The TOEFL® (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is divided into several sections, and a test taker should expect to encounter four TOEFL® topics. Whether someone is taking an Internet-based test (iBT) or a paper-based test determines the topics (PBT). Both tests, however, have three sections in common: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and a writing test or exam. The fourth section of the two test formats differs, with the iBT including a section on spoken English and the PBT including a section on written English structure.
The different sections and topics covered on the TOEFL® test are referred to as TOEFL® topics. Despite the fact that these sections differ between the two types of tests available, there are three sections with relevant topics that are common to both. The TOEFL® is a test designed for non-native English speakers who want to attend a college or university in an English-speaking country. Many colleges and universities require students to take the TOEFL® before they can be accepted as students, and the various TOEFL® topics all have questions that use language that is similar to that used in college classrooms and exams.
Both the iBT and PBT versions of the TOEFL® test cover three basic TOEFL® topics. Listening comprehension refers to a person’s ability to listen to spoken English and comprehend what is being said, usually at the same level of complexity as that used in college lectures. The reading comprehension section provides test takers with reading selections to read and then answer questions about. There is also a writing test, which usually entails writing one or two short essays.
While the iBT and PBT have some TOEFL® topics in common, there are two TOEFL® topics that are unique to the two formats. The TOEFL® iBT version includes a spoken English section in which the test taker must speak into a microphone, which records his or her voice for analysis of clarity and understandability when speaking English. Because no computer is used on the TOEFL®, this section is not included in the PBT, and instead a section on structure analysis in written English is presented. The nature of the questions varies from year to year, but every effort is made to eliminate any cultural bias and ensure that the questions are comparable to those found in a college classroom.