TOEFL test: format, sections, scores and practice
The TOEFL test, officially TOEFL iBT, is ETS’s English proficiency test with four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. It takes about two hours on a computer, at a test center or at home with a live proctor. Since January 21, 2026 scores are reported on a 1–6 scale, with a comparable 0–120 score until January 2028.
- Test
- TOEFL iBT, by ETSETS, checked 19 October 2026
- Sections
- Reading, Listening, Writing, SpeakingETS TOEFL iBT Test Content, checked 19 October 2026
- Length
- About two hours; adaptive, so time and items may varyETS TOEFL iBT Test Content, checked 19 October 2026
- Test options
- Computer at an authorized test center, or at home with a live human proctorETS TOEFL iBT Test Content, checked 19 October 2026
- Score scale
- 1–6 in half-band steps since January 21, 2026; comparable 0–120 score until January 2028ETS score scale update, checked 19 October 2026
- Passing score
- None set by ETS; each institution sets its own requirementETS TOEFL iBT Score Breakdown, checked 19 October 2026
- Score validity
- 2 years from the test dateETS TOEFL iBT Score Breakdown, checked 19 October 2026
- Retakes
- No limit, but not more than once in a 3-day periodETS Information Bulletin 2026–2027, checked 19 October 2026
- Fee
- Varies by locationETS Information Bulletin 2026–2027, checked 19 October 2026
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Why you can trust these TOEFL questions
What is the TOEFL test?
What is a TOEFL test? It is ETS’s English-language test, today delivered as the TOEFL iBT test. If you are asking what is TOEFL test content, it has four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. The new score scale is aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), so the TOEFL English proficiency test result can be read against CEFR levels from A1 to C2.
The TOEFL ETS test is taken on a computer, either at an authorized test center or at home with a live human proctor. ETS sets no passing or failing score; each university or agency decides what it requires.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Test Content. Checked 19 October 2026.
What is the TOEFL test like since January 2026?
What is the TOEFL test like now? ETS updated the TOEFL iBT for tests from January 21, 2026. The TOEFL exam adapts as you go, so test time and the number of items can vary; ETS says to allow approximately two hours. Directions are not counted in the section times below.
- Reading: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage. 50 items, about 30 minutes.
- Listening: Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk. 47 items, about 29 minutes.
- Writing: Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion. 12 items, about 23 minutes.
- Speaking: Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview. 11 items, about 8 minutes.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Test Content. Checked 19 October 2026.
The reading test for TOEFL
The TOEFL reading exam now has three task types. Complete the Words asks you to fill in missing letters in a paragraph; Read in Daily Life uses everyday texts; Read an Academic Passage is the classic academic text with questions. TOEFL reading questions therefore test vocabulary and spelling as well as comprehension.
Older TOEFL fill in a table questions belong to the previous Reading section. They are not among the task types ETS lists for the updated test, and ETS’s Practice Test 1 for the January 2026 test has no table-completion task. If a TOEFL reading sample still uses that format, it was written for the old test.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Practice Test 1 (PDF). Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL listening questions, writing and speaking
TOEFL listening questions start with short spoken prompts where you choose the best response, then move to conversations, announcements and academic talks. Writing begins with Build a Sentence, then an email and a post for an academic discussion. Speaking has two tasks: repeating sentences you hear, and a simulated interview.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Test Content. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL test scores at a glance
You get four section scores and an overall score on the 1–6 scale in half-band steps. The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. For tests between January 2026 and January 2028, the score report also shows a comparable overall score on the 0–120 scale. Scores are valid for 2 years.
You can take the TOEFL iBT test as often as you like, but not more than once in a 3-day period. Details on score ranges, registration and dates are on our TOEFL exam page.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Score Breakdown. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL iBT practice test: ETS official practice test and sample test
ETS publishes TOEFL iBT Practice Test 1 as a PDF that we could open on its website without an account. ETS states that this TOEFL iBT practice test aligns with tests from January 21, 2026, and also that it is not an exact replica of the actual test. It is the closest official TOEFL model test for the updated format, a sample TOEFL iBT test that gives a TOEFL iBT test example of every task type, and the most reliable TOEFL test example to judge other practice material against.
The PDF has answer keys for Reading, Listening and Build a Sentence, but no key for Speaking and no scoring guide. For Write an Email and the academic discussion it contains the task, not scored model answers. So if you search for TOEFL writing sample answers or TOEFL writing sample responses, this document will not give you rated examples; it shows what the prompts look like.
ETS also links a TOEFL iBT Sample Test from its prep page and says it is accessible to screen readers. It is the official TOEFL sample test online. ETS does not describe the TOEFL test screen in detail on the pages we checked, so the Sample Test is the official way to try the format on a computer before test day.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Practice Test 1 (PDF). Checked 19 October 2026.
Where to find a free practice test for TOEFL iBT
On the ETS prep page we checked, the item explicitly labelled free is the TOEFL iBT Test Prep Planner, an 8-week plan to practise for the test. ETS’s Practice Test 1 PDF and the linked Sample Test are the official materials to start with if you want a TOEFL practice exam free of charge; the PDF itself states no price.
ETS’s paid preparation is gathered in TOEFL TestReady, which ETS describes as a prep portal with practice tests, courses, guides and books. The ETS TOEFL practice test products there come from the test maker, so they follow the updated format.
Source: ETS — TOEFL TestReady and test prep. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL practice online and TOEFL simulation tests
A TOEFL simulation test is only useful if it reflects the January 2026 format: Complete the Words in Reading, Build a Sentence in Writing and Listen and Repeat in Speaking. Any TOEFL practice test online, TOEFL mock or TOEFL mock test ETS does not publish should be checked against the ETS task list above.
For TOEFL practice online, use full timed sets so you get used to an adaptive test of about two hours, and separate drills for the sections where you are weakest.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Test Content. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL reading practice and reading practice for TOEFL
Good TOEFL reading practice now has three parts: completing words in context (spelling counts), reading short everyday texts quickly, and answering questions on academic passages. Reading practice for TOEFL that only uses long academic texts misses two of the three task types.
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT Test Content. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL preparation courses and classes
TOEFL exam preparation can be self-study with official ETS materials or a TOEFL preparation course. ETS lists courses inside TOEFL TestReady; any other TOEFL prep class is run by an independent school or teacher, not by ETS.
Whichever route you choose, make sure the course teaches the updated task types. TOEFL preparation built on the old format will spend time on question types that are no longer on the test.
Source: ETS — TOEFL TestReady and test prep. Checked 19 October 2026.
TOEFL practice questions
Certsqill’s TOEFL practice questions are expert-developed for the TOEFL iBT test sections, with TOEFL iBT test questions organized by section and task type so you can target Reading, Listening and Writing separately.
Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per section, so you can see where you stand before you book. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies.
TOEFL questions people ask
What is the TOEFL test?
ETS’s TOEFL iBT, an English test with four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking, taken on a computer at a test center or at home. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
How long is the TOEFL iBT test?
ETS says to allow approximately two hours. The test is adaptive, so time and items may vary. Source: ETS TOEFL iBT Test Content, checked 19 October 2026.
What is the TOEFL score scale?
1 to 6 in half-band steps since January 21, 2026, with a comparable 0–120 score on reports until January 2028. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Is there a passing score on the TOEFL?
No. ETS sets no passing or failing score; each institution sets its own requirement. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Does the new TOEFL still have fill in a table questions?
They are not among the Reading task types ETS lists for the updated test: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life and Read an Academic Passage. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Does ETS publish an official TOEFL iBT practice test?
Yes. TOEFL iBT Practice Test 1 is a PDF aligned with tests from January 21, 2026, with answer keys for Reading, Listening and Build a Sentence. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
How often can I take the TOEFL?
As often as you like, but not more than once in a 3-day period. Source: ETS Information Bulletin 2026–2027, checked 19 October 2026.
How long are TOEFL scores valid?
2 years from the test date. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
