The TOEFL iBT® test is given in English and administered via the internet. It takes about 3 hours total for the 4 sections of the test (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing). Be sure to plan for 3½ hours, allowing 30 minutes for the check-in process.

Combining All 4 Skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing

During the test, you are asked to perform tasks that combine your English communication skills, 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

TOEFL iBT Test Sections

The test you take may include extra questions in the Reading or Listening section that do not count toward your score. These are either questions that enable ETS to make test scores comparable across administrations or new questions that help ETS determine how such questions function under actual testing conditions.

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.

Native-speaker English Accents

The Listening and Speaking sections of the TOEFL iBT 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.

ETS added these accents to better reflect the variety of native English accents you may encounter while studying abroad.

Below are examples similar to what you might hear in the Speaking and Listening sections.