THE FORMAT

The TOEFL iBT® test is given in English and administered via the Internet. There are four sections (listening, reading, speaking and writing) which take a total of about four and a half hours to complete.

Combining All Four Skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing

  • During the test, you are asked to perform tasks that combine more than one skill, such as:

    • Read, listen and then speak in response to a question
    • Listen and then speak in response to a question
    • Read, listen and then write in response to a question

    • TOEFL iBT Test Sections

    Section Time Limit Questions Tasks
    Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.
    Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.
    Break 10 minutes — —
    Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.
    Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.

    The test you take may include extra questions in the Reading or Listening section that do not count toward your score. These are either questions that enable ETS to make test scores comparable across administrations or new questions that help ETS determine how such questions function under actual testing conditions.

    Please read the timing instructions for the Reading Section carefully. The instructions will indicate how many passages you will receive and the amount of time you have to respond to questions for those passages. Be sure to pace yourself so that you have time to answer all the questions.

    A Standard English language (QWERTY) computer keyboard is used for the test. We recommend that you practice typing on a QWERTY keyboard before taking the test.

    TOEFL iBT® Test Scores

    Your scores are based on your performance on the questions in the test.You must answer at least one question each in the Reading and Listening sections, write at least one essay, and complete at least one Speaking task to receive an official score. For the TOEFL iBT® test, administered via the Internet, you will receive four scaled section scores and a total score:

    • Reading Section (Score of: 0–30)
    • Listening Section (Score of: 0–30)
    • Speaking Section (Score of: 0–30)
    • Writing Section (Score of: 0–30)
    • Total Score (0–120)

    • In addition to your scores, your test taker score report also includes performance feedback that is a reflection of your performance level and a description of the kinds of tasks that test takers within the reported score range can typically do.

    There is no passing or failing TOEFL® score; individual higher education institutions and agencies set their own score requirements. TOEFL scores are valid for two years after the test date and there is no limit to the number of times you can take the test, but you cannot take it more than once in a 12-day period. If you already have a test appointment, you cannot register for another test within 12 days of your existing appointment.

    The Way the Test is Scored

    ETS uses both human raters and automated scoring methods to offer a complete and accurate picture of a test taker's ability. While automated scoring models have advantages, they do not measure the effectiveness of the language response and the appropriateness of its content. Human raters are needed to attend to a wider variety of features, such as the quality of ideas and content as well as form.

    Additionally, studies have shown that prompts designed for fully automated scoring have been more vulnerable to prompt-specific preparation and memorized responses.

    The TOEFL test uses automated scoring to complement human scoring for the two tasks in the Writing section. Combining human judgment for content and meaning, and automated scoring for linguistic features, ensures consistent, quality scores.