TOEFL test is undeniably the world's most popular English Language
test. It is conducted at over 45000 administration site across 165
countries. The test so far has been taken by about 25 million students
so far. The TOEFL is now conducted globally in two formats Internet
Based Test (IBT) and Paper Based Test (PBT). It is very important to
know the difference between the two tests in terms of pattern,
structure and benefits according to individual applicant. StudyPlaces
bring you a detailed comparison of the two tests to help you understand
TOEFL better and shorten the distance between you and your dream
college. Read on...
IBT is four hour long and PBT in 3 hour
long. IBT requires integrated tasks and note taking while PBT does not
require any of it. While listening, reading and writing are common to
both the tests, IBT has speaking as the fourth section and PBT has
Structure which is majorly based on grammar.
Due to their
different structure, there is also a difference in the time duration of
both the tests. While IBT is for four hours, the duration of paper
based test is only 3 hours. Following is a section wise comparison for
IBT and PBT tests:
READING
The
Internet Based TOEFL exam can consist of 3 to 5 passages of around 700
words each. Each passage contains 12-14 questions often based on
comparison, contrast and cause & effect. The Paper Based Test or
PBT is always made up of 5 passages from academic texts which are
around 250-350 words long. The ideal time for reading section IBT is
60-100 minutes and the score scale of section is from 0-30. While the
ideal time for paper based text is around 55 minutes and the score
scale is between 31 and 67.
LISTENING
The listening section in TOEFL IBT is made up of 4-6 lectures (some
with classroom discussion) and each lecture is 3-5 minutes long with 6
questions. For PBT, there are 3-4 mini talks, each one around 60-90
seconds and with 3-5 questions. In the next phase of IBT there are 2-3
conversations of about 3 minutes and 5 questions each. While in PBT,
there are 2-3 extended conversations of 60-90 seconds and 3-5 questions
again. PBT has another set of questions. These are about 30-40
dialogues followed by 1 question each dialogue. The duration of these
dialogues is not more than 15 seconds each. The time for IBT should be
between 60 to 90 minutes and it has a score scale of 0-30. While the
time for PBT should be around 30-40 minutes with a score scale of 31-68.
SPEAKING
As we mentioned before, there is no speaking section in Paper Based
TOEFL. In IBT, there are Six tasks is speaking section. 2 of these are
independent where candidate has to express an opinion on a familiar
topic. The other 4 are integrated tasks where candidate is expected to
speak on basis of what is read and heard. The candidate gets about 30
seconds to prepare and 1 minute to respond for each task. The total
time allotted is 20 minutes. The score of speaking section in IBT is on
a scale of 0-4 which is converted to a 0-30 score scale.
WRITING
In writing section of PBT, there is only one independent task (Test of
Written English) to be 'written' in 30 minutes. In IBT, there are two
tasks, one integrated (write on basis of what is read and heard) and
one independent ( support and opinion on a topic). The time allotted is
20 and 30 minutes respectively. The score scale of 0-5 is converted
into ratings of 0-30 score scale.
STRUCTURE (Grammar)
While grammar is evaluated in speaking and writing sections, there is
no separate grammar section in Internet Based Test. In the Paper Based
Test, there are a total of 40 questions to be done in 25 minutes and
the score scale is between 31 and 68.
TO CONCLUDE...
The total score of IBT exam is from 0-120 and the total score of PBT
exam is from 310-677. The IBT version scores on the fact that in it, a
candidate gets performance feedback for each skill in the test taker
report, which is missing in PBT.
Acquainted these facts about
IBT and PBT, we hope now you are in a better and more informed state to
prepare and appear for TOEFL.
About StudyPlaces.com
StudyPlaces.com - a part of Educomp Solutions Ltd - is India's premier
education portal helping students make smart career decisions. On the
portal, you can find all information about UG and PG courses in any
area of your preference all over the world. Here you can interact
directly with University representatives and get all your queries
answered by expert counsellors. You can also win scholarships worth Rs
100000 and find all information on entrance exams like TOEFL, IELTS,
GMAT, AIEEE and CAT. Sign up with StudyPlaces.com to get all these
benefits, free of cost.
You can even register for TOEFL exam and reserve a seat now. For more information, visit www.studyplaces.com/toefl.
URL: http://www.studyplaces.com/
Best of Luck!
Team StudyPlaces.
