Get to know the latest changes to the TOEFL

by Joe Yu

You've probably heard that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) has recently made some changes to the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) which are supposed to improve your experience as a test taker and increase your chances of meeting university admission requirements. This new version of the test took effect on August 1, 2019, and is now only three hours long, which is 30 minutes less than the old test. It has fewer questions in the Reading and Speaking sections, and fewer lectures in the Listening section. One benefit according to ETS is a reduction in test-taking fatigue which is likely to lead to better test performance. ETS maintains that while the new version has less testing material it retains its quality and its ability to assess how prepared you are for academic coursework. Here is a breakdown of the changes.

CHANGES TO THE FOUR SECTIONS:

The READING SECTION now only has 10 questions per passage, while keeping the same number of passages for both short and long versions of the test. Plan to spend 18 minutes per passage and pace yourself appropriately. Because the question types are the same, you may continue using old study materials to practice for the test. 

The LISTENING SECTION now has one less lecture while keeping the same number of conversations and number of questions for each listening. The short version will only have 3 lectures, instead of the 4 in the old test; the long version will have 4 lectures, instead of the 6 in the old test. As in the reading section, you may continue to use old study materials as question types on the listening section remain the same.

The SPEAKING SECTION now only has 4 tasks. Questions 1 and 5 from the old version were the ones eliminated, leaving the new test with 1 independent question and 3 integrated questions. Preparation and speaking times stay the same.

Another change in the SPEAKING SECTION is in how ETS scores your recorded answers. Now your answers will be assessed by both human evaluators and a SpeechRater scoring engine. ETS had been using their scoring engine for their practice tests online since 2006 and have been analyzing its capabilities. You can find more information about the SpeechRater engine at the ETS website here: https://www.ets.org/research/topics/as_nlp/speech/

There were no changes made to the WRITING SECTION, so you will continue responding to the integrated task for 20 minutes and to the independent task for 30 minutes.

CHANGES TO SCORE REPORTING: 

In addition to the reduction in test material and test length, ETS is also now reporting your "superscores," which they are calling "MyBest Scores." This new feature shows both your scores for the test you just took as well as the best scores that you’ve received in each section in the last two years. ETS reports that 70% of universities wanted this feature, and this gives you better chances of meeting program admission requirements as your superscores for each section will also add up to a higher total score. However, as not all universities accept MyBest Scores, ETS recommends checking your school’s website to check their policy on accepting superscores.

CHANGES TO PREPARATION, REGISTRATION, & TESTING:

In addition, ETS says they are adding more testing slots at participating testing centers and for those of you who are not morning people, afternoon testing schedules are also now available. If you have taken the test before, you are supposed to notice a better registration experience online with easy access to test prep and testing resources. Last, the TOEFL Official App will be available in a number of countries starting September 2019 and in the U.S. in October 2019. The app is said to provide even greater convenience with everything that you need to register and prepare for the TOEFL in the palm of your hand.

For more information on the new version of the TOEFL, visit ETS at https://www.ets.org/toefl/better_test_experience