TOEFL Essentials Test

The English proficiency test known as the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, evaluates a person's reading, speaking, and listening skills in the language. To study abroad in English-speaking nations, students from non-English-speaking nations must pass an English proficiency exam. There are three different ways to take the TOEFL: at home, at the testing facility, or using pen and paper.

TOEFL Essentials is one of the TOEFL tests. The TOEFL Essentials exam attempts to give candidates a more laid-back and adaptable atmosphere. This exam evaluates test takers' proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening in English outside of the classroom. This test is shorter and contains one extra section than the TOEFL at-home test, but it is still fairly comparable.

Who can Apply for TOEFL Essentials?

There is no prerequisite to take the TOEFL exam to take advantage of it. Typically, students who are eligible for college are the ones who apply to take the TOEFL exam. Native English speakers don't need to take the test because it is an assessment of one's English proficiency. The following individuals typically take the TOEFL:

• Candidates who must demonstrate their language ability for academic purposes.
• Candidates who must demonstrate their language skills to obtain a visa.
• Candidates for scholarships who need to demonstrate their language skills.

Cost of Taking TOEFL Essentials

The test's cost varies depending on the country, so there is no set fee. Usually, the price ranges from US$100 to US$120. The following is the cost of additional services:

Service	Fess
Late Registration	US $20
Rescheduling	US $30
Reinstatement of cancelled scores	US $20
Returned Payment	US $30
Additional Score Reports	US $20

How to Register/Apply for TOEFL Essentials Test?

To take the test, there are three ways to register. These are:

• Online Registration: Candidates have to register for the test by either creating a new ETS account or logging in with an already existing one. They must choose a test site and time, submit all of the necessary paperwork, and make the required payments.
• By Phone: Those interested in taking the exam in the United States, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or Canada can contact 1-800-GO-TOEFL (1-800-468-6335) or +1-443-751-4862. Candidates should call +1-443-751-4862 if they wish to take the test in the United States but are not citizens of the country. To schedule an exam at any location outside of the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Canada, candidates should contact the Regional Registration Center (RRC) in charge of that nation or location. Payments can be made with a credit/debit card, or an electronic check (e-check) in U.S. dollars.
• By Mail: By completing the registration form, candidates may also register by mail. When choosing a date for the test, students must choose at least four dates. Credit/debit cards can be used to make payments.

Test Dates for TOEFL Essentials

Test appointments are offered one day a week, 24 hours a day (more days to be added). Candidates can find appointments within 24 hours of registering. Before registering, candidates are advised to verify that they meet the Equipment and Environment Requirements as they will be taking the test at home.

What is Tested on TOEFL Essentials?

The five sections of the TOEFL Essentials test are Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. There is also a five-minute, unscored Personal Video Statement.

• Listening Section: Candidates will hear communications from speakers with accents from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand in the listening section. These talks will be set in academic, personal, and public contexts. The candidates' comprehension of these discussions will be evaluated in this section. Types of tasks in this section are:
  • Listen and Reply
  • Listen to a Conversation
  • Academic Listening: Announcements
  • Academic Listening: Talks
• Reading Section: This section will include texts from both academic and non-academic sources. Applicants must comprehend these texts to respond to the question. The kinds of tasks that students will work on in this section are:
  • Vocabulary
  • General Reading: Daily Life
  • Academic Reading: Tables
  • Academic Reading: Passages
• Writing Section: The ability to write, edit, and proofread for matters like emails and online discussions will be required of candidates. The following categories of tasks are included:
  • Build a Sentence
  • Write an Email
  • Describe a Photo
  • Write for an Academic Discussion
• Speaking Section: During this section, candidates must demonstrate their capacity for verbal exchange and discussion in a range of settings. Students will be given the following kinds of tasks in this section:
  • Read Aloud
  • Listen and Repeat
  • Virtual Interview
• Personal Video Statement: Only the TOEFL Essentials have this special section. Candidates will record a personal video statement of themselves once they have finished all other sections of the test. They will answer two questions in this video. "What would you like to tell people about yourself?" is always the first question, allowing candidates to introduce the institutions to a more personal side of themselves. Candidates will select one of two randomly selected topics for the second question, and then respond with their thoughts on it. Candidates will have two minutes to respond after having thirty seconds to prepare; their full answers should take one to two minutes to complete. Candidates will not be able to review their videos prior to submission.

Test Structure for TOEFL Essentials

The TOEFL Essentials test consists of four sections: Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening. Additionally, there is a five-minute, unscored Personal Video Statement. It takes roughly 1.5 hours to finish the test. The following is the breakdown of questions and time for each section:

Section	Time Allotment	Number of Questions
Listening	21-34 min	30-45 questions
Reading	22-33 min	30-45 questions
Writing	24-30 min	14-18 questions and 2 tasks
Speaking	13 min	3 tasks with 19 responses
Personal Video Statement	5 min	2 questions

NOTE: The test's adaptive format may cause variations in the time allotted and the number of questions. There might be some unscored questions on the test in the Reading, Writing, or Listening sections. These are research questions, and they have no bearing on the candidates' final scores.

Understanding the TOEFL Essentials Score Report

At the conclusion of the test, candidates will be able to view their unofficial Reading and Listening section scores to get a sense of how they performed. After candidates take the test, scores are available online about 4-6 days later. They will receive an email informing them when their scores are available if they give a working email address at the time of registration. Within 11 days of the test, or sooner depending on the method each institution uses for delivering scores, candidates' designated recipients will receive their official score reports.

Candidates will be assigned a band score ranging from 1 to 12 for each of the four test sections. The average of the four-section band scores is used to determine the overall band score. The total band score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band, with steps of 0.5 from 1 to 12. MyBest scores are included in their score report as well. These results represent the highest section scores attained in the previous two years across all test administrations. Furthermore, the score report offers details regarding two fundamental abilities, namely Sentence Construction and Vocabulary Knowledge.

Additional Score Reports

Candidates may request free additional score reports to be sent to as many universities as they choose. A maximum of 20 score reports is allowed for each transaction. Candidates can order score reports online. Once candidates submit their request, designated institutions cannot be added, altered, or removed. For US$20, candidates can request a copy of their additional score report.

Cancelling and Reinstating Scores

Upon completion of the exam, candidates can choose to either report or cancel their results. Candidates or any score recipients won't be notified if candidates decide to cancel their scores. If candidates cancel their scores, they will not be refunded.

Candidates may request the reinstatement of their canceled scores if they change their minds after the test, provided that the request is received by ETS no later than 60 days from the test date. They can use their ETS account to place online orders. There is a $20 reinstatement fee. Within three weeks of receiving the candidate's request and payment, the candidate's scores will be restored and reported.

Test Day Guidelines

Candidates must ensure that they abide by all test rules and regulations as the test is recorded for ProctorU and is administered by a human proctor; otherwise, the proctor may cancel the test. The following are some rules that students should abide by on test day:

• Candidates should make sure the proctor can see them at all times.
• Any type of personal recording device is strictly forbidden.
• Before the test, candidates must turn off any screen-sharing or remote-access software.
• Throughout the test, candidates' ears must be observable and unobscured by hair, a hat, or other objects.
• Candidates should dress appropriately because their photos will be taken and shared with the institutions that receive their scores.
• All headphones, smart watches, face masks, and jewelry, such as large necklaces, tie clips, cuff links, ornate clips, combs, barrettes, headbands, and other hair accessories must be removed prior to the exam.
• During the test, candidates must be in a room by themselves with no other people present.
• Candidates are not permitted to take the test in a park, internet cafe, or restaurant.
• A desk or another tabletop surface is required for the computer and keyboard.
• All doors in the room must be closed by candidates before the test starts.
• To take notes, candidates can use a single sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector or a small desktop whiteboard with an erasable marker and no pencil or pen.
• Candidates will have to demonstrate to the proctor that all of their notes have been deleted at the end of the exam.

Cancelling and Rescheduling Test

Candidates have to give at least four days' notice before the test date if they need to reschedule or cancel their appointment. Candidates who take this action will be refunded 50% of the initial test fee they paid. Candidates will not receive a refund for their test fee if they do not request to cancel at least 4 days in advance. Regular mail or email cannot be used to reschedule or cancel the test appointments. Rescheduling costs US$30.

How TOEFL Essentials is Different from TOEFL iBT?

The comparison and similarities between TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Essentials are as follows:

Basis	TOEFL iBT	TOEFL Essentials
Number of Sections	4 sections and a Personal Video Statement	4 sections
Time Allotted	Almost 2 hours	1.5 hours
Time per section	Reading- 35 minutes Listening-36 minutes Speaking- 16 minutes Writing- 29 minutes	Listening- 21-34 min Reading- 22-33 min Writing- 24-30 min Speaking- 13 min Personal Video Statement- 5 min
Score review	Allowed	Not allowed
Number of questions per section	Reading- 20 questions Listening- 28 questions Speaking- 4 tasks Writing- 2 tasks	Listening- 30-45 questions Reading- 30-45 questions Writing- 14-18 questions and 2 tasks Speaking- 3 tasks with 19 responses Personal Video Statement- 2 questions
Language Domain	100% academic English context	50% academic English and 50% general English context
Test delivery	At a test center, or at home	At home
What is measured?	Provides comprehensive, direct measurement of communicative language ability in an academic context	Measures foundational elements of English proficiency