TOEFL Exam Pattern in 2024: Latest & Updated

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. 

Also Read: Top Exams For Studying Abroad [Comprehensive Guide]

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

Also Read: GRE vs TOEFL: Understand the Difference Between the GRE and TOEFL

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
• TOEFL – Listening practice material
• TOEFL – Speaking practice material
• TOEFL – Writing practice material

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. 

Also Read: TOEFL Exam Dates 2024- Major Indian Cities

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