TOEFL Exam Pattern 2025: Format, Sections, Questions & Score

Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL is one of the most widely accepted English proficiency test in the world. Conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the TOEFL test is designed to evenly measure reading, listening, writing and speaking abilities of a candidate. Although the total test takes just under 2 hours, ETS suggests prospective test takers to plan for 2.5 hours, to have 30 minutes for check in.

TOEFL examination is a trusted medium to prove the mandatory English language skill requirements for university admissions abroad. The TOEFL Exam Pattern remained unchanged in 2025. Currently, the TOEFL exam consists of 4 sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The overall TOEFL test score ranges between 0 and 120. Each of the 4 section of TOEFL score ranges on a scale of 0 to 30.

The TOEFL examination pattern constitutes 48 questions for Reading and Listening, and 6 tasks for Speaking and Writing. The reading and listening section contains 20 and 28 questions each. The speaking and writing sections include 4 tasks and 2 tasks, respectively. The speaking and writing sections are scored by using a combination of AI scoring and ETS-certified raters. Moreover, prospective candidates must have a proper study plan and practice regularly to achieve satisfying scores in the TOEFL new pattern.

TOEFL Reading Pattern

There are 20 questions based on 2 passages in TOEFL Reading pattern. This section evaluates your abilities to understand English and provide an effective response to it.

• The passages in this section are based on university-level textbooks.
• 2 passages of around 700 words will be assigned to the test-takers.
• Each passage will consist of 10 questions, and TOEFL Reading Topics are taken from diverse fields.
• You will have 35 minutes to complete all the questions in the section.

TOEFL Reading Question Types

Here are the reading question types for TOEFL iBT pattern:

• Reading Factual Information: Factual Information questions may ask a candidate to recognise facts that include major ideas, supporting details or definitions. The opposite of factual information which is negative on the other hand are similar but 3 of the 4 answers are correct instead of only 1 and the candidates in this section are asked to decide the incorrect one.
• Inference and Rhetorical: Inference questions are easy to recognise as they usually include the words "infer," "imply" or "suggest," in it. Rhetorical questions are also similar as it includes questions that aren't explicitly stated which makes it unclear why an author has presented such information.
• Reading Vocabulary: This question type is unique in that one needs to find meanings of some highlighted words from the passages and choose the correct answer out of four given options.
• Sentence Simplification: Here the candidates are asked to identify a sentence that has the same meaning as a sentence from the passage they were assigned to read.
• Insert Text Question: the "Inserting a Sentence" question, you will be given a new sentence to insert in the passage at one of four possible places. This question is worth one raw point.

Sample:

TOEFL Reading Scoring Pattern

TOEFL reading score ranges on a scale of 0-30. The TOEFL reading scoring pattern is mentioned below.

• You will get points for each question answered correctly.
• The points will be converted to a score out of 30.
• A score above 22 will usually be considered a good score.

TOEFL Listening Pattern

There will be 28 to 39 questions in the TOEFL Listening section. This section evaluates your ability to understand conversations and lectures in the English language. The listening section is divided into 2 different categories, Lectures and Conversations.

• There are 3-4 lectures, some of which have classroom discussions, and each lecture lasts 3-5 minutes including 6 questions each.
• There are 2-3 conversations, each lasting 3 minutes, and each conversation has 5 questions.
• Candidates will have 41 to 57 minutes to answer all the questions.
• Different accents of English language will also be available for the candidates.
• Specific terms or words taken from the audio clip will be written on screen.

TOEFL Listening Question Types

The following are the different types of TOEFL listening questions:

• Gist-Content and Gist-Purpose: Gist-purpose questions assess the test taker's ability to identify the main objective of a discussion or lecture. These questions can be recognized by phrases like "mainly about," "mainly discussing," "why does the student," or "what is the main purpose," which distinguish them from gist-content questions.
• Detail: Detail questions focus on identifying key conceptual details that are explicitly mentioned in the listening conversation or lecture.
• Function: Function questions require test takers to determine the specific meaning of a statement within a particular context, as the meaning may shift based on the situation.
• Attitude: Attitude questions evaluate the speaker’s emotions or stance on a topic, requiring the listener to interpret tone and intent.
• Organization: Organization questions test a listener’s ability to understand how a lecture is structured. They often include phrases like "Why does the professor mention..." or "Why does the professor discuss..."
• Connecting Content: Connecting content questions assess the ability to understand relationships between ideas presented in a lecture. These questions may involve completing a chart or table.
• Inference: Inference questions challenge you to deduce the meaning of something that is not explicitly stated in the conversation or lecture.

Sample:

TOEFL Listening Scoring Pattern

TOEFL listening score ranges on a scale of 0-30. The TOEFL listening scoring pattern is provided below.

• For the Listening section, raw points are added up and then converted to a score out of 30.
• In this section, a score above 21 is considered good.

TOEFL Speaking Pattern

A total of 4 questions will be provided in the TOEFL Speaking section. At first, you will be asked to deliver a topic based on your knowledge and then speak based on the reading and listening materials provided.

• Total time allotted for this TOEFL section is 16 minutes.
• For the initial 2 independent tasks, you will get a duration of 45 or 60 seconds to express opinions on familiar topics.
• You will get a total of 60 seconds to complete each audio clip and reading passage.
• This section evaluates the test taker's ability to effectively communicate their opinions with the right amount of valuable reasons.

TOEFL Speaking Question Types

The following are the different types of TOEFL speaking topics:

• Independent Speaking Tasks: These tasks involve responding to familiar topics.
  • In Task 1, you must select one option from multiple choices.
  • In Task 2, you must choose between 2 given options. You will have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to respond.
• Integrated Speaking Tasks: These tasks assess your ability to combine reading, listening, and speaking skills.
  • In Tasks 3 and 5, you will listen to an audio clip and respond to a question.
  • In Tasks 4 and 6, you will first read a passage, then listen to an audio clip before answering.
  • You will have a preparation period and must speak for 60 seconds in your response.

Sample:

TOEFL Speaking Scoring Pattern

TOEFL speaking score is counted on a scale of 0-4. The TOEFL Speaking scoring pattern is provided below.

• Speaking section is scored on a different scale, where each task is given a score out of 4.
• These scores are then summed and converted to a final score out of 30.
• A strong speaking score is typically above 22.

TOEFL Writing Pattern

The TOEFL Writing section assesses your ability to communicate ideas clearly and in an organized manner. The details of the TOEFL Writing section is provided below:

• You must complete 2 essays.
• You will have a total of 50 minutes to finish both essays.
• The Integrated Writing Task gives you 3 minutes to read a 300-word academic passage.
• After the passage, you will listen to a 2-minute lecture.
• Task 2 is an Independent Writing Task that does not include a reading passage or an audio clip.
• In this section, you must share personal opinion on a given topic.
• Task 2 must be completed within 30 minutes, with a response limit of 300 words.

TOEFL Writing Question Types

The Writing section has 2 types of essays: Integrated and Independent.

• Integrated Writing Task:
  • Test-takers will read a passage and listen to an audio clip before composing an essay that explains the relationship between them.
  • The task must be completed within 20 minutes, with a recommended length of 150-225 words.
• Independent Writing Task:
  • Test-takers will be given a prompt on a familiar topic and must write an essay expressing their opinion.
  • You will have 30 minutes to complete the task, aiming for a minimum of 300 words.

Sample:

TOEFL Writing Scoring Pattern

TOEFL writing score ranges on a scale of 0-30. Details of TOEFL writing scoring pattern are provided below.

• Each essay is scored out of 5 in the writing section.
• The scores for both essays are then combined and converted to a score out of 30.
• A score above 22 is considered good.

TOEFL Exam Marks Pattern

Each section is scored on a scale of 0 to 30, with a total TOEFL score of 120. ETS notifies candidates when the TOEFL exam pattern and scores are available on the official site. Understanding how each section is scored is essential for interpreting the overall TOEFL exam results. You will also get a printed TOEFL score reports after 11 days of test.

TOEFL Proficiency Levels

Candidates TOEFL scores are described their proficiency level in the English language. Achieving an average TOEFL score of 24+ in the exam is considered an advanced level of proficiency. Here are the descriptions of TOEFL exam scores in the given table:

TOEFL Preparation Books

TOEFL preparation books focus on topics that need more attention and help you to build your weakness into strengths. TOEFL preparation books are a helpful option during self-preparation.

• TOEFL Official Guide PDF: Check Book PDF
• Cambridge Preparation for TOEFL: Check Book PDF
• Barron’s Essential Words for the TOEFL, 7th Edition: Check Book PDF
• Barron’s TOEFL iBT, 17th Edition: Check Book PDF
• Kaplan TOEFL iBT Premier: Check Book PDF

TOEFL exam pattern evaluates your ability to understand and use English through the 4 formats, Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. As a prospective applicant, you should familiarize with TOEFL question formats and proficiency levels to set realistic score goals. With thorough preparation and a clear strategy, you can maximize TOEFL scores and enhance your application to study abroad.

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