Overview of the new TOEFL iBT

The new TOEFL iBT consists of four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The entire test is about four hours long and all sections are taken on the same day. For a brief comparison of the three versions of the TOEFL test, visit www.ets.org/toefl and download TOEFL® iBT At a Glance. Format The new TOEFL iBT is administered via computer from a secure Internet-based testing network. Instructions for answering questions are given within each section. There is no computer tutorial. TOEFL iBT is not computer-adaptive. Each test taker receives items that cover the full range of ability. Test takers can take notes throughout the entire test. At the end of testing, all notes are collected and destroyed at the test center to ensure test security. For the Speaking section, test takers wear noise-cancelling headphones and speak into a microphone. Responses are digitally recorded and sent to ETS’s Online Scoring Network. For the Writing section, test takers must type their responses. The typed responses are sent to ETS’s Online Scoring Network. Human raters, trained and certifi ed by ETS, rate the Speaking and Writing responses. The chart below shows the possible number of questions and the timing for each section. The time limit for each section varies according to the number of questions. Every test contains additional questions in the Reading or Listening Section. The New Test Format Test Section Number of Questions Timing Reading 3–5 passages, 12–14 questions each 60–100 minutes Listening 4–6 lectures, 6 questions each 60–90 minutes 2–3 conversations, 5 questions each Break 10 minutes Speaking 6 tasks: 2 independent and 4 integrated 20 minutes Writing 1 integrated task 20 minutes 1 independent task 30 minutes