TOEFL

TOEFL is abbreviation for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is  international test developed by ETS (Educational Testing Service) . TOEFL may not required for students of those countries whose native language is English.  The TOEFL test is taken by students who want to measure a ability in English and interested to continue their academic or career in the countries whose native language is English. The test  was first administered in 1964. Now, it is  consisted of some kinds : Paper-base Test and Internet-based Test. The TOEFL test consisted of four parts : reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking section, and writing section. The TOEFL score is valid for two years. A good TOEFL score as a minimum to be considered by some university, to enter US university you need to get 600 point and to enter Europe university you need to get 500 points.

Paper-based Test is given where the internet-based test is not available. Correct answers marked by pencil or  pen. The test taker should register in advance to ensure place and time. Paper-based Test consisted of four parts : listening, structure and wrriten expression, reading comprehension, and writing. The listening section longs around 30 – 40 minutes, measures the ability to understand English as it is used in university. Listening question about short competition, longer conversation, and lectures or talks.  Structure and written expretion section longs around 25 minutes, the question about exercise of completing sentences correctly and identifying errors. Reading comprehension section longs around 55 minutes, the question about reading passages. Writing section longs around 30 minutes, the question is writing an essay with 250 – 300 words.

Internet-based Test was introduced in United State, Canada, France, German, and Italy in 2005. Paper-based test will be given at a particular location until the Internet-based Test is implemented. Internet-based test consisted of four parts : reading section, listening section, speaking setion, and writing section. Reading section longs around 60 – 100 minutes. The question of reading section about main idea, details, inferences, essential information, vocabulary, and overall idea. Listening section longs around 60 – 90 minutes. The passage include two person and a discussion. Speaking section longs around 20 minutes, this section used to evaluated on test takers’s ability to speak. Writing section longs around 55 minutes, the test taker must write some essay to measure their ability to write in a way that is appropriate for university.

The differences between Paper-based Test and Internet-based Test is change point system and structure of test. Change point sistem, the Paper-based Test’ point is 677 points and the Internet-based Test’ point is 120 points. The Paper-based Test have not speaking section, Paper-based Test consist of four parts (listening, structure and wrriten expression, reading comprehension, and writing) and Internet-based test consist of four parts (reading section, listening section, speaking setion, and writing section). Internet-based Test is better than Paper-based Test. Internet-based Test is more faster and easier. But, many contries is not possible to get Internet-based Test because haved a bad internet connection. Weakness of the Internet-based Test is test-taker may take notes while they listen or see and they may refer to their notes when they answer the question.

The TOEFL test required that you understand the basic concepts of the English language. The TOEFL test is not very difficult, but some question can be confused, because of that you must prepare the test as well possible. You can take the TOEFL test once in a month. This is the TOEFL test tips : try to answer quickly but do not be panic or hurry because after give the answer you can not change it, study the TOEFL test at home first (you can study using special CDs or books, answer the question and repeat it so that  you can learn it more), improve you vocabulary, improve your writing skill, review all of articles about the TOEFL test, if you use Internet-based Test you must improve your type ability because in Internet-based Test you must typing the answer, see the time and how many of question you have done, and do not forget to bring all that you need.