In this guide
On January 21, 2026, ETS introduced a redesigned TOEFL iBT. If you studied with older books or videos, much of what you learned about the test format no longer applies: the long reading passages and lectures are shorter, there are new task types in every section, and scores are reported on a new 1–6 scale.
This guide explains what the test looks like now, how the new scores work, and a simple plan to prepare. Every format detail below comes from ETS's own pages, linked at the end.
This guide is for you if you are:
- Students taking the TOEFL iBT in 2026 or later
- Anyone who prepared for the old TOEFL and wants to know what is different
- Applicants deciding between TOEFL and IELTS
The new test at a glance
The TOEFL iBT still has four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. ETS lists an approximate base time of 30 minutes for Reading, 29 for Listening, 23 for Writing and 8 for Speaking, which adds up to about 90 minutes. Directions are not included in those times, and ETS advises allowing approximately two hours in total.
Reading and Listening now adapt to you. ETS notes that as the test adapts, test time and the number of items may vary, so two people can see slightly different tests. Writing and Speaking are the same length for everyone.
There are no scheduled breaks, and you can take notes: test centers provide scratch paper and pencils, and at home you use a small whiteboard or a sheet of paper in a transparent sheet protector. You must answer at least one question in every section, or none of your sections will be scored.
Reading: three task types
Complete the Words gives you a short academic paragraph where some words are missing their second half, and you type the missing letters. It tests vocabulary and grammar together, so spelling matters.
Read in Daily Life uses short everyday texts such as notices, emails, menus and social media posts, followed by questions about details, purpose and inference.
Read an Academic Passage is the closest to the old TOEFL, but the passages are shorter. Expect questions on main ideas, details, vocabulary in context and what the author implies.
Listening: four task types
Listen and Choose a Response plays one short line, such as a question or comment, and you pick the most natural reply. It rewards everyday spoken English rather than long-term memory.
Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement and Listen to an Academic Talk use longer recordings from campus and daily life, each followed by questions. The academic talks are much shorter than the old lectures.
Writing and Speaking
Writing has three task types. Build a Sentence asks you to put words in the right order to answer a question in a conversation. Write an Email asks for a short practical message, such as a request or complaint. Write for an Academic Discussion asks you to add your opinion to an online class discussion, with reasons and an example.
Speaking has two task types. In Listen and Repeat you hear a sentence and repeat it exactly, which tests pronunciation and accuracy. In Take an Interview you answer a series of questions from an interviewer on screen, giving short, natural answers with examples.
How the new 1–6 scores work
Each section is scored from 1 to 6 in half-point steps, and your overall score is the average of the four sections rounded to the nearest half band. ETS says the new scale is designed to line up more clearly with the CEFR levels that many universities and employers already use.
For a two-year transition period after January 2026, your score report also shows a comparable overall score on the old 0–120 scale, so institutions that still use 0–120 requirements can read it. Check each university's current requirement before you book.
Scores appear in your ETS account 3 days after the test and are valid for 2 years. If you took the TOEFL before, the MyBest section of a new score report converts your older 0–120 scores to the 1–6 scale.
Step-by-step guidance
- 1
Take the free official sample test
ETS offers a free, 40-minute, self-paced sample with questions from all four sections. Use it to see the new screens and task types before you study anything else.
- 2
Learn each new task type untimed
Spend your first week on the tasks that are new: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Listen and Choose a Response, Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview.
- 3
Take a full practice test under time
Sit a complete test in one go, with no breaks, so you get used to about 90 minutes of focus.
- 4
Review by task type, not by total score
Write down which task types cost you the most points. Spend the next week only on those.
- 5
Practise speaking out loud every day
Repeat short sentences exactly and answer interview-style questions in 45 seconds or less. Record yourself and listen back.
- 6
Retest and book
Take a second full test a week later. When your practice scores are steady at or above your target, book the real test.
TOEFL iBT sections from January 2026
| Section | Task types | Items | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage | 50 | 30 min |
| Listening | Listen and Choose a Response, Conversation, Announcement, Academic Talk | 47 | 29 min |
| Writing | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion | 12 | 23 min |
| Speaking | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview | 11 | 8 min |
Common mistakes
- Preparing with books written for the old test, which have none of the new task types
- Ignoring spelling, which costs points in Complete the Words and Build a Sentence
- Giving long, memorised answers in Take an Interview instead of short, natural ones
- Not practising a full test without a break
- Assuming a university's old 0–120 requirement converts exactly; always check what they accept now
Final tips
- Start with the free ETS sample test so nothing on test day surprises you.
- Short daily practice beats one long weekend session, especially for speaking.
- Track your score by task type and fix the weakest one first.
Sources
Facts about the tests were checked against these official pages: