How long is the TOEFL in 2026?

You take the four sections in one fixed order: Reading, Listening, Writing, then Speaking. Here they are to scale, using ETS’s own timings.

Reading and Listening are adaptive. Each starts with a first module that everyone takes, and how you do there decides which second module you get. In Listening, the two versions of the second module are different lengths: 7 minutes or 11.

Reading’s first module also comes with a range in ETS’s figures, 18 to 21 minutes. Writing and Speaking are the same for everyone, so their times don’t change.

ETS is clear about this: there are no scheduled breaks in the TOEFL iBT. You go from the first Reading question to your last Speaking answer in one sitting of about an hour and a half.

That changes how you should practice. Short sessions are great for learning each task, but a few times before test day, take all four sections back to back, timed, so the length feels normal by the time it counts.

1. 1

   Before you start

   At a test center, arrive at least 30 minutes before your start time for check-in. If you arrive after your start time, you can’t take the test and your fee isn’t refunded. At home, you can start checking in up to 15 minutes before your appointment, and no later than 30 minutes after it.

2. 2

   Check-in

   Expect an ID check. At home, have a phone or hand mirror ready for check-in, and your note-taking materials: a small whiteboard, or a blank sheet inside a clear sheet protector, with an erasable marker. At a test center, scratch paper and pencils are provided.

3. 3

   Reading: about 30 minutes

   Two modules, starting with the longer one.

4. 4

   Listening: about 25 to 29 minutes

   Two modules. You hear each recording once, so take notes as you listen.

5. 5

   Writing: 23 minutes

   Build a Sentence, then an email, then a post for an academic discussion.

6. 6

   Speaking: about 8 minutes

   Repeat seven sentences, then answer four interview questions, 45 seconds each.

7. 7

   Right after the test

   You see unofficial scores for Reading and Listening, and the date your official scores will be ready. You also choose whether to report your scores or cancel them.

8. 8

   About 3 days later

   Your official scores are posted to your ETS account, and you get an email to say they’re ready.

The TOEFL iBT has been shortened more than once, and many pages online were written for an older version. If a guide says the test takes three or four hours, or mentions a scheduled break, it’s describing a test that no longer exists.

Since January 21, 2026, the test has four shorter sections with new task types, and it’s scored on a 1 to 6 band scale. Our guide to the 2026 format walks you through every task.