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It further analyzes why “Structure” differs from traditional grammar by grouping problem areas into syntax, combination, and vocabulary, then begins a deeper study of syntax and well-formed sentence components.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-toefl-and-grammar-preparation-and-understanding-of-the-structure-section/488334/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-toefl-and-grammar-preparation-and-understanding-of-the-structure-section/488334.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Noah","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-26","2026-09-30",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What makes the TOEFL format challenging for EFL teachers and students?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The Structure section focuses on recognizing appropriate standard written English rather than producing correct forms. The text explains that students do not need to supply verb forms, paraphrase, rewrite sentences, or complete open clozes.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What are the two question types in the TOEFL Structure section?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The text states there are two multiple-choice types: limited cloze, where students choose the best completion for a sentence, and sentence correction, where students identify which underlined element is incorrect.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does the text explain the kinds of problems tested in Structure?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"It explains that students are asked to solve primarily syntactical problems rather than apply rules learned in class. 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More than 2,400 colleges in the United States and Canada require the test results (Educational Testing Service 1999) . But a number of foreign institutions have also begun requiring TOEFL scores. For example, two universities in Milan, Italy, Politecnico di Milano and Università Commerciale L. Bocconi, now have a TOEFL requirement for their students.  \nAs a result, EFL teachers who may have had little experience with the TOEFL and its format may need to consider how best to prepare their students for the test. An initial challenge is for teachers to become comfortable with the test’s computer-based format (the paper-based test is being phased out and is available only under certain circumstances) . Of the four sections of the test—Listening, Structure, Reading, and Writing (a compulsory essay)—two, Listening and Structure, are computer adaptive. This means that the computer selects test questions for each student based on that student’s answers to previous questions. In other words, if the student answers question 1 correctly, the computer will choose a more difficult item for question 2. Conversely, if the person taking the test answers question 5 incorrectly, question 6 will be somewhat easier.  \nA more important challenge is to adapt to the test’s point of view, which can be quite different from what EFL teachers are used to. An example is the second section of the test, Structure, whose purpose is to measure \"the ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English\" (ETS 1999) . It is important to remember that the Structure section does not test production, only recognition. Students do not need to supply proper verb forms, paraphrase or rewrite sentences, or complete open clozes. There are only two types of question, both multiple choice. In the first type of question, limited cloze, students have to choose which of the four possible answers best completes the sentence. In the second type of question, sentence correction, students are given sentences with four underlined elements. They then need to decide which of the four elements is incorrect.  \nTellingly, the section is not named Grammar. Indeed, teachers more familiar with traditional EFL grammar and its focus on mastery of the English tense system, correct use of the definite article, choice of appropriate modal, and so forth, may find themselves somewhat disconcerted when faced with section 2. An analysis of the questions found in a number of paper-based tests 1 and on the TOEFL Sampler CD-ROM offered by Educational Testing Service, the organization which prepares and administers the TOEFL, shows why. The analysis indicates that students will be asked to solve problems that are primarily syntactical in nature, rather than apply the grammatical rules they have studied in class. These problems can be grouped into three categories: syntax, combination, and vocabulary. These are to some degree categories of convenience, and they overlap a great deal.  \nSyntax  \nAs they have a place of pride in most descriptions of English syntax, it is appropriate to begin with sentences. Lester (1990:71) offers the following definition of a sentence: \"A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought.\" Of course, not everybody is satisfied with this traditional definition. Indeed, as The Oxford Companion to the English Language (McArthur 1992:918) notes, \"The sentence is notoriously difficult to define; numerous definitions have been offered and found wanting.\" Regardless of the difficulty of explaining just exactly what a sentence is, students taking the TOEFL need to have a well-developed sense of which combinations of words constitute well-formed English sentences.  \nThis sense begins with recognizing the function and category of each element ","cbCaiftknATzyjzn","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiftknATzyjzn","pdf",204659,"English","# The TOEFL and Grammar\n## Test requirements and format\n## The Structure section: recognition and question types\n## Why “Structure” differs from traditional grammar\n## Syntax\n### Recognizing sentence elements\n### Sentence order and fronting\n### Inversion and negatives\n### Clause structure effects\n### Internal structure of sentence elements\n## Noun phrases","[{\"question\":\"What makes the TOEFL format challenging for EFL teachers and students?\",\"answer\":\"The Structure section focuses on recognizing appropriate standard written English rather than producing correct forms. The text explains that students do not need to supply verb forms, paraphrase, rewrite sentences, or complete open clozes.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the two question types in the TOEFL Structure section?\",\"answer\":\"The text states there are two multiple-choice types: limited cloze, where students choose the best completion for a sentence, and sentence correction, where students identify which underlined element is incorrect.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the text explain the kinds of problems tested in Structure?\",\"answer\":\"It explains that students are asked to solve primarily syntactical problems rather than apply rules learned in class. These problems are grouped into three overlapping categories: syntax, combination, and vocabulary.\"}]","The TOEFL and Grammar - Preparation and understanding of the Structure section | PDF",1790812719,25]