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TOEFL iBT® Test

The premier test of academic English communication

Select any step to learn more about using TOEFL iBT® scores.

 

An Enhanced TOEFL iBT Experience

Learn about the latest enhancements being made to the TOEFL iBT testing experience, including a shorter test time. Enhancements go into effect on July 26, 2023.

Learn More

TOEFL iBT Test Content, Structure and Administration

The TOEFL test measures all four academic skills — reading, listening, speaking and writing — the way they’re used in the classroom.

The language used in the test closely reflects how English is used in everyday academic settings, and the test contains 100% academic content with integrated tasks.
 

Content sections and structure

The TOEFL iBT test is broken up into four sections and takes about 3 hours to complete. 

  • 3–4 passages, each 700 words
    • multiple-focus passages (compare/contrast, cause/effect)
    • 10 questions for each passage
  • Time: 54–72 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

  • 3–4 lectures, some with classroom discussion, each 3–5 minutes, 6 questions each
  • 2–3 conversations, each 3 minutes, 5 questions each
  • Time: 41–57 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

  • 4 tasks
    • 1 independent task to express an opinion on a familiar topic
    • 3 integrated tasks based on what is read and heard
    • Up to 30 seconds to prepare the response, up to 1 minute to respond
  • Time: 17 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

  • 2 tasks:
    • 1 20-minute integrated task based on what is read and heard
    • 1 30-minute independent task to support an opinion on a topic
  • Time: 50 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

Administration and testing options

The TOEFL iBT test is offered three different 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: Two test sessions:
    • Reading, Listening, and Writing sections: on paper at a test center
    • Speaking section: on a computer at home

Scoring

  • The total score possible is 0–120.
  • Responses from the Speaking and Writing1sections are scored by a combination of AI scoring and ETS-certified raters.
  • Score delivery time varies depending on how the test taker took the test and how score recipients receive scores.

1 The Writing section of the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition only uses human scoring.