What is the TWE Test?

What is the TWE Test? The TWE test is one part of the TOEFL and TWE stands for Test of Written English. TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. Beside the TWE, the TOEFL also includes three more parts that test the ability to read, listen to and speak English. All parts of the test are taken on the same day. ETS, which stands for Educational Testing Service is the name of the organization that owns the rights to the TOEFL test and the name TOEFL, which is a registered trademark. ETS started with the purpose of meeting the need for standardized testing in the United States and has since expanded worldwide.

Students who wish to enroll in schools in English-speaking countries or schools where instruction is conducted in English need to take an accepted test to provide for admissions purposes. TOEFL is a widely accepted test for many colleges and universities. Test scores are usually accepted for two years.

The TOEFL is currently administered in two formats an Internet based test (iBT) and a paper-based test (PBT). Most locations use the Internet-based test. Locations for testing are found throughout the world in more than 130 countries. The iBT and the PBT of the TOEFL are different in their organizational format. More information about the paper-based test is available online and in the TOEFL PBT Bulletin.

The TWE allows 55 minutes for completion. The TWE, or written portion of the TOEFL iBT, consists of two tasks, according to a Wikipedia article. This writer found it difficult to locate many details about the written test on the official ETS TOEFL site. However, some of the numerous unofficial sites and a Wikipedia article offered further explanation about the TWE.

Many of the unofficial sites offer free sample questions for the TWE. However, the TOEFL site claims that they are the only source for real TOEFL questions. They offer free sample questions to download and several online practice tests that must be paid for. The price of the online practice tests includes scoring and feedback.

If information gathered from unofficial sites is correct, the second portion of the test is a written essay that proposes a topic and asks the writer to form an opinion regarding the topic. A thesis statement with supporting points is expected to form the first paragraph. The following paragraphs should detail the supporting arguments, generally including from two to three points, one paragraph for each point. Then the closing paragraph summarizes the conclusion. The writer is expected to take a firm stand on their stated opinion and give reasonable support for it.

TOEFL is a paid examination that must be registered for in advance. Applications are accepted online, over the phone, via mail and in person at TOEFL Resource Centers. It is recommended that applicants apply early and registration may be done from 3 to 6 months in advance. Late registration may be done 3 days before the test, not including the test day. Late registration requires an additional charge.

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