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Test Content and Structure

Select your test date to view the correct format

 

TOEFL iBT® Test Content

The TOEFL iBT test has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.

 

Test time

The total test takes just under 2 hours to complete, but you should plan for 2.5 hours, allowing 30 minutes for check in.

 

Test sections overview

Use the table below to view the breakdown of each TOEFL iBT test section.

 

Section Estimated Timing Questions/Tasks Description
Reading 35 minutes 20 questions Read passages and respond to questions.
Listening 36 minutes 28 questions Answer questions about brief lectures or classroom discussions.
Speaking 16 minutes 4 tasks Talk about a familiar topic and discuss material you read and heard.
Writing 29 minutes 2 tasks

Read a passage, listen to a recording, type your response.

State and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion.

 

To receive official scores, you must answer at least one question each in the Reading and Listening sections, and complete at least one Speaking task and one Writing task.

How to Prepare

Use the resources below to prepare for your TOEFL iBT test:

TEST PREP MATERIAL

Ready to Take the Test?

Visit our Registration Page to book your spot and explore resources to help you prepare confidently.

BOOK YOUR TOEFL TEST

Starting January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT® test will be updated to better reflect how today’s students use English in modern academic environments.

Here’s what’s changing, and why it matters to you:

  • An adaptive test experience: The updated TOEFL iBT will become adaptive, adjusting to each student's ability level. This creates a more efficient and personalized test experience, one that allows students to showcase their full potential.
  • More relevant language: The test now features a broader mix of English, not just on traditional topics like Greek mythology, but modern, relatable content that better reflects what students will encounter in today's higher education settings.
  • Updated score scale: We're introducing an updated score scale (1 - 6 in half-point increments) that more intuitively aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which guides many global students' English learning journeys.

Test Section and Timing Overview

Use the table below to view the breakdown of each TOEFL iBT test section.

 

Test Section Task type Number of items Estimated Timing
Reading
  • Complete the Words
  • Read in Daily Life
  • Read an Academic Passage
 35-48* About 18 to 27 minutes
Listening
  • Listen and Choose a Response
  • Listen to a Conversation
  • Listen to an Announcement
  • Listen to an Academic Talk
 35-45* About 18 to 27 minutes
Writing
  • Build a Sentence
  • Write an Email
  • Write for an Academic Discussion
 12 About 23 minutes
Speaking
  • Listen and Repeat
  • Take an Interview
 11 About 8 minutes


*As the test adapts to you the test time & items may vary.

How to Prepare Students

Visit our resources hub to prepare students for the TOEFL iBT test.

Administration and testing options

The TOEFL iBT test is offered two ways:

  • TOEFL iBT test: on a computer at an authorized test center
  • TOEFL iBT Home Edition: on a computer at home, monitored by a live human proctor
  • TOEFL iBT Paper Edition: The TOEFL iBT Paper Edition test will no longer be offered after January 20, 2024, but Paper Edition test scores remain valid and accepted for two years after the test date.

Scoring

  • Starting January 21, 2026, receive four section scores, as well as an overall score, on the 1 – 6 scale.
  • The overall score will be the average of all four sections, rounded to the nearest half band (for example, if the average of a student's section scores is 5.125, they will receive an overall score of 5).
  • For a two-year transition period after January 2026, students will also receive a comparable overall score on the 0 – 120 scale.
  • For more details on scoring visit our Score Guidance page.