The TOEFL iBT changed on January 21, 2026. If you are using a book, video or course made before that date, much of it describes the old test: long integrated writing and speaking tasks and a score out of 120. This guide explains the current test and how to prepare for it.
Always check the official ETS website before your test, because details can change.
The New TOEFL iBT at a Glance
| Section | Task types | Approx. base time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Complete the Words · Read in Daily Life · Read an Academic Passage | about 30 min |
| Listening | Listen and Choose a Response · Listen to a Conversation · Listen to an Announcement · Listen to an Academic Talk | about 29 min |
| Writing | Build a Sentence · Write an Email · Write for an Academic Discussion | about 23 min |
| Speaking | Listen and Repeat · Take an Interview | about 8 min |
The whole test takes about two hours. It is adaptive, so the questions change with your performance and the exact time and number of items can vary. You can take it at a test centre or at home (TOEFL iBT Home Edition, with a live online proctor). There are no scheduled breaks, and you can take notes.
The New Score Scale: 1–6
- Each section and the overall score are reported on a 1–6 scale in half points.
- The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half point.
- For a two-year transition period after January 2026, your score report also shows a comparable 0–120 total, because many schools still list requirements in the old format.
ETS publishes a comparison with old scores. For example, a 5 on the new scale corresponds to about 95+ on the old 0–120 scale, and a 4.5 to about 86+. There is no pass or fail: every school sets its own requirement, so check both numbers with your school, and whether it also needs minimum section scores.
Scores are available in your ETS account about 3 days after the test and are valid for 2 years.
Planning to immigrate to Canada? IRCC does not accept TOEFL for permanent residence. You need an approved test such as CELPIP or IELTS General Training.
Reading
What the tasks ask:
- Complete the Words: complete words in a short academic text, using your vocabulary, grammar and understanding of the text.
- Read in Daily Life: short everyday texts, like signs, menus, emails or social media posts, with questions about their purpose and details.
- Read an Academic Passage: a short academic text with questions about main ideas, details and meaning.
How to prepare:
- Read a little English every day and notice how words are spelled and how they change (decide / decision, able / ability). Complete the Words rewards exactly this kind of vocabulary and grammar awareness.
- For everyday texts, find the purpose first: Who wrote this, to whom, and why?
- For academic passages, skim for structure first, then read closely only where the question points you.
Listening
What the tasks ask:
- Listen and Choose a Response: hear something a person says and choose the most natural reply.
- Listen to a Conversation / an Announcement / an Academic Talk: answer questions about main ideas, details and the speaker's purpose.
How to prepare:
- Practise with short, natural dialogues and react quickly: What would a polite, sensible reply be?
- For longer recordings, take short notes: topic, key points, and anything the speaker changes or emphasizes.
- Listen daily to campus-style content: announcements, short talks, conversations between students and staff.
Writing
What the tasks ask:
- Build a Sentence: put words in the correct order to make an accurate sentence.
- Write an Email: write a short email for a situation, covering what the task asks in an appropriate tone.
- Write for an Academic Discussion: read a professor's question and other students' posts, then add your own clear, supported opinion.
How to prepare:
- Review word order in questions, indirect questions and sentences with adverbs, because Build a Sentence tests exactly this.
- For the email, cover every point in the task and match the tone to the reader (professor, classmate, office).
- For the discussion, state your view in the first sentence, give one reason with a concrete example, and connect to what another student said.
Speaking
What the tasks ask:
- Listen and Repeat: listen to sentences and repeat them as accurately as you can.
- Take an Interview: answer questions from a recorded interviewer.
How to prepare:
- For Listen and Repeat, practise shadowing: repeat short sentences and pay attention to word endings, small words and rhythm. Our shadowing practice is a good start.
- For the interview, answer the question directly in the first sentence, add a reason or example, and finish clearly. Record yourself and listen back.
A Simple Study Plan
If you have 2–3 months:
- 20 minutes of reading or vocabulary a day, with attention to spelling and word forms.
- 15 minutes of listening a day, with short notes.
- 3 short writing tasks a week: one email, one discussion post, one word-order drill.
- Speaking every day: 5 minutes of repeating sentences and 2 recorded interview answers.
- One full practice test every two weeks.
If you have about a month:
- Focus on your weakest section, but keep all four skills active every week.
- Do a full practice test each week and review every mistake: was it vocabulary, word order, listening detail or timing?
TOEFL or IELTS?
- TOEFL is taken on a computer (test centre or home), is adaptive, and has recorded speaking tasks.
- IELTS offers paper or computer delivery and a live speaking interview with an examiner.
- Both are widely accepted by universities. Check which one your school prefers, and remember that for Canadian immigration, TOEFL is not accepted.
Common Mistakes
- Studying from old materials. Tasks like the integrated essay and the four old speaking tasks are no longer on the test.
- Ignoring word forms and word order. New tasks like Complete the Words and Build a Sentence reward accuracy with small details.
- Memorizing long speaking templates. The new speaking tasks are short. Clear, direct answers work better than scripts.
- Only doing full tests. Short daily practice builds the speed you need; full tests show you where you are.
Get Help
For the test format and a strategy for each section, see the free TOEFL preparation page. You can also practise speaking and writing every day with the free AI speaking tools. (Masha does not offer TOEFL preparation lessons; she prepares students for IELTS and CELPIP.)