TOEFL Test Structure and Samples
Total Test Time: Around 2 hours
Test Mode: Online at test center or at home (TOEFL iBT Home Edition)
Skills Tested: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing
• Time: 35 minutes
• Passages: 2 academic texts (700 words each)
• Questions: 10 per passage (total 20 questions)
• Question Types:
Task & what You Do
Factual Information- Find specific details
Negative Factual Information- Find which detail is NOT true
Inference- Draw conclusions based on the passage
Vocabulary- Define words in context
Reference Identify- what a pronoun refers to
Sentence Simplification- Choose the best paraphrase
Insert Text- Decide where a sentence fits best
Summary & Categorization- Identify main ideas/details
Time: 36 minutes
Audio: 3 lectures + 2 conversations
Questions: 6 questions per lecture, 5 per conversation (total ~28)
Task / question type & what You Do
Gist-Purpose / Gist-Content- Understand the main idea
Detail- Find supporting points
Function- Understand why something is said
Attitude- Identify speaker’s opinion
Organization- Understand structure of ideas
Connecting- Content Relate or compare ideas
Inference- Make a logical guess
• Time: 16 minutes
• Tasks: 4 speaking tasks
Task Type & What You Do
Independent Speaking- Talk about a personal experience or opinion
Integrated (Reading + Listening + Speaking)- Read a short passage, listen to audio, and summarize
Integrated (Listening + Speaking)- Summarize an academic conversation
Integrated (Listening + Speaking)- Summarize an academic lecture
• Time: 29 minutes
• Tasks: 2 writing tasks
Task Type & What You Do
Integrated Writing Read a passage- listen to a lecture, then write a comparison (20 mins)
Independent Writing- Write an opinion-based essay (minimum 300 words) (9 mins)