The TOEFL, or the Test of English as a Foreign Language, is one of the few tests that are accepted by thousands of universities across the world as a way for foreign language students to show that they have an above average understanding of the English language. It is a fairly comprehensive test that covers four different subjects; reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
The test itself takes about three hours and twenty minutes to complete, with three sections being 60 minutes long (reading, listening, and writing), and one section being 20 minutes long (reading). Overall, the test can be quite intensive for students and requires a great deal of preparation in the subject of English.
Let’s take a deeper look into the four things that the TOEFL tests:
Reading
The reading portion of the test features three separate long passages that students are required to read and comprehend to an above average extent. The main things that the reading section tests include an understanding of vocabulary, ability to create reading strategies, ability to understand negative facts, ability to simplify the meaning of sentences, and several other reading related strategies.
Listening
The listening portion of the test involves hearing about six different passages and answering somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 questions. This section will test your ability to understand details, function, organization, relationships, and other things that show the basic ability to listen to English speaking people.
Speaking
The speaking portion is the least emphasized of the sections on the test as it requires only six small tasks and is accompanied by six questions. For the most part, this section revolves around testing your ability to think through and make a response to an English based inquiry.
Writing
The writing portion is the most difficult as it requires you to put your reading, listening, and speaking skills together to create words that show your understanding of grammar, sentence structure, and ability to understand the main points of a discussion.
The Final Word
The Test of English as a Foreign Language is a difficult one to prepare for. It is as comprehensive as any foreign language test that there is, which is the reason that thousands of universities throughout the world accept it as a way for foreign students to qualify for their schools. In order to prepare for the test, educational institutions like the New Jersey English center offer proven techniques that can all but ensure a passing grade.
