biTOEFL: What Is the TOEFL Exam and How to Prepare for It?

This article is an informational guide. For the training program itself: biTOEFL training package →

biTOEFL is an innovative platform that lets you manage your TOEFL exam preparation process from start to finish. In this guide, we will explain in detail what the TOEFL exam is, its structure, and the preparation path you should follow to achieve a high score. With the biTOEFL package, you can accelerate your progress alongside an Expert AI Teacher.

What Is the TOEFL Exam and Why Is It Important?

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an internationally standardized exam that measures the university-level English proficiency of individuals whose native language is not English. Students who want to study abroad, in particular, strengthen their applications with the scores they achieve on this exam. TOEFL scores are accepted by thousands of universities and institutions worldwide as proof of academic and professional proficiency. This exam assesses how effectively you can use reading, listening, speaking and writing skills in English within an academic context.

What Is the Structure of the TOEFL iBT Exam?

TOEFL iBT (internet-Based Test) is the current and most widely used format of the exam. The exam consists of four main sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. Each section is designed to measure your use of English in an academic context. For example, the Reading section requires you to understand passages taken from university textbooks, while the Listening section focuses on comprehending lectures or on-campus conversations. The Speaking and Writing sections test your synthesis skills — that is, your ability to interpret information from different sources and express it together with your own ideas. The total exam duration is approximately 2 hours, with each section scored between 0-30, resulting in a final total score between 0-120. This structure comprehensively assesses a student’s ability to use all four language skills in a balanced way.

What Steps Should Be Followed During TOEFL Preparation?

The TOEFL preparation process varies according to individual learning pace and current English level. For a successful preparation, you first need to accurately assess your current English level. After that, understanding the exam format and question types, creating an effective study plan, and practicing regularly are critically important. Developing study techniques specific to each language skill, expanding your vocabulary, and reinforcing grammar rules are also integral parts of this process. With biTOEFL, you can take these steps more efficiently by creating a personalized study program. Learning exam strategies, improving time management, and testing yourself with practice exams will help you minimize potential stress factors you may encounter on exam day.

How Should You Prepare for the Reading Skill?

The Reading section measures your ability to understand and interpret academic texts. To succeed in this section, having a broad vocabulary and being able to parse complex sentence structures is essential. During preparation, it will be helpful to read articles, scientific journals, and university textbooks on various academic topics. It is important to develop the skill of scanning passages quickly and accurately to identify main ideas and supporting details. In addition, developing strategies for different question types — such as inference questions, vocabulary meaning questions, and reference questions — will also increase your score. The biTOEFL Expert AI Teacher provides you with personalized reading materials and practice tests to develop these skills.

How Can Listening Skills Be Improved?

The Listening section assesses your ability to understand university lectures, on-campus conversations, and dialogues. When preparing for this section, you should make an effort to listen to English speech in different accents. It is important to grasp the effects of speaking speed and intonation on meaning. Developing note-taking techniques ensures that you don’t miss main ideas and important details in long listening passages. Additionally, making use of various sources such as podcasts, TED talks, academic lecture videos, and English news programs will strengthen your listening skills in different contexts. Platforms like biENGLISH can help you develop your listening skills through daily English practice.

What Methods Should Be Used to Improve Speaking Skills?

The Speaking section measures your ability to express your ideas clearly, coherently and fluently. In this section, your speaking skills are evaluated through independent and integrated tasks, assessing both your general speaking fluency and your ability to synthesize reading and listening materials into speech. During preparation, it is essential to practice speaking English regularly. By recording and listening to your own voice, you can identify your shortcomings in pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. Practicing speaking under time constraints, as in the exam, will develop your ability to organize your thoughts quickly. The biTOEFL Expert AI Teacher supports this process by providing instant feedback and personalized suggestions for speaking practice. In addition, other language training products such as biIELTS and biGERMAN also offer practices designed to develop speaking skills.

How Can Writing Skills Be Strengthened?

The Writing section measures your ability to organize your thoughts, develop arguments, and produce coherent texts in an academic style. This section includes integrated and independent writing tasks. In the integrated writing task, you are expected to write a paragraph or essay based on what you have read and listened to, while in the independent writing task, you are asked to express your own opinions on a given topic. During preparation, it is important to practice essay writing, learn different types of arguments, and expand your academic vocabulary. The correct use of grammar and punctuation directly affects your writing score. biTOEFL helps you address your shortcomings by providing detailed feedback on your writing tasks. In addition, those preparing for exams such as biKPSS can use similar strategies to improve their written expression skills.

Why Is Time Management Important When Studying for the TOEFL Exam?

The TOEFL exam is a comprehensive test that must be completed within a specific time frame. Therefore, time management skills are the key to achieving a high score on the exam. Each section has a specific time limit, and using this time efficiently is critical for being able to answer all the questions and review your answers. During preparation, you should practice time management by solving practice exams and using a stopwatch. Determining how much time you need to allocate to each question type and applying this strategy consistently will reduce stress on exam day and increase your performance. The biTOEFL Expert AI Teacher helps you use your time most efficiently by creating personalized study plans for you. This way, you can allocate sufficient time for each language skill and practice completing the entire exam on time.

What Are TOEFL Exam Strategies and How Are They Applied?

To succeed in the TOEFL exam, it’s not just your English knowledge that matters, but also effective exam strategies. Strategies such as quickly scanning passages to identify main ideas in the Reading section, taking important notes in the Listening section, organizing your thoughts quickly in the Speaking section, and presenting your arguments in a logical order in the Writing section can increase your score. In addition, getting used to the computer-based structure of the exam and improving your typing skills also help you save time. Managing the time allocated for each section well and reading the questions carefully prevents misunderstandings. The biTOEFL Expert AI Teacher offers practical tips and personalized feedback to help you develop strategies tailored to you. For example, platforms like biKIDS AI can also offer approaches for children to develop exam strategy skills.

Which Resources Should Be Used for the TOEFL Exam?

Using accurate and up-to-date resources while preparing for the TOEFL exam is vital to your success. Official publications, practice exams and guides from ETS (Educational Testing Service) are the most reliable resources. In addition, academic English textbooks, vocabulary-building apps, and online English learning platforms can also support your preparation process. Regularly taking practice exams to experience a real exam environment allows you to identify your weaknesses and focus on areas for improvement. biTOEFL is an integrated solution that brings all these resources together and offers you a personalized learning experience. In addition, language training products such as biARABIC similarly bring together quality resources to support students’ language learning processes.

How Does TOEFL Preparation with an Expert AI Teacher Make a Difference?

TOEFL preparation with an Expert AI Teacher offers a more personalized and efficient learning experience compared to traditional methods. AI technology analyzes a student’s strengths and weaknesses to create a customized study plan focused precisely on the areas they need. By providing instant feedback on reading, listening, writing and speaking skills, it enables mistakes to be quickly corrected and continuous progress to be made. For example, it can detect pronunciation errors during speaking practice or instantly correct grammar mistakes in your writing assignments. This personalized approach increases learning motivation and reduces exam anxiety. biTOEFL offers you this Expert AI Teacher experience, maximizing your exam preparation and making it easier for you to reach your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is TOEFL harder than IELTS?

The difficulty level of the TOEFL and IELTS exams varies according to personal preferences and habits. Although both exams measure English proficiency, their formats and question types differ. TOEFL iBT is more academically focused, computer-based, and places emphasis on multiple-choice questions, while IELTS focuses on both academic and general English, offers both computer-based and paper-based options, and has a face-to-face interview format for the speaking section. Some candidates find the computer-based TOEFL more difficult, while others may find IELTS’s face-to-face speaking section or different accents more challenging. What matters is determining which exam format suits you better and preparing accordingly.

What TOEFL score is C1?

For the C1 level (Advanced English Proficiency), a TOEFL iBT score between 95-120 is generally accepted. However, this range may vary between universities and institutions. For example, some prestigious universities may require a score of 100 or above for C1 level, while others may consider a score of 95 sufficient. For precise information, it is recommended to check the admission requirements on the website of the institution you plan to apply to. C1 level refers to the ability to understand complex texts, speak fluently and spontaneously, and use the language effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.

Is 72 a good TOEFL score?

A TOEFL score of 72 may be acceptable for some universities and programs, while it may not be sufficient for others. Generally, scores between 70-80 indicate an intermediate level of English proficiency. Many undergraduate programs require a minimum score of 80-90, while graduate or doctoral programs typically expect scores of 90-100 or above. Therefore, the answer to whether a score of 72 is good or bad depends on the specific requirements of the educational institution or program you are considering applying to. You should always check the “minimum TOEFL score” requirements on the official website of your target institution.

What is B2 level English in TOEFL?

For the B2 level (Upper-Intermediate English Proficiency), a TOEFL iBT score between 72 and 94 is generally accepted. A person at the B2 level can understand the main ideas of complex texts, engage in technical discussions within their own field of expertise, and communicate quite fluently and spontaneously with native English speakers. This level is generally considered sufficient for many undergraduate programs and some work environments. However, just as with the C1 level, institutions’ specific B2 level score expectations may vary, so it’s important to find out your target institution’s expectations.