TOEFL Basics

The TOEFL tests over how well you can speak and comprehend the English language. It is often a requirement of colleges and universities. You must be able to communicate well in English to make it at an English speaking university.

In addition to college admissions, the TOEFL is also used to evaluate English proficiency in government agencies.

There are over 2.7 million different words in the TOEFL database (so it's important you really know English and not just memorize a few words). The four sections of the TOEFL are:

• Reading
  The reading section of the TOEFL measures how well you read and understand short passages. The passages at the level you would expect from typical college coursework. You will have 3 passages to read and 60 minutes to answer the questions asked.
  
  
• Writing
  The writing section measures your ability to write English. You will be assigned a topic and must organize your ideas, provide support, and communicate these ideas and support in English. You will have 55 minutes in the writing portion of the TOEFL.
  
  
• Listening
  The TOEFL listening section measures your ability to understand English. The listening section consists of 6 passages to read and 50 minutes to answer the related questions.
  
  
• Speaking
  The speaking section of the TOEFL measures your ability to speak the English language. You will have 20 minutes to answer the questions in the speaking section of the TOEFL.