TOEFL iBT is a'Changin'

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The TOEFL iBT, according to the ETS website, is going to be changed starting August 1st, 2019. The number of questions on the present exams will be compressed, making the test a bit shorter. The types of questions, for example, in the reading, will not be decreased, but the number of questions in total will be.

You can use the links in this entry to read the information yourself; I will quote the  information from Magoosh:

TOEFL 2019 Format Changes to Timing, Pacing, and Content
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the old test and the new test, after August 1, 2019. Changes have been noted in bold.
Old TOEFL vs. New TOEFL
SECTION
OLD TOEFL
NEW TOEFL
TOEFL Reading
3-4 passages (standard length of 3 passages)

12-14 questions per passage

60-80 minutes

Average of 1 min. 40 sec. per question
3-4 passages (standard length of 3 passages)

10 questions per passage

54-72 minutes 

Average of 1 min. 48 sec. per question
TOEFL Listening
4-6 lectures, 6 questions each (standard length of 4 lectures)


2-3 conversations, 5 questions each (standard length of 3 conversations)

60-90 minutes

Average of 1 min. 46 sec per question
3-4 lectures, 6 questions each (standard length of 3 lectures)

2-3 conversations, 5 questions each (standard length of 3 conversations)

41-57 minutes

Average of 1 min. 28 sec. per question
TOEFL Speaking
6 tasks

2 TOEFL Independent Speaking tasks

4 TOEFL Integrated Speaking tasks

20 minutes
4 tasks

1 TOEFL Independent Speaking task

3 TOEFL Integrated Speaking tasks

17 minutes
TOEFL Writing
2 tasks

50 minutes of response time
2 tasks

50 minutes of response time

(NO CHANGES)
Whole test
3.5 hours
3 hours
Speaking Tasks on the New TOEFL: Removed Tasks and Renumbered Tasks
In addition to the changes above, the 4 TOEFL Speaking tasks from the old TOEFL that are still in the new TOEFL will be renumbered. The table below provides a detailed look at the way tasks have been removed and renumbered:
TOEFL SPEAKING TASKS
(OLD TOEFL)
TOEFL SPEAKING TASKS
(NEW TOEFL)
TOEFL Speaking Task 1 (Independent)
(removed)
Task 2 (Independent)
Task 1 (Independent)
Task 3 (Integrated)
Task 2 (Integrated)
Task 4 (Integrated)
Task 3 (Integrated)
Task 5 (Integrated)
Removed
Task 6 (Integrated)
Task 4 (Integrated)

Changes to TOEFL Prep Materials
To accommodate the TOEFL 2019 format changes, ETS will be changing and updating some of its TOEFL prep materials. Here is what we know so far:
·         TOEFL Quick Prep, as of right now, only features the Volume 1 and Volume 2 PDFs, which have no audio. In the mean time, volumes 1-4 of TOEFL Quick Prep, complete with audio, are accessible through this Web Archive link.
·         The official TOEFL online class from EdX will soon change so that the video lessons and practice activities reflect that new TOEFL.
Changes to TOEFL Scoring
Test-takers who’ve taken the TOEFL more than once will now get a “superscore” their TOEFL tests. By this, I mean that their score report will show the best individual section scores across multiple tests, if they’ve taken the TOEFL multiple times. This will be done automatically at no extra charge to the test-taker. TOEFL score reports for tests taken after August 1 will always show the top section scores from across all exam sessions a test-taker has had.
What Will NOT Change in the New TOEFL Exam
OK, we’ve already covered some of what won’t change in the sections above. But it’s good to get an overview of what’s remaining the same for the TOEFL. Here is a roundup of all the things that are the same in the old TOEFL and the new!
·         TOEFL Reading will continue to have a standard format of 3 passages, with the possibility of a fourth experimental passage.
·         TOEFL Listening will continue to have 6 questions per lecture or classroom discussion, and 5 questions per conversation.
·         TOEFL Reading and TOEFL Listening will keep all of the same question types. (In other words, there are fewer questions in these sections, but not fewer question types.)
·         Reading times, preparation times, and response times will not change for the TOEFL Speaking tasks that are being kept in the exam.
·         On the four TOEFL Speaking tasks that will remain on the exam, the time limits for preparation and speech have not changed.
·         The TOEFL Writing section will remain exactly as is: the same two tasks, the same task and section time limits.
·         The scaled score system (0-30 per section, 0-120 for the whole test) will stay the same.
·         For people who’ve only taken the test once, however, score calculation and score reporting remains exactly the same.
What We Don’t Know (Yet) about the TOEFL 2019 Format Changes
·         Whether or not the onscreen timer itself will look or work any differently.
·         What TOEFL Quick Prep is going to look like in the long-run… or the near future.
·         When the updated versions of other official TOEFL prep materials will be released.
Where to Go for More Information from ETS
The best place to go for current, official information about the TOEFL 2019 format changes is ETS’s “Introducing a Better TOEFL iBT Test Experience” page. This page includes a link to an FAQ PDF for the changes, and information on both the page and the PDF are updated as needed.

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