Format at a glance
The figures below are the baseline published by ETS. Reading and Listening adapt to your answers, so the number of items and the time for those two sections can change slightly from one sitting to the next. Writing and Speaking do not adapt: they always follow the same structure, with fixed timing.
| Section | Base time | Base items | Task types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | about 30 min | about 50 | Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage |
| Listening | about 29 min | about 47 | Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk |
| Writing | about 23 min | about 12 | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion |
| Speaking | about 8 min | about 11 | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview |
The TOEFL before 2026 had different tasks and a 0 to 120 scale. Older material helps you practice English, but it does not show the current test.
Reading
Three task types that go from a single word up to a short academic text.
Question types
- Word completionComplete the Words
- A paragraph with unfinished words: you type the missing letters.
- Everyday readingRead in Daily Life
- Short everyday texts, such as notices, emails and ads, with questions about them.
- Academic readingRead an Academic Passage
- A short passage on an academic topic, with comprehension questions.
Listening
Short spoken lines and longer recordings, from campus situations to the classroom.
Question types
- Choosing a responseListen and Choose a Response
- You hear a short line and choose the most appropriate response.
- ConversationListen to a Conversation
- A short conversation, followed by questions.
- AnnouncementListen to an Announcement
- A notice, like the ones you hear on a campus, followed by questions.
- Academic talkListen to an Academic Talk
- A short talk on an academic topic, followed by questions.
Writing
From sentence to text: build correct sentences, write an email and take part in an academic discussion.
Question types
- Sentence buildingBuild a Sentence
- Put words and phrases in order to form a correct sentence.
- EmailWrite an Email
- Respond to a situation by email, with the right tone for the reader.
- Academic discussionWrite for an Academic Discussion
- Write your contribution to an online discussion started by a professor, taking into account what classmates have said.
Build a Sentence is marked right or wrong. Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion have no separate criteria: each response gets a single holistic score, based on the rubric for that task type.
Practice Writing on the platformSpeaking
Everything happens on the computer: you listen and answer by speaking into the microphone.
Question types
- RepetitionListen and Repeat
- You hear short sentences and repeat each one as accurately as you can.
- InterviewTake an Interview
- A recorded interviewer asks questions, and you answer each one.
There is no live examiner: your responses are recorded and scored afterwards, each with a single holistic score.
Practice Speaking on the platformFrequently asked questions
Is the 0 to 120 scale gone?
For tests taken from January 21, 2026 onward, the official score runs from 1 to 6. For two years the score report also shows a comparable score from 0 to 120.
Why can the number of questions vary?
Because Reading and Listening adapt to your performance. For those two sections, ETS publishes a reference baseline, not a fixed count. Writing and Speaking do not adapt.
Can I take it at home?
Yes. There is an at-home version, taken on a computer, with a live proctor watching.
Is older study material still useful?
It helps you practice English, but it does not show the current tasks. For the test itself, practice in the 2026 format.