TOEFL iBT Exam Pattern and Syllabus: All You Need to Know

Feature

Details

Official Website

http://ets.org

Exam Mode

Computer-Based Test (at Test Center or at Home) or Paper-Based Test (at Test Center)

Number of Sections

4

Exam Duration

2 hrs

Skills Measured

Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing

Overall Score Range

0 - 120 (Each section ranging from 0-30)

Score Validity

2 years

Factors

Objective

The primary objective of the Reading section is to measure the candidate's proficiency in understanding written English material commonly encountered in university-level studies.

Number of Questions

20 questions

Passage Types

Excerpts from academic texts related to various disciplines such as natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities

Question Formats

Multiple-choice Questions, Summary Completion, and Identifying Information, etc.

Skills Assessed

• Comprehension: Understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and implied meanings in the passages.

• Vocabulary: Recognizing the meaning of words and phrases in context.

• Inference: Making connections between information, identifying the writer's perspective, and understanding the organization of the text.

• Critical Thinking: Analyzing the text's structure, purpose, and argumentative techniques.

Duration

approximately 35 minutes

Score Range

0 - 30

Factors

Overview

Objective

The primary aim of the Listening section is to gauge the candidate's capability to comprehend audio heard commonly on topics of academic settings, including lectures and conversations.

Number of Audio Clips

4-6 audio clips

Audio Types

It comprises various audio clips, including lectures, classroom discussions, and conversations.

Question Formats

Multiple-choice Questions, Summarizing information, etc.

Skills Assessed

• Comprehension: Understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and specific information conveyed in the audio clips.

• Vocabulary and Context: Identifying the meaning of words and phrases based on the context of the audio.

• Inference: Making connections between pieces of information, and understanding speakers' attitudes, purposes, and implied meanings.

• Note-taking: Efficiently capturing essential points while listening to facilitate answering questions accurately.

Duration

approximately 36 minutes

Score Range

0 - 30

Factors

Overview

Objective

The primary objective of this section is to assess the test-taker's ability to communicate effectively in English within academic settings.

Number of Tasks

4 (1 Independent Task and 3 Integrated Tasks)

Types of Tasks

• Independent Task: It focuses on individual expression and opinion. Test-takers are prompted to share personal viewpoints, experiences, or preferences without relying on external academic content. 

• Integrated Task: It requires test-takers to combine multiple language skills, such as reading, listening, and speaking, to respond to the academic content that is provided.

Question Formats

Read-Aloud, Listen-and-Repeat, Listen and Answer, Express an Opinion

Skills Assessed

• Pronunciation: Clarity, accuracy, and intonation of speech.

• Fluency: Smooth and coherent speech without undue hesitation.

• Vocabulary Usage: Range and appropriateness of vocabulary.

• Grammar and Syntax: Correct grammatical structures and sentence construction.

• Content and Organization: Relevance, coherence, and organization of ideas.

Duration

approximately 16 minutes

Score Range

0 - 30

Factors

Overview

Objective

The primary objective of the Writing section is to assess the test-taker's capability to convey ideas clearly, coherently, and with precision in written English, demonstrating skills essential for academic and professional environments.

Number of Tasks

2 (1 Independent Task and 1 Writing for an Academic Discussion Task)

Types of Tasks

• Integrated Task: It requires test-takers to combine multiple language skills, such as reading, listening, and speaking, to respond to the academic content that is provided.

• Writing for an Academic Discussion Task: It requires the test taker to write an opinion in response to the academic discussion provided.

Question Formats

Reading passages and related lectures, Write opinions for Academic Discussion

Skills Assessed

• Comprehension: Understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and comprehension of academic written and spoken English.

• Synthesis and Analysis: Proficiency in integrating information from different sources, evaluating arguments or viewpoints presented in the passages, and presenting a well-structured response.

• Vocabulary and Language Use: Competence in using a range of vocabulary appropriately and demonstrating varied sentence structures with clarity and precision.

• Critical Thinking: Capacity to critically analyze information, discern underlying assumptions or biases, and present a reasoned argument or response.

Duration

approximately 29 minutes

Score Range

0 - 30

Section

Syllabus Covered

Reading

• Academic texts from various disciplines, including Social Sciences, Biology, Psychology, History, etc.

• Academic text types include passages from textbooks, Articles, Essays, Research studies, and Lecture transcripts.

Listening

• Conversations and lectures in academic settings, covering topics from the same disciplines as the reading section.

• The audio types include conversations between students and professors, classroom discussions, academic lectures, guest speakers, etc.

Speaking

Independent tasks

• Expressing opinions on familiar topics

• Describing personal experiences

Integrated tasks

• Summarizing information from reading and listening passages

• Explaining connections between ideas

• Stating and supporting opinions

Writing

Independent task

• Writing an essay that summarizes information from a reading passage and provides a relevant opinion.

Writing for an Academic Discussion task

• Writing an opinion on an Academic Discussion.