TOEFL Essentials flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Single-pass audio

In TOEFL Essentials Listening, each recording plays only once, so key details such as numbers, names, and dates must be captured in notes during the first hearing.

Listen-and-repeat task

A speaking/listening item where you reproduce a heard sentence as exactly as possible; scoring rewards word accuracy, order, and clear pronunciation rather than paraphrase.

Speaker purpose question

A listening question asking why a speaker says something, such as to suggest, complain, or clarify; the answer reflects intent, not the literal words used.

Accent variety on test

TOEFL Essentials audio samples multiple native English accents, including North American and British; familiarity with varied pronunciation is required for accurate comprehension.

Distractor by word matching

An incorrect listening option that repeats vocabulary from the audio while altering who, when, or how much; matching words alone does not make an option correct.

Note-taking in listening

Permitted during the test; effective notes record the speaker's main point and key nouns in abbreviated form rather than full sentences, since time and playback are limited.

Implied meaning item

A listening question whose answer is suggested but not stated directly, such as a speaker's attitude or a likely next action; it requires inference from tone and context.

Short academic talk

A listening passage of roughly one minute in which a speaker explains a concept or process; questions typically ask for the main idea and one or two supporting details.

Functional text passage

A short reading such as an announcement, advertisement, email, or schedule; questions test locating practical information and understanding the writer's purpose.

Vocabulary in context

A reading item asking which option best replaces a highlighted word in the passage; test each option inside the sentence and keep the one matching surrounding clues.

Main idea question

A reading item asking what the passage is mostly about; the correct answer covers the whole passage rather than one supporting detail mentioned in a single sentence.

Inference in reading

A conclusion drawn strictly from textual evidence; an option that is true in general knowledge but unsupported by the passage is scored incorrect.

Passage order of details

Detail questions generally follow the sequence of the passage, so the location of one confirmed answer helps predict where the next answer appears.

Sentence insertion item

A reading question requiring placement of a sentence into a passage; correct placement depends on pronoun reference and logical connectors linking it to neighboring sentences.

Skimming strategy

Reading topic sentences and headings first to map passage structure; this locates answer regions faster than reading every word before checking the question.

Short passage length

TOEFL Essentials reading passages run roughly 100 to 200 words, each followed by two to four questions, so time per passage is brief and pacing matters.

Table or chart completion

A reading item type where information from the passage is sorted into categories in a table; each choice must match both the category and the passage content.

Unanswered items penalty

Within a timed reading section, items left blank receive no credit; there is no deduction for wrong answers, so every question should be answered.

Sentence-building task

A TOEFL Essentials writing task where given words or phrases must be arranged into a grammatical sentence; word forms and given words are not changed.

Email writing task

A short writing task of roughly 50 to 100 words requiring a greeting, purpose statement, all prompted details, and a closing; omitting a required point lowers the score.

Task fulfillment scoring

A writing criterion measuring whether every part of the prompt is addressed; strong grammar cannot compensate for missing required content points.

Cohesive devices

Linking words such as however, therefore, and in addition; they improve coherence only when the logical relationship they signal matches the actual connection between ideas.

Accuracy over complexity

A writing scoring principle: correct simple and compound sentences earn more than complex structures containing errors that impede understanding.

Word limit guidance

The extended writing response targets about 50 to 100 words in five to seven minutes; exceeding the range risks unfinished sentences and uncorrected errors.

Punctuation and spelling

Mechanics are scored in writing; consistent use of contractions and correct sentence boundaries (no run-ons or fragments) protect the language-use score.

Opinion paragraph structure

A writing pattern of position statement, one or two supporting reasons, and a brief conclusion; it satisfies development requirements within the short word limit.

Read-aloud task

A speaking item where a short text is read aloud; scoring weighs pronunciation, intonation, and fluency, with meaning-changing errors penalized most heavily.

Independent speaking response

A short recorded answer of about 30 to 45 seconds on a familiar topic, scored on delivery, language use, and topic development.

Fluency and fillers

Hesitation sounds such as um and uh and long pauses reduce fluency scores; a brief silent pause is scored less harshly than filled hesitation.

Topic development

A speaking criterion measuring whether the response is complete and supported; an answer cut off before its conclusion loses development points.

Intelligibility over accent

Speaking raters focus on whether meaning is clear; a noticeable accent is acceptable, but errors that make words unintelligible lower the score.

Speaking response template

A prepared structure of opinion, reason, and example that reduces planning time once the response timer begins, allowing more of the time for fluent speech.