ETS Rolls Out New Voice Identification Security System

It has been reported that there was a breach in the security of one of the ETS or Educational Testing Service's exam - the TOEFL or the Test of English as Foreign Language. As ETS is committed in giving the highest quality and reliability of exams and its priority of having secured exam, ETS has decided to use a biometric voice identification system in its coming examinations. This plan will run for two years as part of its initial integration.

With the new system, any TOEFL candidates will be assured of the security of the exam. In addition, cheating on the exam will be impossible.

For those who are unfamiliar of the TOEFL, the TOEFL test is an English proficiency examination. This Means that candidates who take this exam are evaluated According to THEIR knowledge and fluency in using the English language. It has four parts - the reading, listening, speaking and writing. The TOEFL test uses an academic approaches in the examination. When we say academic approaches, most questions that are used are different from the knowledge in school. Questions can be anything from the fields of architecture, engineering, science and technology, music and even psychology.

In the reading section, the candidate's reading comprehension is assessed. Moreover, he or she will be facing different vocabulary in these passages. Candidates need to be able to understand the passages in a short span of time since the time is very limited in the examination.

In the listening section, there are conversations and classroom lectures. Taking down notes on essential key points is important as questions usually ask for details in these audio recordings.

The speaking section is composed of six questions. The first two questions are independent. Candidates will be given a statement in Which They have to give THEIR opinions. The rest are integrated tasks where candidates need to use the information They have listened to or read to the question given.

Finally, the writing is composed of two tasks. The integrated involves a reading passage and a lecture. Candidates Should be able to write an essay showing the between this connection two. The task is a question independent candidates wherein Should write THEIR viewpoints. Some fail to reach the minimum numbers or words in the writing. The best thing to do here is always follow the essential parts of an essay - write an introduction, compose a strong body with two to three Paragraphs and an effective conclusions.

With the new voice recognition system in the TOEFL, any candidates are assured of the quality and accuracy of the TOEFL exam.

Useful Expressions for TOEFL Writing and Speaking

The TOEFL test is a test of English proficiency which assesses a candidate based on the needs of the academe. This means that it does not only look into the accuracy Grammar and the use of words when expressing, the TOEFL also considers what we call coherence. These means that relationships between and among ideas are explicit. This can also mean that ideas flow smoothly into one another.

Cohesion can be achieved with the use of transition words and phrases. Here are common expressions used to create a smooth exposition for writing and speaking. They are grouped according to use.

1.       Enumeration of Ideas

Example:

First, second, last            Another               Also

“There are several reasons for near-normal occurrence of flooding in Metro Manila. First, the drainage systems are blocked off by trash. Another reason is the ineffective flood control projects. Lastly, there is the questionable budget use when it comes to flood control programs.”

2.       Chronology of events

Example:

After                     Before                  During                  While                  

Before the water rises, it would be prudent for the local government to suspend classes, especially for children. Suspending work after students and employees have gone to schools and workplaces would only expose them further to the dangers of heavy rains. During one of the worst flooding in 2009, the Ondoy, this was what happened. Government suspended classes and work while people were already in the middle of what they were doing. As a result, many people were stranded.

3.       Cause and Effect

Because               as a result           so           due to                   consequentially

“Because the storm intensified the monsoon, the metro experienced severe flooding.”

“There are problems in check and balance. As a result, it was quite easy for corrupt officials to steal the people’s money.”

4.       Presenting contradicting ideas

Example:

Even though                      Although                             But                         Despite

“Even though there are measures to prevent flooding and address its effects, these measures will be useless if not funded properly.”

“The government has issued a mandatory evacuation order, but the people in flood-prone areas refused to leave their homes.”

5.       Concluding ideas through summarization

In conclusion                     To summarize                   To wrap it all up              

“In conclusion, there are three primary reasons for the improvement of disaster management: to deliver to the people the quality service their money funded, to prevent destruction of property, and to prevent the loss of lives.”

These transition words are very important in creating a smooth transition of ideas, which is a criteria in the writing and speaking part of the TOEFL. Use them well. There are a lot more words and phrases that you can use. Ask your teacher about them.

Good luck!

How to Pass to TOEFL in One Take

The TOEFL is an exam of English proficiency, required by academic and professional institutions and by licensing agencies from those who are non-native communicators of English. The TOEFL would really test your mettle when it comes to English. The examination is a four-hour long computer test of comprehension and expression. It has four subtests: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The TOEFL is not like other English test – it would require you to actually merge these four skills. For instance, in the Writing Test, you will have to read an article, listen to a lecture and then write about what you have read and heard. The same thing is true for the Speaking test.

Long story short: the TOEFL is not easy.

For candidates to not waste time and money on the TOEFL, candidates should not simply prepare haphazardly, but prepare smartly. Here are some tips test takers may want to consider.

1.       Introduce yourself to the basics of the test. This means being familiar with the test format, the test question types, and the method of answering the exam (through the computer). Having knowledge of what test is inside out would give you the advantage of knowing which strategies to use.

2.       Verify what you need. You must have a baseline score that you need to aim for. This would vary depending on what you need the TOEFL for, so make sure you consult with whomever or whatever is requiring you to sit the test.

3.       Be smart about investing. Whether we like it or not, preparation for anything would entail time and money. Of course, when you do invest time and money, one thing we need to make sure is that it is worth it. This means investing smartly. If you plan on reviewing (whether at home or in a review center), how much time per week can you commit solely for studying? Will you be able to sustain this number of hours? If you plan on going into a review center, which review center will you go to? Is the program good? Does it address your needs? What is their program’s track record?

4.       Test yourself. Do practice examinations to determine your improvement. When you have consistently scored what is required in at least three full practice test , consider yourself ready to take the exam.

5.       Aim higher. It does not hurt to aim for a higher score. This makes you over prepare which is almost always better than being underprepared.

6.       Get help. There are people who are experts in this. If you plan to prepare wisely and willing to invest smartly, one of the best thing you can do is to get someone who knows the TOEFL inside out to walk you through it, to assist you in improving, and to give you an honest and accurate analysis of your preparedness.

Good luck!

4 Common Grammar Lapses in TOEFL

Having to sit an English proficiency exam such as the TOEFL iBT, Grammar is an essential part of getting the score you need. It may be used in subtests that require expression, like Speaking and Writing, or it may serve as clues for you to answer Reading and Listening. A significant portion of your TOEFL score comes from your mastery and use of Grammar. However, having good Grammar means really have to be careful of what you say or write and paying close attention to details. 

For you to be able to reach your target score in TOEFL iBT, check out these common Grammar lapses in the exam:

1.       Tenses of the verb. It is important to know how and when to use the tenses of the verbs. This means knowing the format or the structure of the tenses, but also the distinction of usage. If there are 14 tenses of the verb, then there are at least 14 different ways on how each of this is used. 

2.       Punctuations. The test-taker’s knowledge on distinction of use between a comma, a period, a colon, or a dash is important if he or she wants to have a higher score in the TOEFL. A common mistake would be using comma for period and vice versa…which brings us to Lapse #3

3.       Sentence boundaries. Test-takers either make sentence fragments or run-on sentences. Sentence fragments are clauses that look like sentence and punctuated with a period but have no sense. In other words, these are dependent clauses. A run-on sentence is a sadly-punctuated sentence. This happens when you are putting together several sentences with commas instead of separating them with periods. 

4.       Subject-Verb Agreement. You probably already know that if you use do/does/did, you pair it with the base form of the verb. For instance, “I did not eat dinner last night.” And you probably also know that if you have a singular subject, then the verb takes the s-form, if it is in present tense. For example: “Annalisa writes well”. So what is the problem? Mostly it’s just carelessness. Just be mindful of what you say and write and it will be better. 

Grammar is not difficult if you have a grasp of the concepts, but it is still a skill. Practicing how to use correct Grammar in everyday life is one exercise you can do. If you need more help in Grammar, that is what review centers are for – to assist you in bettering the very basics of your English skills.