Now trips abroad, study and emigration to different countries are no longer a curiosity. Many people have long been moving freely around the world without feeling any discomfort. That is why various international exams are very popular, including TOEFL.
TOEFL - what is this exam?
This international exam was the first available exam for Russians and was originally designed for those who were planning to enter universities in the United States and Canada. In addition, it was created for those who were not native speakers of English, and was developed by its examination committee at Princeton University.
Later, the TOEFL exam significantly expanded the scope of its mission: its results began to be required for various international internships and for some scientific and professional certification programs. Also, a certificate for this test is necessary for those who are going to enroll in international MBA programs and for those who are in search of work for which it is necessary to have this certificate.
TOEFL parts - what is it?
Part Listening tests the ability of the examiner to perceive English speech by ear. This part is one of the most difficult, nevertheless it is simpler than Speaking, because in it there is a passive perception of information. It consists of three tests with a total duration of about an hour.
The next part that the TOEFL test consists of is Vocabulary and Reading, where the subject’s vocabulary and his ability to perceive written information are checked. Moreover, some of the 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 a little longer and consists of 3-5 texts and 14-16 questions for each of the texts.
Another part is Writing, or writing, which verifies the literacy of written speech, grammatical structures and stylistics. It includes 2 parts of 50 minutes each.
The last part is Speaking, or testing your ability to express your thoughts out loud. This part is the shortest, but for some it is the most difficult. After all, the well-known "language barrier" is able to add many exciting minutes.
Exam features
If you ask about this TOEFL - what kind of test is it, what are its features in a person who has only heard a little about it, then it is unlikely that an intelligible answer will be heard. In fact, this exam has several features to keep in mind.
First of all, the exam assesses American English, not British. Therefore, trying to enroll with this certificate in an English university will not work. The fact is that in American English there are a number of differences, which makes it unlike the British version.
Another interesting feature of the exam is that it is impossible not to pass it. In any case, a certain number of points will be awarded. Another question is whether this will satisfy the number of points of the future employer and whether this is enough to enter a higher educational institution.
In addition, the TOEFL exam has a validity period. After two years, the test results will no longer be considered suitable, so you will need to retake this test again. This, of course, is a very big minus, because, for example, various British exams are perpetual, which greatly simplifies life.
And the last interesting feature of the TOEFL exam is that there are two options for passing: a written Paper-based test (PBT) and Interenet-based test (IBT) - a test that must be taken over the Internet.
IBT TOEFL test
Currently, this type of test, which is passed through the Internet, is considered more preferable because it contains the 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 characterization of the subject's knowledge. Because of this, this type of exam is more in demand by employers.
The IBT TOEFL test appeared in Russia in 2006, and this exam is now offered in almost all centers for passing this exam. One of the advantages of this test is that all its parts are delivered on the same day, which, on the one hand, takes longer, but testing does not drag on for weeks, as is often the case with other international exams. In addition, in this test case, you can make notes and record something during 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 pass the exam. In addition to online recordings, you can also record by phone and send a request by mail. It is also possible to find out the results that will appear on the site in 15 days.
TOEFL Preparation
Considering that the TOEFL exam is paid (and why I don’t really want to take it several times), we need to minimize the risk of poor passing 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 training is not available, you can get confused and lose valuable time in order to understand the nuances of the exam.
That is why preparation for TOEFL is necessary even for those who know English at a high level. For those who are not very sure of their language, 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 subject to a good level of language.
Also on the Internet there are many sites that explain the features of TOEFL, what kind of testing it is, and where you can take a test test via the Internet, which will help to identify your level of language and the likelihood of passing the exam.
Conclusion
The TOEFL IBT exam can be taken on dates strictly specified by the change center, with the test taking place 30-40 times a year. The paper version of the exam is passed much less often, but its popularity has fallen significantly. The exam costs $ 250, which imposes a considerable responsibility for the quality of preparation for the subject.
The TOEFL test is often the door that leads to a completely new quality of life, but also requires very serious preparatory work.