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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.

 

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.

 

TOEFL iBT Paper Edition

The information on this page doesn’t apply to the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition. Get information about the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition, including content, structure and timing.

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Content sections and structure

The TOEFL iBT test is broken up into four sections and takes about 2 hours to complete. 

  • 2 passages, each 700 words
    • multiple-focus passages (compare/contrast, cause/effect)
    • 10 questions for each passage
  • Estimated Timing: 35 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

  • 3 lectures, some with classroom discussion, each 3–5 minutes, 6 questions each
  • 2 conversations, each 3 minutes, 5 questions each
  • Estimated Timing: 36 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
  • Estimated Timing: 16 minutes
  • Score scale: 0–30

  • 2 tasks:
    • 1 20-minute integrated task based on what is read and heard
    • 1 10-minute Writing for an Academic Discussion task to state and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion
  • Estimated Timing: 29 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 Writing1 sections 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.