PARENTANDSTUDENT

HANDBOOK
forthe

TOEFLPRIMARYTESTS

VERSION1SEPTEMBER2013

Copyright 2013 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logos, and TOEFL are registered
trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States and other countries. TOEFL Primary is a trademark of
ETS. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from ETS,
Princeton, NJ, USA.


CONTENTS

InformationforParents.............................................................................................................2
TestOverview.........................................................................................................................2
TestPurpose.......................................................................................................................2
Readingandlisteningtests:Step1andStep2..................................................................2
BeforetheTest.......................................................................................................................5
ConsentForm.....................................................................................................................5
CompletingtheAnswerSheet............................................................................................5
InformationforStudents...........................................................................................................6
PreparingfortheTest............................................................................................................6
HowtoFillinAnswerCircles..............................................................................................6
ExampleQuestions.............................................................................................................7
DoNotMarkintheTestBook............................................................................................7
ReadingExampleQuestions...................................................................................................8
Step2ReadingExampleQuestions......................................................................................10
ListeningExampleQuestions...............................................................................................11
Step2ListeningExampleQuestions....................................................................................16
SpeakingsectionOverview......................................................................................................17
TestStructure...................................................................................................................17
SpeakingTaskTypes.........................................................................................................18
AnswerstoExampleItems...................................................................................................19
SampleAnswerSheet...........................................................................................................21

INFORMATIONFORPARENTS

TESTOVERVIEW
TESTPURPOSE
ThepurposeoftheTOEFLPrimarytestistoallowyouandyourchildsteacherstolearn
aboutyourchildsEnglishskillsandabilitiesasayounglearnerofEnglishinanonEnglish
speakingcountry.Thisinformationwillhelpyouanddecisionmakersinyourchildsschool
makeinformeddecisionsaboutyourchildsEnglishstudy,languagedevelopment,and
programplacement.TherearethreecomponentstotheTOEFLPrimarytestprogram:
TOEFLPrimaryStep1Apaperandpenciltestofreadingandlisteningproficiencies
designedforyoungstudentsatthebeginningstagesoflearningEnglish
TOEFLPrimaryStep2Apaperandpenciltestofreadingandlisteningproficiencies
designedforyoungstudentswhohaveacquiredsomecommunicativeskills
TOEFLPrimarySpeakingAcomputerizedtestofspeakingproficiencysuitableforyoung
learnersatvariousskilllevels
READINGANDLISTENINGTESTS:STEP1ANDSTEP2
TherearetwolevelsoftheTOEFLPrimaryreadingandlisteningtest:Step1andStep2.Ask
yourchildsteacherwhichlevelofthetestshouldbetaken.AllTOEFLPrimaryreadingand
listeningtestsassessstudentsknowledge,skills,andabilitiesforfulfillingcore
communicationgoalsinEnglish.YounglearnersareacquiringtheirEnglishabilitiesat
differenttimesandindifferentwaysdependingonschoolcurriculumandotherfactors.
TOEFLPrimaryisofferedasaStep1testandaStep2testsothatteachersmayselectan
assessmentthatmorecloselymatcheswhattheirstudentshavelearnedandthelevelof
Englishproficiencytheirstudentshaveacquired.
TheStep1Readingsectionassessestheabilityto:

recognizesimplewords
understandsimplesentences
understand24simplesentencesaboutatopic
findinformationinmenus,schedulesandposters
understandaparagraphofabout75wordsonaneverydaytopic
locateandconnectinformationwithinasentenceorinaparagraph

TheStep2ReadingsectionassessesthesameskillsasStep1andalsoassessestheabilityto:

understandsentencesthataremorecomplexandincludelessfamiliarvocabulary
findandinterpretinformationinmenus,schedulesorposters
understandasequenceofinstructions
understandastoryofabout250words
understandaparagraphonanacademicsubject
locateandconnectinformationthroughoutalongertext
inferanddrawconclusions

TheStep1Listeningsectionassessestheabilityto:

recognizesimplewords
understandsimpledirectionsheardathomeandatschool
comprehendcommonlyusedexpressionsandphrases
identifydetailsinshortsocialconversations
understandthepurposeofphonemessagesandclassroomannouncementsofabout
50words

TheStep2ListeningsectionassessesthesameskillsasStep1andalsoassessestheabilityto:

understandconversationsandmessagesthatcontainlessfamiliarvocabulary
understandstoriesandsimpleacademictextsofabout250words
connectinformationwithinteacherinstructions,messages,stories,dialogues,
conversations,andsimpleacademictexts
inferanddrawconclusionsfromspokentexts

STEP1OVERVIEW

TheReadingsectionofTOEFLPrimaryStep1has39questions.Itwilltake30minutes.The
Listeningsectionhas41questionsandispacedbyarecording.Itwilltakeabout30minutes.

Section

Number of
Questions

Number of
Examples

Total
Number of
Questions

Reading

36

39

30minutes

Listening

36

41

About30
minutes

Time

STEP2OVERVIEW

TheReadingsectionofTOEFLPrimaryStep2has37questions.Itwilltake30minutes.The
Listeningsectionhas39questionsandispacedbyarecording.Itwilltakeabout30minutes.

Section

Number of
Questions

Number of
Examples

Total
Number of
Questions

Reading

36

37

30minutes

Listening

36

39

About30
minutes

Time

BEFORETHETEST

CONSENTFORM
YourchildwillbegivenaConsentFormthatyoumustsignandhaveyourchildreturnonor
beforethetest.IfyourchilddoesnothaveasignedConsentFormbytestday,heorshewill
notbeabletotakethetest.
COMPLETINGTHEANSWERSHEET
Studentswillreadpassagesandquestionsinatestbookandwillmarktheiranswersona
separateanswersheet.Yourchildsteacherwillhelpstudentsunderstandhowtomarkthe
answersheetbeforetheytakethetest.
Beforetakingthetest,yourchildwillneedtoentersomepersonalinformationonthe
answersheet.Theinformationyourchildwillneedtoprovideisshownonpage20.Review
thisinformationwithyourchild.Doingsowillhelphimorhercompletethisinformationon
theanswersheetquicklyandcorrectlyonthetestday.

INFORMATIONFORSTUDENTS
PREPARINGFORTHETEST
Onthelastpageofthishandbook,youwillfindasampleanswersheet.Youwilluseapencil
tocompletetheanswersheet.
HOWTOFILLINANSWERCIRCLES
1.Fillintheentirecirclecompletely.

Notlikethis.

Notlikethis.

Notlikethis.

Notlikethis.

YES,likethis.

2.Onlyfillinoneanswer.

Notlikethis.

Notlikethis.

YES,likethis.

EXAMPLEQUESTIONS
Matchthenumberofthequestioninthetestbooktothesamenumberontheanswer
sheet.

DONOTMARKINTHETESTBOOK

Markyouranswersontheanswersheet.Nothingmarkedinthetestbookwillbescored.

READINGEXAMPLEQUESTIONS

Read the email and answer the questions.

STEP2READINGEXAMPLEQUESTIONS

ThefollowingpassageandquestionsrepresentthelevelofEnglishtestedontheStep2
readingtest.

Read the passage and answer the questions.

10

LISTENINGEXAMPLEQUESTIONS

Script
Number1
Man
Theballoonisinthesky.

11

Script
Number2
Man
Inaminutewearegoingoutside.Pleaseputonyourcoatsandhatsbecauseitis
coldoutside.

Number3
Woman Pleasesitdown.Itstimeforclasstostart.

12

Script

Questions46
Narrator:Listentoagirltalkingtoherfather.

Number4
Narrator A
Girl
Lookatthisoldpicture,Dad.Whoisthis?
Man
Itsmine.
Narrator B
Girl
Lookatthisoldpicture,Dad.Whoisthis?
Man
Itsyouraunt.
Narrator C
Girl
Lookatthisoldpicture,Dad.Whoisthis?
Man
Itsmyschool.

Number5
Narrator A
Girl
Howoldissheinthispicture?
Man
Sheseightyearsold.
Narrator B
Girl
Howoldissheinthispicture?
Man
Shescomingsoon.
Narrator C
Girl
Howoldissheinthispicture?
Man
Shesinthecar.

Number6
Narrator A
Girl
Didsheplaysportsinschool?
Man
Yes,shewill.
Narrator B
Girl
Didsheplaysportsinschool?
Man
No,itwont.
Narrator C
Girl
Didsheplaysportsinschool?
Man
Yes,shedid.

13

Script
Number7
Narrator:Listentoaconversationbetweenateacherandastudentandansweraquestion.
Listenfortheanswertothisquestion:Whenisthegirlsparty?

Woman Congratulations!Areyoudoinganythingspecialtocelebrate?
Girl
Yes,Imhavingapartythisweekend.
Woman Willyouhavecake?
Girl
Yes

Narrator Whenisthegirlsparty?
ATonight
BNextweek
CThisweekend

14

Script
Number8
Narrator Listenandthenansweraquestion.Listentoaphonemessage.
Boy
Hi,Laura.ItsMike.Iforgottoaskyouatschoolwhenthemoviestarts.Callme
backwhenyoucomehomefromthelibrary.

Narrator WhatdidMikecallabout?
AHomework
BAmovie
CAlibrarybook

15

STEP2LISTENINGEXAMPLEQUESTIONS
ThefollowingpassageandquestionsrepresentthelevelofEnglishtestedintheStep2
listeningsection.Onthetest,passages,questions,andanswerchoicesarebothspokenon
theaudioandprintedinthetestbook.

Listen to the passage and answer the questions.

Fill in the correct circles on your answer sheet.

PassageScript
Hundredsofyearsago,leaderslikesuchaskingsandqueenslivedinlarge,fancyhouses
calledcastles.Theyneededtokeepthecastlessafe,sotheyhadworkersdigmoatsaround
thecastles.Amoatwasadeepditchallaroundacastleandsometimeswasfilledwithwater.
Themoatkeptdangerouspeopleandthekingsorqueensenemiesawayfromthecastle.
Peoplehadtocrossthemoatonabridgeorinaboat.Somemoatsweresmall,butsome
werelikeasmalllake.Therewereevencastleswithmoatsinsidethecastle.Thesemoats
separateddifferentpartsofthecastle.

Mostplacestoday,evenverylargehousesormuseums,donothavemoats.Butsome
placesdolikezoos.Sometimeszoosusemoatstoseparateanimalsfrompeople.
16

SPEAKINGSECTIONOVERVIEW

TheTOEFLPrimarySpeakingtestmeasuresyounglearnersabilitiestocommunicateorally
inroutinesocialsituationsrelatedtotheirdailylives.Testtasksareadministeredvia
computerortabletandheadsetsareprovidedtothestudentsforlisteningtopromptsand
speakingtheirresponses.Testtasksrequirestudentstoshowabilityinthefollowing
communicationgoals:
Givingsimpledescriptions
Expressingbasicemotions,feelings,andopinions
Makingsimplerequests
Askingquestions
Givingdirections
Explainingandsequencingsimpleevents
TherecordedresponsesarescoredbytrainedratersatETS.
TheSpeakingtestwillstartbyaskingstudentssomebasicquestionsaboutthemselvesto
makesuretheirheadsetsworkproperly.Then,studentswillbeintroducedtoastorylineand
characterswhoguidethestudentthroughthetesttasks.Thefirstpromptisanunscored
practicequestionthatgivesstudentsachancetobecomemorecomfortablewiththe
computersetupandformatofthetest.Testpromptsincludeaudio,picture,andvideo
elements.Eachquestionhasatimelimit,andthetimelimitvariesbyquestiontype.The
longestamountoftimeallottedforaresponseis30seconds.
StudentscanpracticeexamplequestionsfortheSpeakingtestonlineat
toeflprimary.caltesting.org/sampletest
TESTSTRUCTURE
TheTOEFLPrimarySpeakingtesthasbetween7and10questions,andittakesabout20
minutes.
Section

#Questions

Time

Speaking

710

20minutes

17

SPEAKINGTASKTYPES

Thefollowingtasktypesarescoredusinga3pointrubric:
Description:Thetesttakerwillseeapictureandbeaskedtodescribethingsthatlook
strangeinthepicture.Responsetime:20seconds
Expression:Acharacterwillpresentsomepicturesandaskthetesttakertochooseone
andexpresssomethoughtsoropinionsaboutit.Responsetime:15seconds
Requests:Acharacterwillaskthetesttakertomakearequestofanothercharacterinthe
story.Responsetime:515seconds
Questions:Acharacterwillpresentanobjectandinvitethetesttakertoaskthree
questionsaboutit.Responsetime:30seconds
Thefollowingtasktypesarescoredusinga5pointrubric:
Directions:Eitheravideoorasequenceofpictures,appearingonebyone,willshowa
characterperforminganactivity.Afterwards,thetesttakerwillbeaskedtoexplainhowto
dotheactivitythatwasshown.Responsetime:30seconds
Narration:Thetesttakerwillwatchavideoorviewasequenceofpictures.Afterwatching
theanimationorseeingthepictures,testtakerswillbeaskedtotellastorybasedonwhat
theysawintheanimationorpictures.Responsetime:30seconds
TheSpeakingtestmayalsoincludesomeitemsusedforwarmuporresearchpurposes.

18

ANSWERSTOEXAMPLEITEMS

Reading
1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. B
6. B
7. A
Listening
1. A
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. C
8. B
9. C
10. A
11. A

19

StudentInformationNeededtoCompleteAnswerSheet
1. Given(First)Name(inEnglish):___________________________________________
2. Family(Last)Name(inEnglish):___________________________________________
3. BirthMonth:__________________________________________________________
4. BirthDay:____________________________________________________________
5. BirthYear:____________________________________________________________
6. Gender(Boy/Girl):______________________________________________________
7. BirthCountry:_________________________________________________________
8. LanguageSpokenMost:________________________________________________
9. GradeatCurrentSchool:________________________________________________
10. StudiedEnglishfor:
o
o
o
o
o
o

1yearorless
2years
3years
4years
5years
6yearsormore

11. TestsTakenBefore?
o
o
o
o

TOEFLPrimaryStep1
TOEFLPrimaryStep2
Both
None

20

SAMPLEANSWERSHEET

21

22