About the TOEFL Exam

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to understand and use North American English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university settings. Most people who take the TOEFL test are planning to study at colleges and universities where instruction is in English. In addition, many government agencies, scholarship programs, and licensing/certification agencies use TOEFL scores to evaluate English proficiency.

Currently over 4,400 two- and four-year colleges and universities, professional schools, and sponsoring institutions accept TOEFL scores.

The TOEFL test measures English language proficiency in reading, listening and writing and is offered on computer in most regions of the world. In areas where access to computer-based testing is limited, a paper-and-pencil version of the test is administered.

Paper-Based TOEFL

Upon arrival, test takers are given a test book and a paper answer sheet on which to record their responses.

The paper-based test has three sections:

• Listening Comprehension measures the ability to understand spoken English.

• Structure and Written Expression measures the ability to recognize standard written English.

• Reading Comprehension measures the ability to read and understand nontechnical material.

The paper-based TOEFL test takes about 3.5 hours to complete.

The Test of Written English (TWE) is also required for everyone taking the paper-based test. Test takers are given 30 minutes to write a short essay on an assigned topic. The essay is evaluated on the test taker's ability to organize and support ideas, and to use standard written English. Special knowledge of the topic is not needed to write the essay.

Computer-Based TOEFL

The computer-based TOEFL test is offered at institutional sites such as colleges and universities, and at testing centers operated by Prometric, a division of Thomson Learning.

The computer-based TOEFL test has four sections:

• Listening measures the ability to understand English as it is spoken in North America.

• Structure measures the ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English.

• Reading measures the ability to understand short passages that are similar in topic and style to academic texts used in North American colleges and universities.

• Writing measures the ability to write in English on an assigned topic.

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