TOEFL exam

[Gość: YoHello!]

I'm going to take the TOEFL exam (computer-based) in the next 2 moths and I
figured that this forum is a good place to seek advice.

Could anyone who's taken the TOEFL tell me what's the difficulty level of
this exam, comparing to the Cambridge CAE exam?

I need to get at least 520 points, is that a lot? What's the maximum amount
of points you can get?

Where on the internet can I find some example tests or any other info on the
exam? (I know about the www.toefl.org site)

I'll appreciate any advice on what ahould I concentrate on while studying for
the exam.

Thanks in advance for your posts.

[Gość: Bert]

I do not know much on the subject.
Any freshly cooked student will tell you more.
For net sources try these to get the ball rolling.

www.toefl.org/http://www.testwise.com/review.html
www.free-toefl.com/http://www.stuff.co.uk/toefl.htm
esl.about.com/cs/toefl/
If you need more, just start googling around.

N.B. You can teach them a lesson. Go for it.

what the heck...

[Gość: Bert]

www.toefl.org/
www.testwise.com/review.html
www.free-toefl.com/
www.stuff.co.uk/toefl.htm
esl.about.com/cs/toefl/

[adderek]

> I need to get at least 520 points, is that a lot? What's the maximum amount
> of points you can get?
> Where on the internet can I find some example tests or any other info on the
> exam? (I know about the www.toefl.org site)
praktycznie na wszystkie swoje pytania znajdziesz tam odpowiedzi (punkty itp.)
moja rada: sciagnij sobie z tej stronki przykladowy test (ja to zrobilem 4lata
temu jak zdawalem toefla) - to naprawde pomaga, pytania moze nie sa trudne, ale
ciekawie ulozone, fajnie wzrasta poziom trudnosci
500pk (stara punktacja) z toefla porownywane jest ze zdaniem FC, 550 juz z
advance - wedlug mnie do 550 pk jest latwo i przyjemnie, ciesz sie ze nie
musisz miec np. 600 bo wtedy juz trzeba sie troche wiecej pouczyc
i jeszcze jedno, nie wiem po co go zdajesz, ale jak chcesz studiowac w stanach,
czy kanadzie to musisz z wypracowania dostac co najmniej 4.0, warto wiec
przeczytac na stronce toefla jak nalezy pisac wypracowanie
pozdr.

[Gość: JarJar]

Firstly TOEFL is a fake. Don`t throw your money on something so unproffesional.
Try passing Cambridge certificate FCE. A friend of mine has TOEFL and it`s
useless. It isn`t accepted anywhere. Also they`re going to rip from you as much
money as they could. Do you know that for speeking part you will pay double and
that the speaking exam is only twice a year?

there's aint no speaking part dude!

[Gość: MM]

[Gość: adderek]

Firstly TOEFL is a fake. Don`t throw your money on something so unproffesional.
Try passing Cambridge certificate FCE. A friend of mine has TOEFL and it`s
useless. It isn`t accepted anywhere.

You are wrong my friend. Only with the TOFEL you can study in USA or in Canada,
FC certificates are not accepted. In Europe (e.g. Germany) everybody knows what
the TOFEL exam is. Only in UK FC is favored.

Also they`re going to rip from you as much money as they could.

FC is much more expensive. Nowadays without the course you cannot take FC - so
you have to pay twice (for the course and for the exam).

Do you know that for speeking part you will pay double and that the speaking
exam is only twice a year?

The Test of Spoken English is not a part of the Toefl.

[Gość: ABeCe]

well in england FCE is useless comparing to TOEFL or IELTS or obviously CPE.
Only with three of them you can study at the Uni. So FCE apart from a prestige
(??) does not entitle you to anything.

[Gość: Martyna]

Right now I want to concentrate on essay which is a part of Toefl exam.
I will give more specific information tomorrow but now few tips.

1.Very important is good organization they really look at this.
2.Dont write too long remember you have only 30 min for writing.The best if
you have introduction ( 3 to 5 sentences) 2,3 paragraphs about topic and
conclusion.
3. American they love examples and details even if you think that something is
too obvious to write about - write . For example if you right about teachers in
Poland as a essay topic .Assume that you write sentences like this: In Poland
teachers are very nervous- YOU SHOULD WRITE ABOUT 2.3. details ( why they
are,how do you know that they are nervous meaybe you should give 1 examples for
this.

4. If you get topic that you really dont know too much just use your
inagination they dont grade your knowledge but your English.

THANKS +++

[Gość: YoHello!]

Thanks a lot for all your info Bert, adderek and Martyna <

admitted or applied?

[Gość: MM]

how can you be admitted without TOEFL scores?

admitted

[Gość: YoHello!]

Gość portalu: MM napisał(a):

> how can you be admitted without TOEFL scores?

They made an exception. But I need to take it at the first available time when
I get there, and if I fail, I'm going home.

[Gość: R]

My advise to you is:
- Watch American channels as much as you can
- Look at the list of topics (there is around 140 of them) and try to imagine
(even in Polish) what would you like to write to each of them.
Especially, watching American TV is important the more so, if you have not been
to the States before. As far as I remember, the listening part contains some
American dialect, which can be at first hard to get through.
If the list of topics is not available to you, I could mail you one once you
are in the States.
I do not think that they still use that old scale for computer-based TOEFL. It
is now rather 300-point scale, out of which you would need 213 at least at my
university.
I assume that you are coming as an undergraduate student. Otherwise you would
also need GRE, which is much less fun.

Good Luck !

About essay writing

[Gość: Bert]

www.testmagic.com/Knowledge_Base/TOEFL/Writing/samples/
www.bhc.edu/International/esl2/toefl.htm
www.editenglish.com/EEcontent/sample_essay.htm
lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/toeflwrite.html
www.hkleo.com/campus-rec/toelf-tips3.htm
Some essay topics are here:
www.chudnovsky.org/mba/awa/list.cgi?type=t
A stew of TOEFL links:
www.eslcafe.com/search/TOEFL/

[Gość: Koka]

You should also remember about linking devices, words and expressions (such as
however, on the other hand), inversion (e.g. Not only is it profitable to be a
manager but also ...), passive voice and so on. You've got knowledge and skills
so show off. They love it.

[reninka]

Don't worry about it! A 520 score's pretty easy to get. I'd say it's somwhere
between FCE and CAE. Get familiar with the American English, though.Probably
the best way to do that is by watching lots of stupid American movies and TV
shows. Reading might be slightly more difficult, because you have to
understand complex academic texts from various fields, i.e. chemistry,
astronomy etc.
The only problem with the exam is timing. You need to mainain a steady pace
and try not to get distracted by a question you don't know the answer for.
Simply guess and go on!
You're going to be fine.

[jones]

Based on my own experience:
Toefl is a passive exam and 520 is on the lower end. For a majority of North
American universities you need 580 and up. If you are planning to study towards
any liberal studies degree, most admission offices will be looking for 580 and
at least 4.5 in TWE (Test of Written English - so called essay writing). The
higher the better.
You are not penalized for guessing like during GMAT. If you are stuck, just
guess (statistically every 4th guess is right) and go on to the next one.
For those who think it's useless, you still need it to get admitted to any
North American college or university. No one here ever heard about First
Certificate and believe me, they won't listen.

B

[Gość: Marcin]

Hej!
Nie bede sie wyglupial po angielsku, ok?
Sluchaj, tak jak Ci tu pisza to TOEFL jest relatywnie prostym egzaminem i na
pewno sobie dobrze poradzisz zakladajac ze masz jakies podstawy. Niemniej,
jesli Twoim celem jest studiowanie e.g. w USA to TOEFL nie daje Ci duzo. Jest
on automatycznie wymagany od kazdego studenta z zagranicy jako dowod ze bedzie
w stanie poradzic sobie na zajeciach prowadzonych w jez. angielskim. Natomiast
juz naprawde powaznym wyzwaniem sa kolejne egzaminy , ktore sprawdzaja Twoja
ogolna wiedze "akademicka". Mam tu na mysli GMAT, LSAT czy GRE. Zalezy co
chcesz studiowac. Np. na kierunki medyczne wymagany jest GRE na bussiness GMAT
itd. Na te egzaminy musisz juz poswiecic o wiele wiecej czasu zwlaszcza jesli
chodzi o czesci jezykowe. Takze, TOEFL to jest tylko preludium do
powazniejszych rzeczy...
Powodzenia zycze serdecznie!
M.

[Gość: FAMA1979]

I have taken TOEFL exam and my score was 570 points. It's not easy to get these
points but it isn't difficult either. The truth is that you have to know
American English language not British. On the listening part they present
conversation with different American dialects which is difficult to understand
if you don't watch American TV or haven't been there. The texts in reading part
are very specific and very detailed (physics, chemistry, biology) you have to
practise some of these before taking the test.
I recommend buying a book "Cambridge Preparation for TOEFL Exam" which comes
with casettes so you can practise all parts. It cost me 40$ but helped me pass
the exam on 570 points.