TOEFL Sections
13 Jan 2022

The TOEFL iBT® test is the only test that measures all 4 academic English skills — reading, listening, speaking, and writing — the way they are actually used in a classroom.

Reading

The TOEFL iBT® Reading section is designed to assess how well you can read and understand the kind of materials used in an academic environment. It includes 3 or 4 reading passages, each approximately 700 words long, with 10 questions per passage. You have 54 to 72 minutes to answer all the questions in the section.

Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the topic of a passage. All the information you need to answer the questions will be included in the passage. There is a glossary feature available to define words not commonly used, if you need it.

Listening

The TOEFL iBT® Listening section is designed to measure your ability to understand conversations and lectures in English. There are 2 types of listening items in the Speaking section — lectures and conversations. Both use campus-based language.

  • 3–4 lectures, each 3–5 minutes long, with 6 questions per lecture
  • 2–3 conversations with 2 speakers, each 3 minutes long, with 5 questions per conversation

You can take notes on any audio item throughout the test to help you answer questions. You have 41 to 57 minutes to complete the section.

Break

There is a 10 minutes mandatory break. You can go to the restroom, drink or eat something and stretch before starting the second part of the test.

Speaking

The TOEFL iBT® Speaking section is designed to measure your ability to speak English effectively in academic settings. It is composed of 4 tasks that resemble real-life situations you might encounter both in and outside of a classroom.

  • Question 1 is called an “independent speaking task” because it requires you to draw entirely on your own ideas, opinions and experiences when you respond.
  • Questions 2–4 are called “integrated speaking tasks” because they require you to combine your English-language skills — listening and speaking, or listening, reading and speaking — just as you would in or out of a classroom.

You’ll get 15–30 seconds of preparation time before each response, and your response will be 45 or 60 seconds long. You have 17 minutes to complete the Speaking section.

Reading

The TOEFL iBT® test Writing section is designed to measure your ability to write in English in an academic setting, and you’re expected to be able to present your ideas in a clear, well-organized manner. There are 2 writing tasks.

  • Integrated writing task (20 minutes) — read a short passage and listen to a short lecture, then write in response to what you read and listened to.
  • Independent writing task (30 minutes) — write an essay based on personal experience or opinion in response to a writing topic.

You’ll have 50 minutes to complete the Writing section.

If you have questions about the test, the registration process or preparation for this evaluation, feel free to contact us.

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