TOEIC v. TOEFL Essentials v. TOEFL Junior

TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication): As quoted from the TOEIC website, "The TOEIC is an English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment." The point system ranges from 10 to 990 points and the test itself is two hours in length, multiple choice, testing listening comprehension and reading comprehension.The TOEIC gives certificates to those who take the test, with different colors differentiating the range of advanced skills. In 2006 a new TOEIC was released with longer reading passages and also British, Australian and New Zealand English-speakers, whereas the previous test only featured American speakers.

• The test is divided into two parts which can be taken together or separately. The Listening and Reading section lasts 2 hours. The Speaking and Writing section takes about 90 minutes to complete. The whole test takes about 3 and a half hours.
• The TOEIC is designed to test a person's proficiency in business English where the TOEFL is used as a college entrance exam. Students find the TOEFL to have questions that are more challenging than the TOEIC. However, like the IELTS, the TOEIC contains British, American, Canadian, and Australian dialects which might confuse those unfamiliar with the regional dialects.
• Question Types: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. Integrated (mixed) questions are given.

TOEFL Essentials

While TOEFL iBT is widely accepted for university applications abroad, TOEFL Essentials is more suitable for those looking to travel to English-speaking countries for employment or immigration purposes. It was launched by ETS (Educational Testing Service) on August 21, 2021.

Test format

The TOEFL Essentials test measures the 4 core language skills - Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking - using a friendly and multistage adaptive design, in about 1 ½ hours. This at about half the price of other major English tests.

Test information

Total time: About 1.5 hours
Place: At home
Content: 50% Academic English & 50% General English
Skills assessed: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing

Extra features you can expect when you take the TOEFL Essentials test:

• An unscored, 5-minute Personal Video Statement to add a personal touch to your test responses
• Unlimited score reports with no additional fee
• View your unofficial scores for the Reading and Listening sections at the end of the test
-According to a survey of universities, the TOEFL Essentials test will be widely accepted for its quality, affordability, and convenience.
-Among the major English-language tests, only the TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL iBT® tests have the Writing and Speaking sections scored by both anonymous human raters and AI technology.

The test fee for the TOEFL Essentials test is US$100-$120, depending on your location.

Test Sections

Please note that the length and timing of the sections may vary due to the adaptive design of the test.
Listening section:
Respond to 30 - 45 questions within 21 - 34 minutes about dialogues and talks in different situations.
Reading section:
Respond to 30 - 45 questions within 22 - 33 minutes regarding short academic and nonacademic texts.
Writing section:
Respond to 15 - 19 questions and finish 2 tasks within 24 - 30 minutes, where you create sentences and write responses for everyday and academic settings.
Speaking section:
Finish 3 tasks with 19 responses in 13 minutes, where you retell written and spoken input, and speak to a simulated interviewer.
Personal Video Statement (not scored)
Respond to 2 questions about yourself and your views in five minutes.

Scores Overview

The TOEFL Essentials score scale is based on a 1-12 scale for each section, with 12 being the highest achievable band score. The total score will reflect the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band.
• Listening: 1 - 12
• Reading: 1 - 12
• Writing: 1 - 12
• Speaking: 1 - 12
Total score: 1 - 12

Like the TOEFL iBT® test, the TOEFL Essentials test includes MyBest®scores on all score reports. MyBest scores combine the highest section scores from all your TOEFL Essentials tests from the past 2 years, with an overall score that is the average of the section scores. This provides you with your best overall performance.

With the TOEFL Essentials test, you can order as many additional score reports as you choose to send to institutions, at no additional fee. There is, however, a limit of 20 institutions per transaction.

TOEFL Junior

Intended for students ages 11+, the TOEFL Junior tests are an objective and reliable measure of your students' English communication skills. Based on the rich heritage of the TOEFL Junior and best practices in English-language testing, TOEFL Junior tests can help you pinpoint your students' strengths and challenges.

The TOEFL Junior tests are available in two testing modes and can be used in multiple ways in the classroom for placement and to monitor progress. Plus, the scores are mapped to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) levels to help you better understand students' English proficiency levels and help you find the right books at the right reading levels for your students.