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New TOEFL iBT - New Format (Effective January 21, 2026)

TOEFL iBT - New Format (Effective January 21, 2026)

A concise, adaptive, and modernized test experience. Below is the official section-by-section breakdown, timings, item counts, and the updated 1-6 score scale.

Goes live: 21 Jan 2026 Adaptive (Reading & Listening) Modern topics & tasks New 1-6 scoring (with 0-120 overall shown for 2-year transition) Total test time: just under ~2 hours
Adaptive Delivery
Reading & Listening adjust to your performance for a tailored test length and difficulty.
Updated Content
Broader mix of academic + campus contexts; more relevant, accessible language.
Streamlined Timing
Section times recalibrated: ~18-27 min (Reading), ~18-27 min (Listening), ~23 min (Writing), ~8 min (Speaking).
New Score Scale
Four section scores + an overall band on a 1-6 scale (0.5 steps). Overall is the average of sections.

Section Breakdown — Tasks, Items, and Timing

Section Task Types (after Jan 21, 2026) Number of Items Estimated Timing Adaptive
Reading
Academic & campus contexts
 Complete the Words Read in Daily Life Read an Academic Passage 35-48* About 18-27 min* Yes (multistage)
Listening
Short, practical audios
 Listen & Choose a Response Listen to a Conversation Listen to an Announcement Listen to an Academic Talk 35-45* About 18-27 min* Yes (multistage)
Writing
Concise, real-life output
 Build a Sentence Write an Email Write for an Academic Discussion 12* About 23 min* No
Speaking
Brief, focused prompts
 Listen and Repeat Take an Interview 11* About 8 min* No
* As the test adapts to you, item counts and timing may vary slightly.

Scoring (Effective January 21, 2026)

Each section is reported on a 1-6 scale in 0.5 increments. The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. For a two-year transition, reports will also include a comparable overall score on the legacy 0-120 scale.

Score Display Details
Section Bands Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing ? each on 1.0-6.0 (steps of 0.5)
Overall Band Mean of four section bands, rounded to nearest 0.5 (e.g., 5.25 ? 5.5)
Transition (2 years) Score report also shows a comparable overall 0-120 score for reference

Quick Compare — Previous vs. New TOEFL iBT

Section Previous (before Jan 21, 2026) New (from Jan 21, 2026)
Reading ~35 min • ~20 Qs
Traditional academic passages 		Complete the Words Read in Daily Life Read an Academic Passage
35-48 items • ~18-27 min • Adaptive
Listening ~36 min • ~28 Qs
Lectures & conversations 		Choose a Response Conversation Announcement Academic Talk
35-45 items • ~18-27 min • Adaptive
Speaking ~16 min • 4 tasks (1 independent, 3 integrated) Listen & Repeat Take an Interview
11 items • ~8 min
Writing ~29 min • 2 tasks (Integrated + Academic Discussion) Build a Sentence Write an Email Academic Discussion
12 items • ~23 min
Total test time (new): just under ~2 hours (check-in ~30 min not included).
Effective: 21 Jan 2026 Adaptive (R/L) 1-6 bands (0.5 steps) Legacy 0-120 overall shown for 2 years

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