The TOEFL IBT is a four-hour, computerized test with four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. There are two formats, a short one and a long one that gives extra pilot-test questions for future test forms.
| SECTION | ORDER | TIME | # QUESTIONS | DETAILS |
| Reading | 1 | 60 – 80 min | 36 – 56 | Read 3-4 passages and answer questions |
| Listening | 2 | 60 – 90 min | 34 – 51 | Listen to 4-6 lectures and 2-3 conversations and answer questions |
| BREAK | 3 | 10 min | —– | |
| Speaking | 4 | 20 min | 6 tasks: 2 independent 4 integrated | Answer prompts about familiar topics, campus situations, and academic course content |
| Writing | 5 | 50 min | 2 tasks: 1 integrated; 1 independent | Compare a passage and a lecture; write about your opinion |
| TOTAL | —— | 4 HOURS | —– |
READING SECTION
The Reading section tests your ability to understand reading passages such as those in college textbooks. It is 60 minutes long and contains 36-42 questions. There are three passages on the short format and four passages on the long format (each passage with about 700 words). The topics are exclusively academic ranging from history and art to science and psychology. Each passage also comes with 12-14 questions 10-12 multiple-choice questions and 1-2 fill-the-squares questions.
| TOEFL – Reading Section | |||
| Long-Format | Short-Format | ||
| Time | 80 min | Time | 60 min |
| # of Passages | 4 | # of Passages | 3 |
| # of Questions | 42 | # of Questions | 36 |
| Type of Questions | Multiple-choice | Type of Questions | Multiple-choice |
LISTENING SECTION
The Listening section is 60 – 90 min long containing 4 to 6 academic lectures and 2 to 3 conversations. This section tests your ability to understand spoken English in typical settings and academic speech on college campuses. Each lecture lasts three to five minutes and comes with six multiple-choice questions, while each conversation lasts about three minutes and comes with five questions. You will hear each audio clip only once.
| TOEFL – Listening Section | |||
| Long Format | Short Format | ||
| Time | 90 min | Time | 60 min |
| # of Lectures | 6 (5min each) | # of Lectures | 4 (5min each) |
| # of Conversations | 3 (3min each) | # of Conversations | 2 (3min each) |
| # of Questions | 51 | # of Questions | 34 |
| Types of Questions | Multiple-choice | Types of Questions | Multiple-choice |
SPEAKING SECTION
The Speaking section tests your ability to communicate in English in an academic setting. This section contains 6 tasks. The first 2 tasks, the Independent tasks, will give you 15s to prepare and require you to speak for 45s about your opinion on familiar topics. The latter four tasks; the Integrated tasks, will give you 30s to prepare and will require you to speak for 60s about passages and audio clips.
| TOEFL – Speaking Section | |||
| Task | Time | Type | Topics/Goal |
| 1 | 15 seconds to prepare; 45 seconds to speak | Personal Experience – speak about | A place, a person, a possession, a situation, or an occasion. |
| 2 | 15 seconds to prepare; 45 seconds to speak | Preference – choice between two options | A situation, an activity, or an event. |
| 3 | 45 seconds to read the passage; 30 seconds to prepare; 60 seconds to speak | Integrated – read a short passage and listen to a speaker on the same topic & relate them both. | Campus situation and the speaker’s opinion about it. |
| 4 | 45 seconds to read the passage; 30 seconds to prepare; 60 seconds to speak | Integrated – Listen to a speaker and read a short passage on the same topic. | General concept and a specific example of it. Explain the example and relate it to the concept. |
| 5 | 20 seconds to prepare; 60 seconds to speak | Listen to a conversation and explain a problem as well as the solutions that are proposed. | General talk; Summarize the problem discussed. Explain why you think that one solution is better than the other. |
| 6 | 20 seconds to prepare 60 seconds to speak. | Listen to part of an academic lecture and to give a summary of it. | Comprehend part of an academic lecture; Summarize main points. |
WRITING SECTION
The Writing section tests your ability to write essays in English similar to those that you would write in college courses. For this section, you must write two essays (an Integrated essay and an Independent essay) within 50 minutes. You’ll have 20 minutes for the first essay and 30 minutes for the second essay.
| TOEFL – Writing Section | ||||
| Time | Type | # of Words | Details | |
| Task 1 | 20 min | Integrated Essay | 150-225 words | Read an academic passage & listen to a lecture on the same topic. Write a response |
| Task 2 | 30 min | Independent Essay | 300-350 words | Read a question on the screen about a familiar topic. Write a response |
