TOEFL

The TOEFL Reading section assesses how well you can read and understand information used in an academic environment. The Reading section consists of two passages, each about 700 words, accompanied by 10 questions for each passage. You should complete the reading section within 35 minutes.

The reading passages are excerpts from university-level textbooks that introduce various topics. These passages span a wide range of subjects. If you are unfamiliar with the topic of a passage, there is no need to worry; all the information required to answer the questions will be provided within the text. Additionally, a glossary feature is available to define any uncommon words you may encounter.

This section is designed to assess your ability to understand conversations and lectures in English. It focuses on several aspects of listening, including:

• Basic comprehension
• Understanding the speaker's attitude and level of certainty
• Connecting information

Listening Questions

In this section, you will listen to both lectures and conversations, featuring language typically encountered on a university campus:

• 3 lectures, each lasting 3-5 minutes, some accompanied by classroom discussions, followed by 6 questions per lecture
• 2 conversations, each lasting around 3 minutes, followed by 5 questions per conversation

You are allowed to take notes on any audio material during the test to assist you in answering the questions.

Test Duration: You will have approximately 36 minutes to complete the Listening section.

Here are some tips to help you be ready for the Listening section:

1. Make sure to take notes as you listen, focusing on the main ideas. The TOEFL listening questions will primarily assess your grasp of major concepts rather than minor details. You won't encounter questions that ask for specific years, names, or locations. Instead, the questions will evaluate your understanding of key points discussed in the lecture, so there's no need to try to jot down every detail.
2. Focus on identifying the main idea while you listen. Typically, the first question following each lecture will be referred to the main idea (gist) of the content. At the beginning of the listening passages, the professor usually outlines the primary topic of the lecture, although it may sometimes evolve into a more specific subject. Be attentive to the main idea presented at the beginning and stay alert for any changes in the topic throughout the lecture.
3. Pay attention to how ideas are interconnected during the lecture. Take notes on the organization of the content, as this will assist you in answering questions about the structure later on. Key relationships to note include cause and effect, comparisons and contrasts, as well as steps in a process.
4. Avoid skipping questions in the listening section, as they must be answered in the order they appear. Once you skip a question, you cannot return to it later.
5. If you are not sure about the correct answer, do not skip the question. Instead, try to identify which option aligns best with the main idea of the conversation or lecture. You can also improve your chances by eliminating any obviously incorrect answers.
6. Don’t take more than 2 minutes to answer a question. Don’t take more than two minutes to answer a question. If you spend more than two minutes on a question, you might run out of time. It is not worth it. Leave time for other questions that you have more confidence on. It’s better to have an educated guess and move on than it is to miss out on potential easy questions because you ran out of time.

evaluates your ability to communicate effectively in English within academic environments. The four tasks are designed to reflect real-life situations you may face both inside and outside the classroom.

Task 1: Independent Speaking Task — requires you to rely completely on your own thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences when answering.

Task 2–4: Integrated Speaking Tasks — require you to use multiple English-language skills, such as listening and speaking, or listening, reading, and speaking.

Preparation time: You will have 15 seconds to prepare before each response, which will last either 45 or 60 seconds.

Speaking response: To answer, you will speak into the microphone, and your responses will be recorded.

1. Use the preparation time (15 seconds) to organize your thoughts and jot down some notes. Do not write a full response—you won’t have time for it.
2. Do not memorize responses before the test—it is easy to identify memorized responses, and it can lower your score. Your responses should be natural and spontaneous.
3. Use common connecting words, such as "because," "after that," "so," "on the other hand," "I want to mention, “in addition”, " and "what this means is" to give your speech flow and coherence.
4. Before taking the test, make sure you understand how your answers will be scored. In the speaking section, all answers are scored on a scale from 0 to 4. The raters will listen for various features in your response and then give it an overall score. They will assess delivery (clear and fluid speech, good pronunciation, natural pace, and intonation), language use (use of grammar and vocabulary to express your ideas), and topic development (how fully you answer, how clearly you express your thoughts, and how well you connect your ideas).
5. Avoid long pauses – even if you need to think, avoid awkward silence. Instead, fill pauses with simple phrases like “let me think for a moment” to keep the flow going.
6. Practice with a timer and record yourself to listen for improvements in clarity and coherence.
7. Use synonyms and different phrases to demonstrate a range of vocabulary.
8. Stay calm and confident – it helps with fluency. Take deep breaths before speaking and maintain a steady tone.

evaluates your ability to write in English within an academic context, and to present your ideas clearly and in an organized manner. There are two tasks:

• Integrated Writing Task (20 minutes): You will read a brief passage and listen to a short lecture, then write a response based on both.
• Writing for an Academic Discussion Task (10 minutes): You will express and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion. All responses will be typed using a computer keyboard.