TOEFL iBT Paper Edition Test Content

The TOEFL iBT Paper Edition test has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. You’ll take the Reading, Listening and Writing sections on paper at a test center. Then within 3 days after taking the paper section, you’ll take the Speaking section at home on your computer. Your Speaking session will be monitored online by a human proctor.

Test Structure

Watch this video to learn about the structure of the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition test and what to expect in each section.

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Test time

The Reading, Speaking, and Listening sections at a test center take about 3 hours to complete, but you should plan for 3.5 hours, allowing 30 minutes for check in.

The Speaking section, which you’ll take at home, takes about 16 minutes to complete, but you should plan for 35 minutes, allowing 20 minutes for check in.

Test sections overview

Use the tables below to view the breakdown of each TOEFL iBT Paper Edition test section.

Reading, Listening and Writing sections (taken at a test center)

Section	Time Limit	Questions	Tasks
Reading	54–72 minutes	30–40 questions	Read passages and respond to questions.
Listening	41–57 minutes	28–39 questions	Answer questions about brief lectures or classroom discussions.
Break	10 minutes	—	—
Writing	50 minutes	2 tasks	Read a passage, listen to a recording, type your response.

Speaking section (taken at home)

Section	Time Limit	Questions	Tasks
Speaking	17 minutes	4 tasks	Talk about a familiar topic and discuss material you read and listened to.

Learn more about each test section

Take a closer look at each section of the test.

Prepare for test day

Get ready for your Reading, Listening and Writing sections by reviewing what to expect when you test at a test center.
For the Speaking section, prepare your test area, run an Equipment Check on your computer and learn more about what to expect when you test at home.
Practice your skills with free practice tests and other free resources.