Okay, here’s what I learned about the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition after reading:
- The TOEFL Bulletin
- The Practice Test
- The ETS website
From the Bulletin:
- The Bulletin says that the speaking section is taken two days following the R, L and W sections. This conflicts with the ETS announcement, which says it is taken three days later. I do not know which is correct. Update: According to TOEFL head Srikant Gopal, the test can be taken up to three days later. The Bulletin is incorrect.
- The Bulletin says that the paper edition is available in Brazil. But according to TOEFL head Srikant Gopal this is not correct. It is not available in Brazil.
- You cannot register for the paper edition via the TOEFL app. You must use the website.
- The fee for rescheduling the entire paper edition test is $60. The fee for rescheduling the speaking section is $30.
- Important: bring your email confirmation to the test center. You will need to write the appointment number in your test booklet.
- There is a 10 minute break after the listening section.
- There are no unofficial scores, of course.
- Scores are reported 11-13 business days after you take the test. This is longer than the regular test center edition (6 calendar days) and the home edition (10 calendar days).
- You can cancel your scores after completing either the R, L and W or S sections. If you cancel after either section, all of the scores will be cancelled.
- Scores are sent 15 business days after you take the test.
- Additional score reports are free.
- Score review is not available.
From the free practice test I learned:
- It has the same questions as the other iBT versions, of course.
- There is a question booklet and a separate answer sheet. For R and L you select answers by filling in circles with a pencil. Just like in the old days. For W you write the essays.
- You are not permitted to jump between sections.
- Since the answers are selected by filling in a circle with a pencil, I suspect that “table” questions won’t be used in the reading section. That’s just a guess though.
- You will have thirty seconds to answer each listening question and then the next question will be played by the administrator. That’s a slightly different timing scheme than the regular test, where you control when the next question is played.
- Some space for notes is provided in your booklet.
- You can switch freely between the two essay questions. You may only work on one at a time, in the time you are given.
From the website I learned:
- The e-rater is not used to grade the essays.