TOEFL Essentials Test

TOEFL Essentials is an online TOEFL test administered by ETS that can be taken from home. It attempts to give candidates a more laid-back and adaptable atmosphere. This test evaluates test takers' proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening in English, just like its counterpart, TOEFL iBT. TOEFL Essentials is shorter and contains one extra section than the TOEFL iBT, but it is still fairly comparable.

The TOEFL Essentials is designed to be accessible and user-friendly. Compared to traditional assessments, it provides a more holistic view of a candidate's English language skills. Many individuals take it, including those applying for university programs or professional opportunities.

Who can Take TOEFL Essentials?

There is no prerequisite to take the TOEFL Essentials. Typically, students who are eligible for higher studies are the ones who apply to take the TOEFL test. Students from countries where English is the native language don't need to take the test. 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?

There are three ways to register to take the test. 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 necessary paperwork, and make the required payments.
• By Phone: Those interested in testing in the United States, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or Canada can contact +1-443-751-4862 or 1-800-GO-TOEFL (1-800-468-6335). 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 a test at any location outside 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 select at least four dates. Credit/debit cards can be used to make payments.

Test Dates for TOEFL Essentials

Test appointments are offered only one day a week, 24 hours a day. More days are likely to be added in the future. Candidates should check with their test center to see which day they offer the test. They can find appointments as early as 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.

TOEFL Essentials Test Structure

The five sections of the TOEFL Essentials test are Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening, and a five-minute, unscored Personal Video Statement. It is a computer-adaptive test that takes roughly 1.5 hours to finish. The following is the breakdown of the number of questions and the time provided for each section:

Section	Time Allotment	Number of Questions	Score range
Listening	21-34 min	30-45 questions	1-12
Reading	22-33 min	30-45 questions	1-12
Writing	24-30 min	14-18 questions and 2 tasks	1-12
Speaking	13 min	3 tasks with 19 responses	1-12
Personal Video Statement	5 min	2 questions	Unscored

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.

• Listening Section: In the listening section, candidates will be exposed to dialogues featuring speakers with accents from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. 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: Reading section will include texts from both academic and non-academic sources. Applicants must comprehend the text to respond to the questions. The tasks included in this section are:
  • Vocabulary
  • General Reading: Daily Life
  • Academic Reading: Tables
  • Academic Reading: Passages
• Writing Section: The ability to write, edit, and proofread documents like emails and online discussions will be tested in the Writing section. The following tasks are included:
  • Build a Sentence
  • Write an Email
  • Describe a Photo
  • Write for an Academic Discussion
• Speaking Section: In the Speaking section, candidates must demonstrate their capacity for verbal exchange and discussion in a range of settings. Students will be given the following types of tasks in this section:
  • Read Aloud
  • Listen and Repeat
  • Virtual Interview
• Personal Video Statement: Only the TOEFL Essentials has 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 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 2 minutes to respond after having 30 seconds to prepare; their full answers should take 1 to 2 minutes to complete. Candidates will not be able to review their videos before submission.

Understanding the TOEFL Essentials Score Report

The score reports that candidates receive consist of three components. These include:

• Section Score- 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 determines 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- MyBest scores are also known as super scores, and they combine the highest section scores in all TOEFL Essentials tests attempted in the previous two years.
• Foundational Skills Percentiles- The foundational skills of Vocabulary Knowledge and Sentence Construction are expressed in percentiles ranging from the 5th to the 95th percentile. A candidate's percentile score in these foundational skills indicates that they outperformed that percentage of test-takers.

After the test, candidates can view their unofficial Reading and Listening section scores to get an idea of their performance. The official scores are available online about 5-6 days after the test day. Candidates will receive an email informing them when their scores are available if they give a working email address when registering. Within 11 days of the test, each institution the candidate has chosen to send the report to will receive the official scores. TOEFL Essentials scores are valid for 2 years from the test date.

The TOEFL Essentials score report is delivered to recipients via ETS Data Manager, server feeds, or mail.

Additional Score Reports

Candidates may request free additional score reports to be sent to as many institutions as they choose. Candidates can order score reports online. Candidates can modify their chosen score recipients until 10 PM local time, the day before the test. After this deadline, candidates must pay a fee of US$20 to request any additional score reports.

Cancelling and Reinstating Scores

Upon completion of the test, candidates can 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, the testing fee will not be refunded.

Candidates may request the reinstatement of their canceled scores if they change their mind 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.

Cancelling and Rescheduling Test

Candidates must give at least four days' notice before the test date if they need to reschedule or cancel their appointment through an ETS account or phone. 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 four days in advance. Regular mail or email cannot be used to reschedule or cancel the test appointments. Rescheduling costs US$30.

Retaking the Test

Candidates may take the TOEFL Essentials test an unlimited number of times; however, they are restricted to one attempt within a 3-day timeframe. This rule remains in effect even if a candidate has canceled their scores from a prior test. Additionally, if a candidate has an existing test appointment, they are not permitted to register for another date within 3 days of that appointment.

Test Day Guidelines

Candidates must ensure that they abide by all test rules and regulations as the test is recorded and monitored by a human proctor through ProctorU. The proctor may cancel the test if they feel the candidate is not following the rules or the instructions. The following are some rules that students should abide by on the test day:

• Candidates should ensure the proctor can always see them.
• Any personal recording device is strictly forbidden.
• Before the test, candidates must turn off 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 before the test.
• During the test, candidates must be alone in a room with no other people present.
• Candidates cannot 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. The proctor will verify that all their notes have been deleted at the end of the test.

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	4 sections and an unscored Personal Video Statement
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
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

Some Things to Remember

• The test is shorter than the traditional TOEFL iBT, typically lasting around 1.5 hours.
• Candidates can have their official scores sent to as many institutions as they want at no additional cost, provided they choose the institutions before taking the test.
• It is essential that when candidates register, the name they provide precisely corresponds to the name displayed on the identification (ID) document they will present to the Proctor on the test day.
• Online early registration deadline is 7 days before the test date. Candidates who register after this regular deadline will incur a late fee of $20.