New TOEFL iBT Speaking section is concise and focused on clear, natural production. The section is non-adaptive and lasts about 8 minutes with approximately 11 items. You will see two task families: “Listen and Repeat,” where you accurately reproduce short phrases or sentences after hearing them, and “Take an Interview,” where you respond to brief, everyday or campus-style questions. Prompts are short and direct, highlighting intelligible pronunciation, steady rhythm and stress, and coherent, to-the-point answers rather than lengthy monologues. Timing is tight by design, so each item centers on a single idea or response. Scores are reported on a simple 1–6 band scale in 0.5 steps, and your Speaking band contributes alongside the other sections to the overall TOEFL iBT score display.

New TOEFL iBT Writing section adopts a concise, non-adaptive format focused on real academic and campus communication. Instead of two extended tasks, Writing now consists of 12 short, targeted prompts completed in about 23 minutes. You will see three task families: “Build a Sentence” (produce a well-formed sentence from a guided cue), “Write an Email” (compose a brief, purpose-driven campus message with appropriate tone and structure), and “Writing for an Academic Discussion” (submit a compact forum-style response that states and supports a position). Items emphasize clarity, control, and fit-for-purpose language rather than length. Scores appear on a simple 1–6 band scale in 0.5 steps, and the Writing band contributes to the overall TOEFL iBT score display.

New TOEFL iBT Listening section uses a concise, adaptive design that reflects real campus and academic audio. The section delivers short audio pieces in four task families: “Listen & Choose a Response” (select the best reply to a brief cue), “Listen to a Conversation” (student–staff or peer dialogue), “Listen to an Announcement” (practical campus notice), and “Listen to an Academic Talk” (a focused mini-lecture). Because delivery is multistage, the exact pathway, item count, and timing can vary slightly; most test takers will see approximately 35–45 items in about 18–27 minutes. Scores are reported on a clear 1–6 band scale in 0.5 steps, and the Listening band contributes to the overall TOEFL iBT score display.

New TOEFL iBT Reading section adopts a concise, adaptive design that better reflects real academic and campus literacy. Instead of long, uniform passages, you will encounter three streamlined task families presented in multistage delivery. “Complete the Words” reconstructs partially spelled words inside meaningful sentences, capturing decoding skill and vocabulary familiarity. “Read in Daily Life” features short practical texts—such as notices, schedules, and brief emails—requiring fast skimming and targeted detail checks. “

Effective January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT introduces a refreshed format that is shorter, more focused, and easier to interpret. The test still measures Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, but task types and timing have been updated to reflect modern academic and campus communication. Reading and Listening are now adaptive, delivering item sets that better match a test taker’s performance. Writing features concise, real-world outputs, and Speaking emphasizes brief, clear responses. Score reporting also changes: each section is presented on a 1–6 band scale in 0.5 steps, with the overall band calculated as the rounded average. For a transition period, reports additionally include a comparable overall 0–120 score. The overview below summarizes the sections, tasks, item counts, timing, and scoring.