includes a speaking section for the first time, and the writing section has been expanded.

There is also an emphasis on integrated skills. For example, test takers have to read and listen, and then speak in response to a question. The authentic material is taken from sources such as lectures, study groups and text books. The structure section has gone, and grammar is instead tested on questions and tasks within each section.

Test structure

Reading	36-70 questions	60-100 minutes
Listening	34-51 questions	60-90 minutes
Speaking	6 tasks	20 minutes
Writing	2 tasks	50 minutes

Reading

The reading section consists of 3 to 5 passages from academic texts, each about 700 words long, with 12-14 questions for each passage. There is a glossary with definitions of key words. Question types include understanding the content of the text and the author's intent, inferring ideas from the text, paraphrasing and understanding the relationship between facts and ideas in different parts of the passage by sorting information into a category chart or summary.

Listening

The listening section consists of 4-6 lectures of 3-5 minutes, with 6 questions per lecture, and 2-3 conversations of 3 minutes, with 5 questions each. Question types include listening for basic comprehension, recognising the speaker's attitude, degree of certainty, function or purpose, recognising the organisation of information and understanding relationships between ideas, making inferences and drawing conclusions, making connections, recognising topic changes, examples, digressions, aside statements, introductions and conclusions. Unlike in the CBT, the listening section is not computer-adaptive, which means that each test taker receives the same questions.

Speaking

The speaking section consists of 6 tasks. In the first task, the test taker must express and defend a personal choice from a given category. In the second task, the test taker must defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviours or courses of action. 15 seconds is allowed to prepare the response, and 45 seconds to deliver it.

Tasks 3 to 6 are integrated. 30 seconds is allowed to prepare the response, and one minute to deliver it. Tasks 3 and 4 involve reading a passage, listening to a passage which comments on issues in the reading, and then summarising the speaker's opinion, or relating important information from both the reading and listening passages.

Task 5 involves listening to a passage and then showing understanding of a problem expressed, or giving an opinion about how to solve the problem. Task 6 involves listening to a lecture and then summarising it or showing how examples relate to the overall topic.

Writing

The writing section consists of 2 tasks. The first task (30 minutes) is integrated. Test takers read a short text and then listen to someone talking about the same topic but from a different perspective. They then write a summary of important points from the listening passage, and show how they relate to the reading passage, in a suggested length of 150-225 words.

For the second task (20 minutes), test takers write an essay, stating, explaining and supporting their opinion on an issue, in a minimum of 300 words.