The Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test
Summary
1) Guide to reading
Structure
It is always the first section of the TOEFL test. Test your ability to read and answer
questions about passages. It contains three passages, and after each passage are from 12
to 14 questions for a total of 39 questions. The passages are generally from 600 to 700
words long.
Timing
If there are 3 passages, you will have 60 minutes.
If there are 4 passages, you will have 80 minutes.
If there are 5 passages, you will have 100 minutes.
The passages
They are about academic subjects and are generally from 600 to 700 words long.
The questions
Most of the questions in the reading section are multiple-choice questions. There are
twelve types.
1
, Type of question Explanation Example %
number
per test
Factual questions These ask to “According to the 7 to 10
(details questions) locate and identify information…”
specific
information in the “According to the
passage passage…”
“Which of the following is
true, according to the
author?”
Negative factual questions These ask which “According to the 1 to 4
of the answer information in paragraph__,
choices is not which of the following is
true, according to NOT...”
information in the
passage, or is not “The author mentions all of
mentioned in the the following in the
passage passage EXCEPT…”
Vocabulary questions These ask you to “The word ___ in the 6 to 10
identify the passage is closest in
meaning of a word meaning to…”
or phrase in the
passage
Inference questions These ask you to “From the information in 3 to 6
draw conclusions paragraph ___, it can be
based on inferred that…”
information in the
passage In paragraph ___, the author
suggests that…”
Questions about the These ask you “Why does the author 2 to 3
author’s purpose why the author mention ___ in paragraph
uses a certain ___?”
word, detail, or
example in a “Why does the author give
passage details about ___?”
Questions about the These ask you to “How does the author 2 to 3
author’s method describe how the explain the concept of ___
author explains or in paragraph ___”?
accomplishes
something in the
passage
Questions about the These ask you “What is the author’s 2 to 3
author’s attitude how the author opinion of ___?”
feels about a
certain issue, idea,
2
, or person that is “Which of the following
mentioned in the most accurately reflects the
passage author’s opinion of ___?”
Sentence These ask you “Which of the following 2 to 3
restatement/simplification which choice best sentences best expresses
questions restates and the essential information in
summarizes the the sentence below?
information in a
sentence from the (incorrect answer choices
passage omit important information
or change the meaning of
the original sentence in an
important way)
Reference questions These ask what “The word ___ in the 3 to 4
word a pronoun or passage refers to …”
other reference
word refers to
Sentence addition Gives you a Four black squares appear 1
questions sentence that is between sentences of the
not in the passage paragraph. You must click
and asks you to on one of these squares to
put into the put the new sentence into
passage. the correct place in the
paragraph
Complete-the-summary Are worth two points. You are given 6 answer 1
questions choices and you must choose only 3. (Incorrect
choices are only minor ideas or they are not
mentioned in the passage)
Complete-the-chart Are worth 3 or 4 points. You are given a number 1
questions of answer choices and you must put them in the
proper category in a chart. You have to decide
which of the answer choices is related to which
category and place it in the correct place in the
chart.
3 points: 7 possible answers and 5 blanks
4 points: 9 possible answers and 7 blanks
3
Summary
1) Guide to reading
Structure
It is always the first section of the TOEFL test. Test your ability to read and answer
questions about passages. It contains three passages, and after each passage are from 12
to 14 questions for a total of 39 questions. The passages are generally from 600 to 700
words long.
Timing
If there are 3 passages, you will have 60 minutes.
If there are 4 passages, you will have 80 minutes.
If there are 5 passages, you will have 100 minutes.
The passages
They are about academic subjects and are generally from 600 to 700 words long.
The questions
Most of the questions in the reading section are multiple-choice questions. There are
twelve types.
1
, Type of question Explanation Example %
number
per test
Factual questions These ask to “According to the 7 to 10
(details questions) locate and identify information…”
specific
information in the “According to the
passage passage…”
“Which of the following is
true, according to the
author?”
Negative factual questions These ask which “According to the 1 to 4
of the answer information in paragraph__,
choices is not which of the following is
true, according to NOT...”
information in the
passage, or is not “The author mentions all of
mentioned in the the following in the
passage passage EXCEPT…”
Vocabulary questions These ask you to “The word ___ in the 6 to 10
identify the passage is closest in
meaning of a word meaning to…”
or phrase in the
passage
Inference questions These ask you to “From the information in 3 to 6
draw conclusions paragraph ___, it can be
based on inferred that…”
information in the
passage In paragraph ___, the author
suggests that…”
Questions about the These ask you “Why does the author 2 to 3
author’s purpose why the author mention ___ in paragraph
uses a certain ___?”
word, detail, or
example in a “Why does the author give
passage details about ___?”
Questions about the These ask you to “How does the author 2 to 3
author’s method describe how the explain the concept of ___
author explains or in paragraph ___”?
accomplishes
something in the
passage
Questions about the These ask you “What is the author’s 2 to 3
author’s attitude how the author opinion of ___?”
feels about a
certain issue, idea,
2
, or person that is “Which of the following
mentioned in the most accurately reflects the
passage author’s opinion of ___?”
Sentence These ask you “Which of the following 2 to 3
restatement/simplification which choice best sentences best expresses
questions restates and the essential information in
summarizes the the sentence below?
information in a
sentence from the (incorrect answer choices
passage omit important information
or change the meaning of
the original sentence in an
important way)
Reference questions These ask what “The word ___ in the 3 to 4
word a pronoun or passage refers to …”
other reference
word refers to
Sentence addition Gives you a Four black squares appear 1
questions sentence that is between sentences of the
not in the passage paragraph. You must click
and asks you to on one of these squares to
put into the put the new sentence into
passage. the correct place in the
paragraph
Complete-the-summary Are worth two points. You are given 6 answer 1
questions choices and you must choose only 3. (Incorrect
choices are only minor ideas or they are not
mentioned in the passage)
Complete-the-chart Are worth 3 or 4 points. You are given a number 1
questions of answer choices and you must put them in the
proper category in a chart. You have to decide
which of the answer choices is related to which
category and place it in the correct place in the
chart.
3 points: 7 possible answers and 5 blanks
4 points: 9 possible answers and 7 blanks
3
