Did you know the number of Indians taking the TOEFL test is surging?
In 2022, Indians made up 12.3% of all test takers globally, a big jump from 7.5% the year before.
This follows a substantial increase in 2021, with 53% more Indians taking the TOEFL than in 2020.
So, if you plan on being one of the participants for the exam this year or in the upcoming years, it’s important that you’re well aware of the updates in the TOEFL exam pattern.
ETS (Education Testing Services), the test’s administrative authority, has changed the TOEFL exam pattern several times since last year.
In this blog, we’ll discuss all those changes in detail for each test section while giving you tried and tested tips on preparing for the exam.
What’s the TOEFL exam?
If you’re aiming for international studies, the TOEFL iBT or The Test of English as a Foreign Language (Internet-based Test) test is your gateway. It measures your English skills for success in academic settings.
Think of it as testing how well you understand and communicate in classrooms at universities abroad.
The TOEFL iBT assesses all four key areas: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Each section simulates real-world academic tasks you’ll encounter during your studies. The test is entirely internet-based, so you’ll take it on a computer at an exam centre near you. It typically takes under 2 ⅕ hours to complete, but plan for check-in time too.
Now that we’ve gone through the basics of the test, let’s explore the TOEFL test pattern in detail for each section.
Also read: Comprehensive list of entrance exams to study abroad.
New TOEFL exam pattern in 2024 (Section-Wise)
The new TOEFL exam pattern comprises four sections –
- Reading
- Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
We will discuss all these sections and their patterns in detail, but before that, let’s look at the exam’s pattern overview.
| TOEFL-iBT Characteristics | TOEFL Exam Pattern |
| Mode of Exam | iBT (Internet-based Test) |
| TOEFL-iBT Frequency | Over 60 times a year |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours (ETS suggests students to plan for 2 ½ hours, allowing half an hour for check-in) |
| No. of Sections in the Exam | 4 |
| Section Names | Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing |
| Total No. of Questions & Tasks Included | 48 questions and 6 tasks |
| Exam Flow | Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing |
| No. of Breaks During the Exam | 1 |
| Break Duration | 10 minutes |
| Total Score Possible | 0-120 |
| Scoring Methodology | Scored by AI or ETS-certified raters |
| Negative Marking | No |
| Exam Contents | 100% academic content with integrated tasks |
Now that you’ve reviewed the overall TOEFL pattern let’s examine the format of each section involved in the test in detail.
TOEFL Exam Pattern – Reading
The TOEFL iBT Reading section tests how well you can grasp complex academic concepts and understand written materials, particularly in an academic setting. This skill is important for success in university classrooms.
You’ll encounter two reading passages, each around 700 words long, with 10 questions per passage. You should plan to spend around 35 minutes demonstrating your reading comprehension skills.
These passages mimic introductory university-level texts. This means they cover a diverse range of subjects. So, should you be concerned? Not really; even if a topic seems unfamiliar, know that all the information needed to answer the questions will be found within the passage.
The test even offers a glossary to define uncommon vocabulary. This means you’ll be fully equipped to answer the questions.
Here’s an overview of what the TOEFL Reading pattern includes:
| TOEFL Reading Characteristics | Paper Pattern |
| Duration (estimated) | 35 minutes |
| Total Passages | 2 |
| Word Count for Each Passage | 700 |
| No. of Questions for Each Passage | 10 |
| Score Scale | 0-30 |
| Contents of the Passages | Multiple-focus passages (cause/effect, compare/contrast) |
| Note Taking | Allowed |
TOEFL Exam Pattern – Listening
TOEFL iBT tests your ability to understand campus conversations and lectures.
You’ll hear basic ideas, speaker attitudes, and making connections between information.
Focus on grasping the overall message and speaker intent, just like in a real university setting.
This section will include questions about the lectures and conversations you hear. Both use language you would generally hear on a university’s campus.
This section will feature English accents from the UK, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, which will test your ability to converse with native students with a variety of accents.
Here’s more on the TOEFL Listening exam pattern –
| TOEFL Listening Characteristics | Paper Pattern |
| Duration (estimated) | 36 minutes |
| Total No. of Lectures | 3 |
| Duration for Each Lecture | 3-5 minutes |
| No. of Questions for Each Lecture | 6 |
| Total No. of Conversations | 2 |
| Duration for Each Conversation | 3 minutes |
| No. of Questions for Each Conversation | 5 |
| Score Scale | 0-30 |
| Note Taking | Allowed |
TOEFL Exam Pattern – Speaking
As the name suggests, this section assesses your English communication skills in an academic setting. To do well in this section, you will have to complete four different tasks, each of which requires you to discuss or explain certain topics.
The TOEFL iBT Speaking section helps measure your ability to express ideas, support your points, and organize your thoughts. These skills are important for a successful university experience.
Now, let’s have a look at the TOEFL Speaking pattern of this section in detail –
| TOEFL Speaking Characteristics | Paper Pattern |
| Duration (estimated) | 16 minutes |
| Total No. of Tasks | 1 Independent Speaking Task, 1 Integrated Speaking Task |
| Independent Speaking Task Detail | This task requires you to draw your opinion, ideas, and experience on a topic. |
| Integrated Speaking Task Detail | Just like a classroom, these tasks require you to combine your reading, listening, and speaking skills. |
| Preparation Time for Each Task | 15-30 seconds |
| Response Duration for Each Task | 45-60 seconds |
| Speaking Response Method | Your response will be recorded through a microphone. |
| Score Scale | 0-30 |
| Note Taking | Allowed |
TOEFL Exam Pattern – Writing
The TOEFL exam pattern for the Writing section tests your writing skills for academic success. For this section, you will have to complete two tasks.
One task requires you to summarize a reading passage and a listening excerpt.
Through the other task, you can express your opinion on a specific topic, supporting it with relevant reasons and examples.
Here’s more on the exam pattern of the TOEFL Writing section –
| TOEFL Speaking Characteristics | Paper Pattern |
| Duration (estimated) | 29 minutes |
| Total No. of Tasks | 1 Integrated Writing Task, 1 Task to Write for an Academic Discussion |
| Duration for Integrated Writing Task | 20 minutes |
| Integrated Writing Task Detail | In this task, you will have to read a short passage and/or listen to a short lecture to write a response. |
| Task to Write for an Academic Discussion – Duration | 10 minutes |
| Task to Write for an Academic Discussion – Detail | In this task, you will be involved in an online classroom discussion where you will have to state or support an opinion. |
| Process to Response | By typing on a computer keyboard |
| Score Scale | 0-30 |
New TOEFL Exam Pattern 2024 – Latest Changes
One of the biggest changes to the TOEFL paper pattern this year was the discontinuation of the TOEFL PBT (Paper-based Test).
Earlier, ETS used to conduct TOEFL in two formats – iBT and PBT. However, since January 2024, the PBT format no longer exists.
Apart from this, here are some major changes to the TOEFL paper pattern that you must know –
| TOEFL-iBT Characteristics | Old TOEFL Exam Pattern | New TOEFL Exam Pattern | Changes |
| Mode of Exam | iBT + PBT (Paper-based Test) | iBT (Internet-based Test) | Yes (PBT discontinued) |
| TOEFL-iBT Frequency | Over 60 times a year | Over 60 times a year | No |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours | 2 hours (ETS suggests students to plan for 2 ½ hours, allowing half an hour for check-in) | Yes (exam duration shortened by 30-60 minutes) |
| No. of Sections in the Exam | 4 | 4 | No |
| Section Names | Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing | Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing | No |
| Total No. of Questions & Tasks Included | 64-85 questions | 48 questions and 6 tasks | Yes (no. of questions reduced + 6 new tasks added) |
| Exam Flow | Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing | Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing | No |
| No. of Breaks During the Exam | 1 | 1 | No |
| Break Duration | 10 minutes | 10 minutes | No |
| Total Possible Score | PBT = 313 to 677 iBT = 0-120 |
0-120 | Yes (PBT removed, whereas no changes in iBT’s total possible score) |
| Negative Marking | No | No | No |
| Exam Contents | 100% academic content | 100% academic content with integrated tasks | Yes (integrated tasks included) |
How to Prepare For The TOEFL Exam in 2024?
Here are some actionable tips that will help you prepare for the exam –
- Understand the test: First and foremost, familiarize yourself with the updated TOEFL paper pattern. Knowing what to expect helps manage test anxiety.
- Practice with official resources: ETS, the test developer, has various practice materials on its website. Use those resources to ensure you’re practicing with realistic questions and formats.
- Expand your vocabulary: This goes without saying that you need to practice daily through flashcards, apps, or reading academic articles.
- Sharpen your listening skills: You must have heard so many people talking about how they learnt English by watching shows like F.R.I.E.N.D.S. or How I Met Your Mother. Believe it or not, it’s true. Listening to podcasts, watching movies/ shows, and engaging in conversations with native speakers will help with your listening and speaking skills tremendously.
Here are more links that will help you prepare for each section of the test –
- TOEFL – Reading practice material – click here
- TOEFL – Listening practice material – click here
- TOEFL – Speaking practice material – click here
- TOEFL – Writing practice material – click here
Now that you’ve understood the TOEFL exam pattern and how to prepare for it, it’s time to finalize a course and university for yourself. It can be overwhelming to pick an option out of thousands of programs in hundreds of universities across the globe. But worry not; SelectRight is there for you.
Using this free tool — that has helped over 60,000 students — you can set your preferences and get AI-powered matches.
For a smooth study abroad journey, you can even connect with advisors to help you navigate the admission process.
So now you know everything about the TOEFL exam pattern for 2024. We hope this guide helped.
FAQs
Q. How many sections are there in TOEFL iBT?
Ans. There are four sections in TOEFL iBT – Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.
Q. Has there been any change in the TOEFL exam pattern?
Ans. Yes, ETS has made several changes to the TOEFL paper pattern, including the exam’s overall duration and total number of questions.
Q. How much do I need to score in TOEFL to get into an Ivy League equivalent university?
Ans. You must score at least 100 or above in TOEFL to get into an Ivy League equivalent university
