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Hello everyone! I am actually wondering whether the TOEFL IBT - At-Home edition is applicable for Masters Graduate programs in USA for fall 2022. I have seen some university sites where it was shown they do not accept At-Home editions of the same and that we should give the test at the allotted centres only from ETS. Also there are some uni sites where it is not explicitly mentioned anything about accepting the At-Home edition or the regular one. There are also some sites where they have given both options. Thats why I am confused as to what I should choose- At-Home edition or the regular centre driven test. Also there are two options for TOEFL - IBT and ESSENTIALS. I have seen a lot of forums differentiating these too as well it is given on the ETS website. But I am not able to understand well. If I want to pursue MS in USA should I give IBT or ESSENTIAL? I know these questions seem to be simplest but I just cannot understand these and thus I am writing this post. I would really appreciate your replies! Thank you.

A lot of people smoke nowadays. While some smoke to stifle their grief, others do so just for enjoyment. Whatever reason of smoking might be not everyone likes when someone is smoking near him or her. For this reason ban on smoking in public places may be considered a great solution to avoid discomfort of others. In most societies smoking in public is forbidden for many different reasons. The priority reason for prohibition of smoking in public stems from harmfulness of smoke to nonsmokers’ health. Smoking destroys person’s lungs and leads to cancer. A Cancer is an illness which is very hard to be cured. In most cases people who have cancer die. Cigarettes contain a nicotine an element that has a destructive effect on human organism. Nicotine may cause some malfulctions in our organs especially in brain. Nicotine is also noticed as influential factor for making an addiction to smoking. If you smoke continuously for one month it is likely to develop this bad habit. Since smoke emitted from cigarettes affect not just smokers but also nonsmokers, they may also start smoking. Additionally beacause of influence smoke bears to both sides risk of nonsmokers to develop lethal diseases increase. Another reason for ban on smoking in crowded places is the unpleasant long-lasting smell of cigarette smoke. Most of people are irritated by this smell. Once I went to bar where smoking was allowed. I chatted with my friend in a room full of smoke and left room an hour later. Even though I left room after one hour the displeasing odor of smoke did not seize. I washed clothes I have worn that day several times with high quality detergent and dryed them outside in cold weather for one day . However it vanished just in three days. Final reason for forbiding smoking is the potential detrimental effect it has on children. Children are extremely prone to external influence from elders. If you had a little brother or sister you probably have already observed this. So imagine if a child saw you smoking, next time he or she finds a cigarette she would repeat or try to smoke. This is the bad sign because smoking would break healthy development of a child, and probably endanger his or her future life. Smoking in public is not allowed for different reasons. It damages public health resulting in incurable ilnesses like cancer. It is the reason for repulsive odor in public. Moreover smoking in public harms the psychology of children. Taking everything mentioned into account smoking in public places mustn’t be permitted. A lot of people smoke nowadays. While some smoke to stifle their grief, others do so just for enjoyment. Whatever reason of smoking might be not everyone likes when someone is smoking near him or her. For this reason ban on smoking in public places may be considered a great solution to avoid discomfort of others. In most societies smoking in public is forbidden for many different reasons. The priority reason for prohibition of smoking in public stems from harmfulness of smoke to nonsmokers’ health. Smoking destroys person’s lungs and leads to cancer. A Cancer is an illness which is very hard to be cured. In most cases people who have cancer die. Cigarettes contain a nicotine an element that has a destructive effect on human organism. Nicotine may cause some malfulctions in our organs especially in brain. Nicotine is also noticed as influential factor for making an addiction to smoking. If you smoke continuously for one month it is likely to develop this bad habit. Since smoke emitted from cigarettes affect not just smokers but also nonsmokers, they may also start smoking. Additionally beacause of influence smoke bears to both sides risk of nonsmokers to develop lethal diseases increase. Another reason for ban on smoking in crowded places is the unpleasant long-lasting smell of cigarette smoke. Most of people are irritated by this smell. Once I went to bar where smoking was allowed. I chatted with my friend in a room full of smoke and left room an hour later. Even though I left room after one hour the displeasing odor of smoke did not seize. I washed clothes I have worn that day several times with high quality detergent and dryed them outside in cold weather for one day . However it vanished just in three days. Final reason for forbiding smoking is the potential detrimental effect it has on children. Children are extremely prone to external influence from elders. If you had a little brother or sister you probably have already observed this. So imagine if a child saw you smoking, next time he or she finds a cigarette she would repeat or try to smoke. This is the bad sign because smoking would break healthy development of a child, and probably endanger his or her future life. Smoking in public is not allowed for different reasons. It damages public health resulting in incurable ilnesses like cancer. It is the reason for repulsive odor in public. Moreover smoking in public harms the psychology of children. Taking everything mentioned into account smoking in public places mustn’t be permitted.

As a professional test prep teacher who constantly works with aspiring TOEFL Test candidates, I always need more practice tests. Some preparation courses offer up to seven practice tests with their preparation books, like Barron’s and Cambridge, but – quite simply – they are not ETS, the company that makes the TOEFL Test! And McGraw-Hill plays up on this point quite well, slapping the ETS logo right on the top of the cover: “The People who Make the Test.” This is the book’s biggest advantage. No matter how good the other companys’ content is, and no matter how insightful their tips and strategies are, when it comes to the actual full-length practices tests, they are simply trying to simulate the actual TOEFL test experience with their practice versions. ETS is actually giving you five real, authentic TOEFL tests, brought back out of retirement, not simulations. So factors like the overall level of difficulty, the accuracy or authenticity of the reading and listening material involved in some of the questions, or the actual topic selections for speaking and writing tasks, are all genuine and realistic with ETS Official TOEFL iBT Tests – Volume 1. Obviously, the lack of a CD-Rom that simulates the actual interface of the test, keeps track of time limits, integrates the audio tracks when needed, and scores the results automatically, is a huge disappointment. This is an expected standard for today’s test prep material that virtually every TOEFL preparation book has been providing for years. This oversight sadly deprives TOEFL candidates of the comfort, familiarity, and confidence that come with being prepared to take the test as it will appear on a computer on test day. Furthermore, students who have not studied the Official Guide to the TOEFL Test (from ETS), those who are not familiar with the detailed system of scoring the four sections will likely not understand how to score their results using this book alone. There seems to be literally no guidance offered to candidates for scoring the Reading and Listening Sections, and very little guidance for scoring the Speaking and Writing Sections. Students who use this resource should know the 30-point scoring system for each section, and how the different kinds of multiple-answer questions are scored (in the Reading and Listening Sections), as explained in a separate publication, the ETS Official Guide to the TOEFL Test. Also, I would much rather prefer another TOEFL test or two over the 94-page “TOEFL Test Prep Planner” in the back of the book. Sorry, but I fail to see the benefit of padding the book with general resources. It is a benefical planner, but it has already been published online by ETS as a free resource. I’m putting down $36 for authentic TOEFL tests, not freely available resources. Despite the negative things I’ve mentioned, I would still recommend this resource to TOEFL candidates who have used all three of the practice tests in the Official Guide. Use all the official TOEFL iBT Tests in this book before using the practice tests from other companies. Of course, I don’t need to recommend this book to serious test prep tutors. I would assume most of them know how important it is and bought it months ago when it was released. With no CD-Rom and the other flaws mentioned, this book could not get anything higher than two stars for anyone other than ETS. A generous three stars (out of five) goes to the welcome return of five retired TOEFL tests!

The 4th edition of the ETS Official Guide to the TOEFL Test will be available on May 11, 2012. The following details are offered by Amazon: Paperback: 380 pages ISBN-10: 0071766588 ISBN-13: 978-0071766586 The 3rd edition was 453 pages. I'd guess that they moved one or both of the 2 practice tests out of the book. The new CD-Rom is improved, for Windows and MAC, having three complete practice tests on it. Let's hope they've managed to work the bugs out of it and have made some real interface improvements. They're also due to have some REAL AUDIO tracks to introduce the Listening Section (HELLO!). They're pitching the idea of having real ETS raters' comments on actual student responses. That's not new, so maybe they've added more of that, or maybe they've just decided to up their marketing game to focus on the kind of stuff that they can offer and no one else can. [ATTACH=CONFIG]6458[/ATTACH]

For Question #2 on the TOEFL iBT Speaking Section, you need to choose between one of two options, and support your choice with specific details, reasons, or examples. Question #2 is very similar to Question #1, in the following ways: You create the content, no paraphrasing other material. You use your own personal ideas and opinions for support. It is independent, you don't read or listen to anything before responding. You have 15 seconds to prepare, and 45 seconds to respond. The same type of introduction and language can be used (in general). However, Question #2 is a bit different from Question #1 in some ways: Your choice is limited to one of two ideas, possibly a combination of both, or neither of the two (in some cases). You need to use comparitive language (i.e. better, more convenient, etc.), whereas in question #1, you used superlative language (i.e. best, most convenient, etc.) You have an easy way to support your choice with two main ideas - the first one is the main reason you made your choice, and the second one can be a reason why you don't like the other choice. Based on this, we can use the same basic blueprint, or template, for question #2 with a few minor adjustments. 1) The Introduction “I prefer X over Y, because of two (or three) main reasons – A, B, [and C].” You may replace “I prefer X over Y…” with: “To me, X is better (more interesting, more important, etc.) than Y…” “I’d say that…” “In my opinion,…” “I believe…” 2) The Body “Regarding A, I’d say that it is/was ______ (comparative adjective, i.e. more important, easier, etc.) because… “As for B, then I believe…” “And finally, C is, to me, (more important, easier, less harmful)…” If you cannot think of support for your answer, here's a great tip: Support your choice in Question #2 with one reason in favor of your choice (the first reason that comes to mind), and one reason for not choosing the other choice! 3) The Conclusion “For these reasons, I feel that…” (Restate your original opinion in different words.) Remember to keep it simple and clear, connecting your ideas, using language you are comfortable with. Here is a sample of how the blueprint above can be used. Question: Do you prefer attending large classes or smaller ones? Use specific reasons to support your choice. Response: I prefer attending small classes over larger ones, for two main reasons - Access to the professor and the ability to focus. Access to course instructors, especially experts in their fields, is an invaluable part of the university experience. In small classes, you get many more opportunities to ask questions, and the professor can even help you with your specific research if he doesn't have 100 students expecting the same attention. Another reason I feel small classes are better is the ability to concentrate on the lectures more easily. In large classes, there are just too many people and too many distractions, like cellphones, chatting, and people entering and exiting. These are the reasons why I prefer small classes. I timed this response at exactly 45 seconds. The total time allowed for a response to this question type is exactly 45 seconds.

Here is a helpful list of ten practical last-minute things you need to do on the day of your TOEFL exam and in the evening preceding it. 1. At the ETS website, choose the universities you want to automatically receive your score report. This is to be done by 10:00 p.m. the night before your test, if you did not do so when you registered. Simply log in, click on “View Orders”, and select your recipients from the list provided. Verify your first selected recipient and select a department, if applicable. Here, you can choose to “add another recipient.” If you add institutions after the 10:00 p.m. deadline, there will be a $17 fee for each score report. 2. Print your registration confirmation. Note any last minute changes in the test site, like a change in time or building. You need to bring your registration confirmation with you to the testing site. You will need your registration number to be admitted. As ETS states clearly, “The test cannot be taken without it.” 3. Be absolutely clear on the location of the TOEFL testing center, and how to get there from your area. You do not want the stress that comes with hunting for the center while you risk being late for the exam. 4. Clear your schedule on test day. The TOEFL test causes stress, in case you didn’t know! Don’t plan any other important meetings or activities for the same day. Treat yourself to a nice lunch afterwards, or plan a relaxing day to unwind. You deserve it for all the hard work you’ve put in! 5. Get a solid eight hours of sleep before the test. Plan to get a full night’s rest the night before the TOEFL. For overly anxious people, this may require waking up very early the day before the TOEFL, to become very tired the night before the TOEFL, and thus get to sleep more easily. 6. Enjoy a light, healthy meal before the TOEFL. Make sure you have a simple breakfast beforehand that will give you lots of energy without weighing heavily on you, giving you gas or indigestion, or causing you to need the bathroom. 7. Take a bottle of water and a nutritious snack. During the 10-minute break, you’ll need something that is easy to eat that will give you energy for the remainder of the test. Bananas are ideal. Use the break to relax, drink some water, and eat the snack. Don’t plan on finding a vending machine or ordering coffee during the short break. You don’t want to spend your only few minutes standing in line or waiting for service. 8. Bring at least one valid form of photo ID, like your: Your country's National ID card Local or international driver’s license passport As ETS says clearly, “Without the required documents, you will not be permitted to test and your test fee will be forfeited.” 9. Go the bathroom before the test. Quite simply stated, you don’t want bathroom needs to arise during the test. While you will be allowed to use the bathroom during the test if needed, the time limits tick away while you are gone! 10. Get to the test center early. Planning to arrive 30 minutes early is a safe move. Traffic in some places can be a mess, so better safe than sorry. For more information on what to expect on the test day, watch this 7-minute video from ETS and check out this PDF.

While experts recommend TOEFL test takers to be as creative as they can in their responses to the TOEFL Speaking Section questions (Types #1 and #2 specifically), there is sometimes a need to have fallback standard responses to the speaking questions, because sometimes: The test taker may not like the question. The test taker may not feel comfortable with the nature of the question. The test taker may be experiencing a mental block. The test taker may not have any “creative juices” flowing. For these reasons, there is a need for a “safety net”, or a basic, fallback set-up to use for the foundation of the response. The following blueprint could be used for the first question about significant people, places, events, or objects: 1) The Introduction “I thinkX is/was a _____ (adj.) thing/person/event, because of three basic reasons – A, B, and C.” You may replace “I think…” with: “To me,…” “I’d say that…” “In my opinion,…” “I believe…” 2) The Body “Regarding A, I’d say that it is/was so ______ (adj.) because… To me, that is really _______.” “As for B, then I believe…” “And finally, C is, to me,…” 3) The Conclusion “For these reasons, I feel that…” (Restate your original opinion in different words.) Remember to keep it simple and clear, connecting your ideas, using language you are comfortable with. Here is a sample of how the blueprint above can be used. Question: What is the best place to go for a vacation, and why? Response: To me, the best place to go for a vacation is Taif, Saudi Arabia, because of the attractions, the weather, and the low costs involved. Taif has many unique and exciting attractions, like the Hada cable cars that take you down through the mountains, and the beautiful parks in Shafa. As for the weather, the cool winds of Taif provide a much-needed break from the heat of most cities in Saudi Arabia. And finally, a vacation to Taif is not expensive. As many people in our current economic slowdown look for cheaper alternatives to international destinations, I feel that Taif provides a great local experience without the heavy expenses. These are the reasons why I think that Taif is the best vacation spot. I timed this response at exactly 43 seconds. The total time allowed for a response to this question type is 45 seconds.

Topic: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? In order to be well informed, people should get information from different news sources. Different from the past, we can get the latest news from various kinds of media now. However, people hold different opinions about the issue that whether we will be well informed of the news if we get information from lots of mass media? From my point of view, I believe the mass media brings a lot of benefits to peoples live. It helps us to get news easier, faster and more comprehensively. Firstly, getting information from different resources will help us get the latest news faster, which is very convenient for us. Because sometimes we cannot get the latest and useful information we want at the first time if we only get them from one source. I will use my own experience to hold this opinion. Last month in Beijing, it was raining heavily outside and I was just finished my work and intended to go back home by taking the subway. I went to my twitter page before I leave, I find that people were discussing about an serious accident just happened in the subway, people took latest pictures in the subway and put them on the Internet. So I went home by taxi instead of subway. Finally, I went home in time. After that day, the newspaper reported the accident, which made the subways paused for 2 hours. If I didn't use the Internet to get the news that day, I might stick in the subway station for 2 hours. That must be so inconvenient for me. Moreover, we can know the news more exhaustive if we get information from various kinds of sources. For instance, you want to know the information of princess William's wedding. You can search the news in different resources. From the newspapers and magazines, you will know some basic information about the wedding, like the time, the place and the people attended. While from the televisions and Internet, you cannot only get the basic news but also see some video materials in the wedding, which include more details. What's more, you can see a lot of comments on the internet about the wedding to let you know other people's views and if you like you can also make some comments on the internet. Therefore, getting information from different news sources will be more comprehensively and more interesting. Admittedly, facing different news contents and comments from different materials may make us confused, because there will be too much news every day, the political statements, the celebrities gossips, the technology development and so on. All the news will be messed up. However, I don't think this is a problem, because people have different intentions when they are searching information, people always like to focus on the kind of news which we are interested in, and most of the news media have already classified the news materials into different aspects, people can find the news they like to know easily so that the information will not be a mess. In a word, compare with getting information only from one way, we will be better informed if we get news from various kind of media resources.

Hi everyone :) I'm going to sit an iBT TOEFL Test :grad: at July,23 there would be one month remain for me and would be great if there is someone who can join me to study together about all sections in iBT TOEFL especially for speaking and writing. Please PM me for your skype id :whistle: Thank you

Toefl IBT Time Problem... Hello, I am a young English instructor for 2 years. Yesterday (May the 13th) I had my first Toefl BIT. But I could not answer one question in first reading paragraph which has points around 3. And in the last reading passage, I was not sure and left one question unanswered between others. In speaking section, I was well. I could tell what I want but not more. In writing section, I missed one point in the lecture and wrote an answer that can be interpreted as true because it is mostly true about what in the lecture might be said. I am so curious if I can get more than 100 out of 120... I really do not know what techniques of calculation they have... But I know it is a relevant test... What is the chance for you (in general or for my situation) to get above 105 in a Toefl IBT?