What is TOEFL?

The TOEFL test is given in English and administered via the Internet. There are four sections (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) which take a total of about four and a half hours to complete, including check-in.

Combining All Four Skills

  • Listening
  • Reading
  • Speaking
  • Writing

During the test, you are asked to perform tasks that combine more than one skill, such as:

  • Read, listen and then speak in response to a question
  • Listen and then speak in response to a question
  • Read, listen and then write in response to a question

How is it conducted?

Sections Time Limit Questions Tasks
Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.
Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.
Break 10 minutes
Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.
Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.

Why TOEFL?

The test you take may include extra questions in the Reading or Listening section that do not count toward your score.

Please read the timing instructions for the Reading Section carefully. The instructions will indicate how many passages you will receive and the amount of time you have to respond to questions for those passages. Be sure to pace yourself so that you have time to answer all the questions. A standard English language (QWERTY) computer keyboard is used for the test. We recommend that you practice typing on a QWERTY keyboard before taking the test.

The Listening and Speaking sections of the TOEFL test include other.

native-speaker English accents in addition to accents from North America. You may hear accents from the U.K., New Zealand or Australia. Below are examples similar to what you might hear in the Speaking and Listening sections.

Listening Section

Listen to a talk about the greenhouse effect (MP3). The lecturer is from Great Britain.

Tops Scorers

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