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TOEFL iBT 2026

The TOEFL iBT format in 2026

Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT has four shorter sections with new task types, and scores on a 1–6 band scale. Here’s every part of the test, in the order you’ll take it.

Sections, no breaks
4
Testing time
83–89 min
Band score
1.0–6.0
CEFR levels
A1–C2

The four sections, in order

You take them in this order, with no scheduled breaks. Reading and Listening adapt to you: how you do in the first module decides how hard the second one is. Writing and Speaking are the same for everyone.

  1. 1. Reading

    ~30 min · 50 questions · adaptive

    Complete the Words
    A short paragraph where you type the missing letters of ten words.
    Read in Daily Life
    Short everyday texts like notices, emails and text messages, each with two or three questions.
    Read an Academic Passage
    A 200-word passage with five questions on facts, vocabulary, inference and purpose.

  2. 2. Listening

    25–29 min · 47 questions · adaptive

    Listen and Choose a Response
    One short spoken question or statement, then the best of four written replies to choose.
    Listen to a Conversation
    A short everyday conversation between two people, then two questions about it.
    Listen to an Announcement
    A short announcement in a class or at a school event, then questions about it.
    Listen to an Academic Talk
    A short lecture or podcast-style talk on an academic subject, then four questions.

  3. 3. Writing

    ~23 min · 12 questions

    Build a Sentence
    A two-line exchange where you put word and phrase tiles in order to finish the reply.
    Write an Email
    An email that does three things you’re given, written in 7 minutes.
    Write for an Academic Discussion
    Your own post in an online class discussion, after a professor’s question and two classmates’ replies.

  4. 4. Speaking

    ~8 min · 11 questions

    Listen and Repeat
    Seven sentences to repeat exactly as you hear them, getting longer as you go.
    Take an Interview
    Four interview questions, with 45 seconds to answer each.

How the TOEFL is scored in 2026

Each section gets a band score from 1.0 to 6.0, in half-band steps. Your overall score is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band, and each band lines up with a CEFR level from A1 to C2.

Reading and Listening count your correct answers, allowing for how hard your questions were. Speaking and Writing are scored against ETS’s scoring guide for each task. Until January 2028, score reports also show a comparable score on the old 0–120 scale.

Convert between band, CEFR and 0–120 with the Score Calculator

How long the test takes, section by sectionAll TOEFL guides

Try the whole format in one sitting

Full Practice Test 1 runs all four sections in the real order, with your band score at the end. Free, with no account needed.

Start Full Practice Test 1