TOEFL iBT: What you need to know first
First and foremost, the TOEFL ibt is perhaps one of the most difficults tests out there not only for how complex it is but for its leght: it takes almost four hours to complete with only a mandatory ten-minute break.
You need computer skills. Just knowing English will not do in this exam. Since it is taken online it is necessary to be able to use the mouse and basic commands such as Cut, Copy, and Double Click. In other words if you don't know how to use a computer you will not be able to take the test.
You need a credit card. The payment is online. Sending traveler's checks is no longer an option. Now there are institutions that may make things easier for you: they make the online purchase themselves and sell you the vouchers, but that is an extra service that not everyone offers. Make sure if there are institutions in your location that want to go that extra mile.
Taking TOEFL ibt Prep courses helps a lot but that doesn't guarantee you are going to obtain the desired score. If you are going to take one make sure it is offered by an institution where teachers are certified and knowledgeable. Now everyone who speaks SOME English is offering prep courses but they do not have the credentials nor do they have the required strategies.
There is no passing score. If you are going to take the exam is because there is an institution that is requiring a TOEFL score from you. That score is the one you care for. Some universities ask for a 75 and others 90. The maximum score is 120.
The TOEFL has four sections now covering each of the four skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. But know there is listening in the reading and writing sections as well. Those tasks are called Integrated tasks.
The TOEFL is offered Fridays and Saturdays but not any other day.
Hopefully this information will help, but if you have further quesstions then ask.
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