Overview of the TOEFL Test
Start your TOEFL preparation with an overview of each part of the test: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Reading
Here are some key points about reading in the TOEFL test:
- There are 3 or 4 reading passages.
- Each passage is approximately 700 words in length and has 10 questions.
- The reading section takes 54–72 minutes in total.
- The passages are taken from university-level textbooks. They’re the sort you might expect to find in an introduction to a discipline or topic.
- A glossary feature is available to help you understand words that aren’t commonly used.
A variety of question types are used:
- Factual information
- Negative factual information
- Inference
- Rhetorical purpose
- Vocabulary
- Reference
- Sentence simplification
- Insert text
- Prose summary
- Fill in a table
Listening
Here are some key points about listening in the TOEFL test:
- There are 2 types of listening material used: lectures and conversations.
- The listening section takes 41–57 minutes in total.
- You hear each listening passage once only.
- Pictures are used with each recording to help you understand the setting.
- You can take notes throughout the listening section.
Here’s an overview of the 2 types of listening material used:
Type | Length | Number of questions |
---|---|---|
Lecture (3–4 per test) | 3–5 minutes | 6 per lecture |
Conversation (2–3 per test) | 3 minutes | 5 per conversation |
A variety of question types are used:
- Gist-content
- Gist-purpose
- Detail
- Function
- Attitude
- Organization
- Connecting content
- Inference
Speaking
Here are some key points about speaking in the TOEFL test:
- There are 4 tasks: 1 independent speaking task and 3 integrated speaking tasks.
- You record your speaking responses using a microphone – there’s no human examiner present.
- AI scoring and certified human raters are both used to score your responses.
- You have 17 minutes to complete the speaking tasks.
Here’s an overview of the various tasks:
Task | Type | Input material | Preparation time | Speaking time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Independent | Question prompt | 15 seconds | 45 seconds |
2 | Integrated | Read a passage and listen to a conversation (campus-related topic) | 30 seconds | 60 seconds |
3 | Integrated | Read a passage and listen to part of a lecture (academic subject) | 30 seconds | 60 seconds |
4 | Integrated | Listen to part of a lecture (academic subject) | 20 seconds | 60 seconds |
Assessment criteria:
- Delivery
- Language use
- Topic development
Writing
Here are some key points about writing in the TOEFL test:
- There are 2 tasks: an integrated writing task and an independent writing task.
- AI scoring and certified human raters are both used to score your responses.
- You have 50 minutes to complete the writing tasks.
Here’s an overview of Task 1:
Type | Input material | Writing time | Recommended length |
---|---|---|---|
Integrated | Read a passage and listen to a short lecture | 20 minutes | 150–225 words |
Assessment criteria:
- Accurate development
- Organization
- Language use
Here’s an overview of Task 2:
Type | Input material | Writing time | Recommended length |
---|---|---|---|
Independent | Question prompt | 30 minutes | At least 300 words |
Assessment criteria:
- Development
- Organization
- Language use
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