TOEFL iBT Preparation Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: TOEFL iBT format and scoring

The TOEFL iBT test from ETS measures the English you need in a university classroom: reading, listening, writing and speaking. You can take it on a computer at a test center or at home with the TOEFL iBT Home Edition. ETS says the Home Edition is the same test, monitored online by a human proctor.

ETS updated the test in January 2026. It now has new, shorter task types and a new 1–6 score scale. Older books and websites may describe the old test, so make sure your practice matches the current format. This course follows the updated test.

The four sections

The sections come in this order: Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking. The base times add up to about 90 minutes, but they do not include directions. ETS says to plan for about two hours in total.

Adaptive sections

Reading and Listening are multistage adaptive. Each section has two parts. Your performance on the first part decides which second part you get: an easier one or a harder one. This is why the number of items and the time can change a little. Writing and Speaking are fixed: everyone who takes the same form gets the same tasks.

Reading and Listening can also include unscored items that ETS uses to try out questions for future tests. You cannot tell which ones they are, so do your best on every item.

Test-day rules to know

• There are no scheduled breaks.
• To get a score, you must answer at least one Reading question and one Listening question, and respond to at least one Writing task and one Speaking task.
• At a test center, you get scratch paper. At home, you use a small whiteboard or a sheet of paper inside a clear, erasable sheet protector.
• Phones and writing-assistance software are not allowed.
• You can take the test as many times as you like, but not more than once in any 3-day period.

How scores work

Since January 21, 2026, you get a score from 1 to 6, in half-point steps, for each section and for the whole test. The overall score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. ETS gives this example: an average of 5.25 becomes 5.5. In the same way, an average of 5.125 is closer to 5 than to 5.5, so it becomes 5.

For a two-year transition period after January 2026, your report also shows a comparable overall score on the old 0–120 scale. The table below shows where each band starts on that scale.

• Each Write an Email, Academic Discussion and Speaking response gets a task score from 0 to 5.
• At the end of the test you see unofficial Reading and Listening scores.
• Official scores are in your ETS account about 3 days after the test.
• Scores are valid for 2 years. Your report may also show MyBest scores; check with each school whether it accepts them.

Prueba temática 1: TOEFL iBT format and scoring

Lesson 2: The Reading section

The Reading section has about 50 items in about 30 minutes. It has three task types. All the information you need is in the text, so you do not need to know anything about the topic before the test.

Complete the Words

You see a short academic paragraph of about 70–100 words. The second half of some words is missing (ETS deletes the second half of every second word). Each text has 10 words with missing letters. You type the missing letters.

• Read the whole sentence first. The meaning tells you which word fits.
• Use grammar. After "a" or "the" you often need a noun. After a singular subject in the present, the verb usually ends in -s.
• Check the spelling. A word with the right meaning but the wrong spelling is still wrong.

In this course, practice questions show missing letters as ___ and give you four complete words to choose from. The line does not show how many letters are missing.

Read in Daily Life

You read a short, non-academic text of about 15 to 150 words, such as a notice, menu, receipt, email or social media post. Then you answer two or three multiple-choice questions.

• Read the title, subject line or first sentence to find the purpose: to inform, to ask, to invite, to warn.
• Scan for the details questions ask about: times, places, prices and names.
• Watch for changes and conditions: "moved to", "instead of", "only if", "after 1 p.m.".
• For prices, do the math step by step and check what a discount applies to.

Read an Academic Passage

You read a passage of about 200 words, like a short text from a university course, and answer five questions. The questions test main ideas, key details, inferences, how ideas connect and why the writer includes certain information. Some ask about the meaning of a word.

Prueba temática 2: The Reading section

Lesson 3: The Listening section

The Listening section has about 47 items in about 29 minutes. Each recording is played once. You can take notes while you listen. You may hear North American, U.K., New Zealand and Australian English. No background knowledge is needed.

Choosing a response

First decide what the speaker is doing. Are they asking for information, making a request, inviting you, apologizing or telling you news? The best reply fits that purpose.

• A "where" question needs a place. A "when" question needs a time.
• A request ("Could you...?") needs yes, no or a reason.
• An invitation can be accepted or politely declined: "I'd love to, but..."
• Watch for options that repeat a word you heard ("lab", "grab") but do not answer the speaker.

Conversations and implied meaning

Conversation questions ask about the main problem, key details and implied meaning: what a speaker means but does not say directly. For example, "Sure, but only if you share your notes" means "Yes, on one condition." Questions about the next step often depend on the last few lines, so stay focused to the end.

Announcements and academic talks

Announcements usually tell you what is changing, why, and what you must do. Listen for times, places and instructions such as "remember to" or "you need".

Academic talks have a clear structure. Listen for signal words: "Today I want to talk about" (topic), "for example" (example), "but here's something surprising" or "however" (contrast), "one idea is" (explanation). When a professor gives an example, a question may ask why they mentioned it.

Note-taking

• Write key words, not full sentences.
• Use short forms: b/c (because), ex (example), → (leads to), ≠ (different from).
• Put the topic at the top and each new point on a new line.
• Note names, numbers and changes.

Transcript for the exercise below (ask a friend to read it aloud, or read it once quietly and then cover it): "Today we'll look at why some birds fly south in the fall. The main reason is food, not cold. Many insect-eating birds, like swallows, could survive cold nights, but in winter there are almost no flying insects to eat. Seed-eating birds, on the other hand, can often stay, because seeds are still available. Daylight also matters. As days get shorter, birds' bodies change, and they start to eat more and store fat for the long trip."

Prueba temática 3: The Listening section

Lesson 4: The Writing section

The Writing section has 12 tasks in about 23 minutes: ten Build a Sentence tasks, one email and one academic discussion post. You type on a computer keyboard. ETS says scoring focuses on how clearly and effectively you communicate, not on writing a perfect first draft. Each email and discussion response gets a score from 0 to 5.

Build a Sentence

You see a short situation and a set of words and phrases. You put them in order to make a correct sentence or question that works as a reply. Most mistakes come from word order:

Write an Email

You have 7 minutes to write an email for an academic or social situation, for example to make a request, give information or suggest a solution. The task tells you who to write to and lists points to include. ETS's sample asks you to write as much as you can in complete sentences.

• Greeting: "Dear Mr. Ford," or "Hello Professor Kim,".
• Purpose in the first sentence: "I am writing about..."
• One or two sentences for each point in the task, in the same order.
• Polite request or next step: "Could you please let me know...?"
• Closing: "Thank you for your help. Best regards," and your name.

Write for an Academic Discussion

You have 10 minutes to add a post to an online class discussion. A professor asks a question, and two classmates give their views. You state your opinion and support it, and you can respond to the classmates. ETS's sample task asks for at least 100 words.

• Start with a clear opinion and one reason: "I agree with Priya that...because..."
• Add something new: a different reason or a specific example.
• Respond to a classmate politely: "Sam makes a fair point about..., but..."
• Use an academic tone: no slang, no insults, specific details.
• Save one minute to check verb forms and spelling.

Prueba temática 4: The Writing section

Lesson 5: The Speaking section

The Speaking section has 11 tasks in about 8 minutes. You speak into a microphone, and your responses are recorded. The tasks are based on academic and campus situations, and no special knowledge is needed. Each Speaking response gets a score from 0 to 5.

Listen and Repeat

You hear seven sentences in a campus or academic setting, such as a person welcoming visitors or giving instructions. You repeat each one exactly as you hear it. The sentences get longer and more complex as you go. You have a maximum of about 8 to 12 seconds to record each response.

• Listen for chunks: "The tour will end / at the student center / where lunch has already been prepared."
• Keep small words: a, the, your, to, at. Changing "your books" to "the books" is a mistake.
• Keep endings: -s for plurals, -ed for the past, "has been" vs "was".
• Copy the speaker's stress and rhythm.
• If you miss a word, keep going and say the rest as accurately as you can.

Take an Interview

A recorded interviewer asks you four questions about your experiences and opinions. You have 45 seconds to answer each question. Use this simple plan:

1. Answer the question directly in the first sentence.
2. Give a reason.
3. Add a specific example from your life.
4. Wrap up in one short sentence if time is left.

• Match the tense to the question: "Describe a time when you..." → past tense. "What would you...?" → would.
• If you finish early, add detail. Silence wastes time you could use to show your English.
• Speak clearly at a natural speed. Fluent, clear speech is better than very fast speech.

Prueba temática 5: The Speaking section