ETS · Proving English for university admission and for some visas.
The TOEFL iBT
Under two hours — and on a new 1–6 scale since January 2026.
The shape of it
| Section | Time | Questions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 30 min | 50 items | |
| Listening | 29 min | 47 items | |
| Writing | 23 min | 12 items | |
| Speaking | 8 min | 11 items | Spoken into a microphone, scored later. |
Every claim, and where it came from
Hover or focus a row to read the wording that supports it; the dagger opens the page it was read from. Nothing on this list was written from memory.
Total test time About two hours CONFIRMED
TOEFL iBT content page: "Please allow approximately two hours to complete the test."
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/about/content.html
Reading 30 minutes · 50 items CONFIRMED
TOEFL iBT content table: Reading — "50" items in "30" minutes.
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/about/content.html
Listening 29 minutes · 47 items CONFIRMED
TOEFL iBT content table: Listening — "47" items in "29" minutes.
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/about/content.html
Writing 23 minutes · 12 items CONFIRMED
TOEFL iBT content table: Writing — "12" items in "23" minutes.
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/about/content.html
Speaking 8 minutes · 11 items CONFIRMED
The shortest section on any test here.
TOEFL iBT content table: Speaking — "11" items in "8" minutes.
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/about/content.html
Score scale 1–6, in half-point increments CONFIRMED
This changed on 21 January 2026. A score quoted out of 120 is the old scale.
TOEFL iBT scores page: "As of January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT score reports feature a new 1 – 6 scale, in half point increments" and "You'll receive four section scores, as well as an overall score, on the 1 – 6 scale."
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/scores/understand-scores.html
Overall score The average of the four sections CONFIRMED
Rounded to the nearest half band.
TOEFL iBT scores page: "The overall score will be the average of all four sections, rounded to the nearest half band".
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/scores/understand-scores.html
The old 0–120 score Still shown, for two years CONFIRMED
As a comparable overall score only.
TOEFL iBT scores page: "For a two-year transition period after January 2026, you will also receive a comparable overall score on the 0 – 120 scale, representing the midpoint of the corresponding total range."
https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/scores/understand-scores.html
When you can sit it
No calendar. Continuous.
The TOEFL iBT is scheduled by appointment year round, at a test centre or at home, so there is no calendar to count down to. Plan backwards from the university deadline that needs the score.
Practice, from the people who write it
Free official TOEFL iBT practice tests from ETS. Official practice for the TOEFL iBT.
This site reproduces no testing body’s questions. Official practice material is the only material written by the people who write the real test, and it is free for every test on this list.