TOEFL

Ultimate
Guide
Test Structure
Subtest Format
Question Types and Samples

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CONTENTS
1 TEST STRUCTURE Lovepre

Lovepreet, E2 student
2 PAGE INDEX
‘I believe this is one of the best
3 PART 1: READING moments in my life. I couldn’t
thank you enough for your efforts,
4 PART 2: LISTENING dedication and believing in me. Ever
since I joined E2, you guided me so
5 PART 3: SPEAKING
well. Because of that I was able to get
my desired score. Which I couldn’t
6 PART 4: WRITING
even think in my dreams.’

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 TOEFL Packages

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 TEST STRUCTURE
The TOEFL iBT is a high-stakes English language test that measures test-takers’
ability to effectively communicate in academic settings. It takes about 3 hours
to complete the test.

The following table helps you understand the test format at a glance.

Part of Test Number of Questions Time allowed

3-4 passages followed by

Part 1: Reading 54-72 minutes
10 questions each

3–4 lectures followed by 6

questions each
Part 2: Listening 41-57 minutes
2–3 conversations followed by 5
questions each

10-Minute Break

1 independent task
Part 3: Speaking 17 minutes
3 integrated tasks

1 integrated task 20 minutes

Part 4: Writing
1 independent task 30 minutes

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 PART 1: READING
(54-72 minutes)

FORMAT
The reading section of the TOEFL is made up of 3-4 passages, each approximately
700 words long. These texts will deal with a variety of topics and should look like
they came out of an introductory level university textbook. Each passage will be
presented with 10 accompanying questions, so there will be 30 or 40 questions
total. This means you will have between 54-72 minutes depending on how many
passages you are given. You should expect to spend on average 1.8 minutes on
each question or less, in order to finish on-time.

QUESTION TYPES
On the reading section of the TOEFL, you will encounter various question types. There
are, in total, ten different types of questions falling into three categories. The three
categories of question types are Basic Comprehension, Learning, and Inference. Here
is a quick look at the three categories and ten possible question types:

BASIC COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

These questions will check how well you understand the information that is presented
in the text. To check your comprehension, these questions will ask you to do such
things as: identify main ideas, identify key facts, understand reference, understand
vocabulary from context, and recognize accurate paraphrases of the text.

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 Factual Information
These questions require you to recognize facts, details, definitions, or other
information that has been explicitly stated in the passage. You will usually find
the information mentioned in only one part of the passage.

Typical Factual Information prompts:

According to Paragraph X …
Paragraph X answers which of the following?

Negative Factual Information

These questions require you to determine what is true and what is NOT true
according to the passage. Information related to this type of question will be
explicitly stated in the text.

Typical Negative Factual Information prompts:

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true of X?

According to the passage, all of the following are true of X EXCEPT…

Vocabulary
These questions require that you determine the meaning of given words and
phrases from the reading passage.

Typical Vocabulary prompts:

The word “X” in the passage is closest in meaning to …

In stating “X”, the author means that…

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 Reference
These questions require that you determine the meaning of given words and
phrases from the reading passage.

Typical Vocabulary prompts:

The word “X” in the passage is closest in meaning to …

In stating “X”, the author means that…

Sentence Simplification
This question asks you to choose a sentence that has essentially the same
meaning as a sentence occurring in the passage. You may be given one of this
question type on the exam.

Sentence Simplification prompt:

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the
passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential information.

Reading to Infer Questions

In contrast to the previous question types, these questions require you to think
about what is suggested by the text, rather than what is explicitly stated.

Inference
As stated above, inference questions require you to think beyond the literal
meaning of the text and think about the structural and stylistic choices the
author has used and what they communicate.

Typical Inference prompts:

Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about X?

The author of the paragraph implies that X…

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 Rhetorical Purpose
These questions relate to the stylistic choices and how they relate to the
passage. You will be asked to determine why the author has provided certain
information in a certain way.

Typical Rhetorical Purpose prompts:

Why does the author mention X?

The author discusses X in paragraph 3 in order to...
The author uses X as an example of…

Insert Text
This question requires you to think about the organization of the text. For this
question, you are given a sentence and required to determine where in the
passage it would fit best. You may or may not see one of this question type in
your exam.

Insert Text prompt:

Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence can be
added to the passage.

Sentence 1 ■ Sentence 2 ■ Sentence 3 ■ Sentence 4 ■ Sentence 5

Sentence X

Where would the sentence best fit?

Reading to Learn Questions

Questions of this type are a bit more complex, in that you are given multiple
pieces of information and asked to organize it in a logical way based on your
understanding of the text. In order to organize the information properly, you have
to be able to recognize the most important ideas from the passage.

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 Prose Summary Questions
These questions require you to identify the major ideas from the passage. You
will be given six answer choices and asked to pick the three that express the
most important ideas in the passage.

Prose Summary prompt:

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not
belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented
in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2
points.

Fill in a Table
These questions require that you identify the major points from the passage,
and then organize those ideas into appropriate categories. You will be given a
list of statements and a partially completed table. The table will be divided into
categories. You will be asked to determine which statements are associated
with the categories and drag them into their proper place on the table.

Fine Arts
•
•
•
Performing Arts •
•

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 PART 2: LISTENING
(41-57 minutes)

FORMAT
The listening section of the TOEFL exam is made up of 3-4 lectures and 2-3
conversations, taking 41-57 minutes total. For each lecture, you will be given 6
questions, and for each conversation, you will have to answer 5 questions.

CONVERSATIONS
You will listen to 2-3 conversations, with 5 accompanying questions each. The
conversations will take place between two speakers and will typically revolve
around campus situations. For example, a student asking a professor for an
extension on an assignment, or a student inquiring about how to register for final-
year courses.

LECTURES
You will listen to 3-4 lectures, each followed by 6 questions. The lectures will
typically involve one speaker, a professor, who is explaining an academic topic.
There may be more speakers, usually students, involved in the audio. For instance,
during the lecture, one or more students might ask the professor for clarification
or ask a question. The topics of this audio will vary but should be similar to what a
first-year student would encounter in a typical class.

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 QUESTION TYPES
You will listen to 2-3 conversations, with 5 accompanying questions each. The
conversations will take place between two speakers and will typically revolve
around campus situations. For example, a student asking a professor for an
extension on an assignment, or a student inquiring about how to register for
final-year courses.

BASIC COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

The first category requires you to understand what is being communicated by
the speaker(s), whether explicitly or implicitly. There are three types of Basic
Comprehension questions:

Detail Questions
As the name suggests, this question type tests your ability to identify and
understand specific information from a lecture or conversation.

Sample Detail Questions:

According to the professor, why is X directly related to Y?

Why is the student hesitant to do X?

Gist-Content Questions
These questions probe your understanding of the gist or main idea of the
lecture or conversation. This information may be explicitly stated by the
speaker(s) or implied.

Sample Gist-Content Questions:

What is the main topic of the lecture?

What are the speakers mainly discussing?

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 Gist-Purpose Questions
Rather than identifying specific information, this question type requires you
to think about why the conversation takes place, or why certain information is
given.

Sample Gist-Purpose Questions:

Why does the student visit the registrar’s office?

Why does the professor explain X?

Reading to Learn Questions

Questions of this type are a bit more complex, in that you are given multiple
pieces of information and asked to organize it in a logical way based on your
understanding of the text. In order to organize the information properly, you
have to be able to recognize the most important ideas from the passage.

PRAGMATIC UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS

The first category requires you to understand what is being communicated by
the speaker(s), whether explicitly or implicitly. There are three types of Basic
Comprehension questions:

Function Questions
These questions will provide you with a specific clip from the audio and ask
you to determine the function of the speaker’s utterance.

Sample Function Questions:

Why does the student say this? (replay)

What does the professor mean when she says this? (replay)

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 Attitude Questions
These questions will ask you about the opinion or attitude of the speaker. You
may be provided with a specific clip from the audio and asked to determine
the speaker’s opinion about a specific topic.

Sample Attitude Questions:

What is the professor’s opinion of X?

What does the woman mean when she says this? (replay)

CONNECTING INFORMATION QUESTIONS

These questions require you to identify the relationship between information
stated in different parts of the lecture or conversation. You may be asked to do
such things as: draw conclusions, make inferences, or make predictions. There
are three types of Connecting Information Questions:

Organization Questions
These questions ask you to identify the overall organization of the lecture or
the relationship between different parts of the lecture or conversation.

Sample Organization Questions:

Why does the professor discuss X?

How does the professor organize the information about X?

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 Inference Questions
This type of question requires that you reach a conclusion based on facts
presented in the lecture.

Sample Inference Questions:

What will the student probably do next?

What can be inferred about X?

Connecting Content Questions

These questions require you to identify relationships between pieces of
information. You may be asked to organize the information into a table or
chart. For example, you may have to order the steps in a process or organize
concepts into categories.

Sample Connecting Content Questions:

Which of the following visual aids should the student use in her presentation?
Place a checkmark in the Yes or No column.

Statement Yes No

Charts

Interactive slides

Photographs of animals

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 According to the lecture, which of the following are features of a predator?
Choose 2 answers.

Sharp claws and teeth

Thick fur
Inability to digest grass
Territorial behavior

Other Connecting Content questions may ask you to make inferences about
the relationships between the information mentioned. For example:

What is the likely outcome of doing procedure X before procedure Y?

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 PART 3: SPEAKING
(~17 minutes)

FORMAT
The speaking test is divided into two sections: the independent and integrated
speaking tasks. There are four tasks in total. You begin with an independent task
and then complete 3 integrated tasks.

INDEPENDENT SPEAKING TASK

The first category requires you to understand what is being communicated by
the speaker(s), whether explicitly or implicitly. There are three types of Basic
Comprehension questions:

Task 1: Personal Choice

As the name suggests, this task asks you to give your opinion on a topic. You will
need to say whether you agree or disagree with a statement, like

All children should play a sport.

Or you may be asked to choose a side and explain why. You will need to support
your opinion with reasons and explanations.

For example:

Some people think students should take a gap year before entering the workforce,
while others think this is a waste of time. What is your opinion? Explain your
opinion with details and examples.

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 INTEGRATED SPEAKING TASKS
The integrated speaking tasks make up the second part of the speaking test.
They are integrated because you will be using information provided to you
from reading and/or listening texts to answer these questions.

There are three tasks in total. For tasks 2 and 3, you will be given 30 seconds
to prepare and finish making notes. You will then need to speak into a
microphone for 60 seconds. For task 4, you will be given only 20 seconds to
prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

For these tasks, you will have to integrate, or combine, information from
a reading passage and listening audio into a summary or summarize the
information you hear in a lecture. You will be able to take notes as you listen.

Task 2: Campus Situation

For this task, you will be given a short reading text. You will have 45-50
seconds to read it, depending on the length of the text. The text will be related
to a campus issue, like student parking, or tuition fees for example.

You will then hear a 60-80-second-long conversation between two students

relating to that topic. In this conversation, one of the students will have a
strong opinion about the issue. You will then need to summarize that opinion
and explain the reasons that the student gives for holding that opinion.

Task 3: Academic Reading and Lecture

For this task, you will have 45-50 seconds to read a short passage about an
academic topic. You will then hear a short 60-90-second-long lecture on the
same topic.

You will then be asked to use the examples and details from the lecture to
explain the academic topic from the reading passage. It is important to take
good notes to complete this task successfully.

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 Task 4: Academic Lecture
In the final speaking task, you will hear a lecture, which is about 2 minutes
long, on an academic topic. You should take notes of the main points and
examples from the lecture as you listen. You will then be asked to summarize
the lecture. You will need to use your notes to summarize and demonstrate
the relationship between the main ideas discussed in the lecture.

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 TOEFL Packages

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 PART 4: WRITING
(55-60 minutes)

FORMAT
The TOEFL Writing section includes two tasks: Integrated Writing and
Independent Writing. This section will take about 55-60 minutes to complete.

Task 1: Integrated Writing

For this task, you will be given three minutes to read an academic passage which
is about 300 words long. Then you will have to listen to a lecture on the same
topic. Finally, you will be asked to write a summary between 150 to 225 words
in 20 minutes. Usually, the information provided in the lecture either supports or
contradicts the points made in the reading text. Occasionally, the lecture may even
provide solutions for the problems raised in the reading passage. The question
will specifically ask you to focus on this relationship between the ideas in the
reading and the lecture. Here are a few examples of typical question prompts:

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically explain how
they strengthen points made in the reading passage.

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they
challenge specific claims made in the reading passage.

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they provide
solutions to problems mentioned in the reading passage.

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 E2 Method
While reading…

Make sure to take notes while reading the passage. Use a table and divide it into
2 columns, one for the main ideas, usually stated in the first sentence of each
paragraph, and the other for details like examples and explanations that support
the main idea.

Note: There will almost always be three main ideas in the reading passage.

Main Idea Details

1.
2.
3.

While listening…

Use your reading notes to guide your listening. Pay attention to how the
points made in the lecture relate to the main ideas you have already made a
note of. Take notes as you listen using the same “main idea/details” table.

While writing…

You can use the following template to better structure your response:

Introduction
What is the main topic in the reading passage? / What did the lecture
say in response to it?
Paragraph 1
Main idea 1 (Lecture vs Reading)

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 Paragraph 2
Main idea 2 (Lecture vs Reading)
Paragraph 3
Main idea 3 (Lecture vs Reading)

A conclusion is not necessary. However, you can include a short concluding

sentence reiterating the relationship between the ideas in the lecture and the
reading.

Task 2: Independent Writing

The second task is the Independent Writing task. This task is a traditional essay,
which you must write in 30 minutes. You will be given a question which asks you
to give your opinion about an issue. There is no word limit, but you should aim for
your response to be at least 300 words long.

Independent Writing questions are typically phrased as follows:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

[A statement on any issue will be shown here]
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Be sure to use your
own words. Do not use memorized examples.

Possible statements that you could be given include:

Television advertising directed toward young children (aged two to five) should
not be allowed.

A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent
knowledge of the subject being taught.

When people succeed, it is entirely because of hard work.

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 E2 Method

Despite the seemingly diverse range of topics that you need to be prepared for
before the test, there is only one simple structure that you need to follow.

Introduction
Background sentence / Reword question prompt / Thesis statement
Paragraph 1
Main idea / Explain / Example / Link
Paragraph 2
Main idea / Explain / Example / Link
Conclusion
o Summarize points/ Summarize argument

You may need to modify this structure to better address the question prompt, but
it will largely remain unchanged.

Question Prompt

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Placing advertisements in

schools is a great resource for public schools that need additional funding. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Sample Essay

Advertising is increasingly entering more and more personal areas of our lives.
However, advertising in schools is a new and controversial phenomenon. While
schoolsmay benefit from additional revenue from advertising, there are other
more severe implications that should be taken into consideration. This essay will
discuss the pros and cons of advertising in schools and explain why it should not
be used by schools as a way to generate more revenue.

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 There are several reasons why schools might use advertising to generate more
revenues. First of all, it is a quick and easy way to make money. For example, a
school may be contacted by a company to display advertisements in its corridors
orhallways. If a school is under financial stress, this might seem like a good idea.
Other more subtle forms of advertising might also be used by schools, such as
advertising certain foods in its cafeterias. Again, this is lucrative because it may
be a convenient way for a school to make money.

Despite the advantages, there are many reasons why schools should not advertise
to young students to make more money. First, if a school takes money to
advertise in its premises it will have to make sure that the advertisements are
aimed at improving youth culture. An advertisement for smoking, for example,
would promote undesirable habits and have a negative influence on the
impressionable minds of students. Second, advertising might have a negative
effect on the school’s academic integrity. After all, what does a school teach its
students if it puts the students’ well-being at risk to make some easy money?
Integrity should be protected by the school’s decision makers.

This essay discussed several reasons why schools may or may not use
advertising to increase revenues. In my opinion, schools should refrain from
advertising because the safety and integrity of the students should be more
important than making money quickly.

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