TOEFL iBT preparation
for the updated test.

The TOEFL iBT at a glance

Item counts and base times from ETS’s updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview. You can take the test at home or at a test centre.

How the 1–6 TOEFL score works

Each section and the overall test get a band from 1 to 6 in half-band steps. The overall band is the average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest half or whole band. The bands line up with CEFR levels: 6 is C2, 5–5.5 is C1, 4–4.5 is B2, 3–3.5 is B1, 2–2.5 is A2 and 1–1.5 is A1.

For two years, score reports also show the older 0–120 scale. In ETS’s concordance an overall band of 4 corresponds to 72+, 4.5 to 86+, 5 to 95+, 5.5 to 107+ and 6 to 114. Reports also include MyBest scores, your highest section scores from the last two years.

What “multistage adaptive” means

In Reading and Listening, your performance on the first part of the section decides the difficulty of the second part. Accuracy early in each section matters, so do not rush the first questions.

The task types, in plain words

• Complete the Words: fill in the missing letters of words in a short academic paragraph. It rewards vocabulary and grammar knowledge.
• Read in Daily Life: short real-world texts such as notices, emails, menus, schedules and social media posts, with two or three questions each.
• Read an Academic Passage and Listen to an Academic Talk: classic academic comprehension, inference and detail questions.
• Listen and Choose a Response, conversations and announcements: everyday campus and life situations.
• Build a Sentence, Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion: accurate sentences, clear purpose, and a supported opinion.
• Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview: repeat sentences exactly, then answer interview questions clearly and fully.

How to prepare for the TOEFL iBT

1. Set the targetCheck whether your institution states a 1–6 band, a 0–120 score or both, and whether it sets section minimums.
2. Learn the new tasksDo each task type once so the format holds no surprises: Complete the Words, Build a Sentence and Listen and Repeat are new to many learners.
3. Build the baseGrammar and vocabulary drive several tasks directly. Daily word and structure practice pays off across sections.
4. Practise comprehensionRead and listen to short academic and everyday texts every day, and check every wrong answer against the evidence.
5. Write and speak to a clockPractise emails and academic discussion posts in the time allowed, and answer interview questions out loud.
6. Review on a scheduleBring missed questions and words back after a few days and again a week later.

TOEFL iBT questions