The TOEFL examination is the most widely accepted English-language test in the world, recognized by more than 11,500 universities and institutions in over 160 countries. Success on the TOEFL iBT exam requires not just language proficiency but also familiarity with the specific test structure and question types. Try our IELTS practice test. Practice with the free TOEFL practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (750+ questions with answer explanations).

TOEFL Exam at a Glance

What changed for TOEFL in 2026

• Oct 25, 2026: Registration deadline (TOEFL iBT) changed to Regular online registration closes 7 full days before the test date (previously Regular online registration: 7 full days before testing).^[3]
• Oct 25, 2026: Late registration deadline (TOEFL iBT) changed to Express online registration closes 2 days before the test date (previously Express online registration: 2 days before testing).^[3]
• Oct 25, 2026: Registration deadline (TOEFL iBT Home Edition) changed to Register at least 24 hours in advance (previously Book at least 24 hours ahead).^[5]
• Oct 25, 2026: Registration opens (TOEFL iBT) changed to Online (ETS account) or by phone (previously Registration available online or by phone).^[6]
• Oct 25, 2026: Retake policy (TOEFL iBT) changed to Unlimited attempts; not more than once in a 3-day period (previously Unlimited attempts; no more than once in 3 days).^[3]
• Oct 25, 2026: Score release (TOEFL iBT) changed to 3 days after the test date (previously 3 days after testing).^[4]
• Oct 25, 2026: Exam fee (TOEFL iBT) changed to Varies by location; US$49 express registration fee (previously Location-dependent registration fee; US$49 express-registration surcharge).^[2]

Free TOEFL Study Tools

Interactive TOEFL resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• TOEFL Practice Test #5 — 18 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
• TOEFL flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• TOEFL study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• TOEFL cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

According to ETS, “TOEFL iBT test: on a computer at an authorized test center”^[1]

TOEFL content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official TOEFL content outline published by ETS. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through TOEFL questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: A professor asks: "Should companies be allowed to collect and sell users' personal data for profit?" Student A says yes, arguing it funds free services. Student B says no, citing privacy risks. Which response to this discussion best demonstrates the expected skills?

1. I think both students make good points, so it depends on the situation.
2. While I understand that data monetization funds essential services, privacy is a fundamental right that should not be commodified without explicit, informed consent from users.
3. Student A is right. Data collection is important.
4. Data privacy is complicated. Companies need money to operate.

Answer: B. While I understand that data monetization funds essential services, privacy is a fundamental right that should not be commodified without explicit, informed consent from users.

Explanation:

Option B is correct because it takes a clear position, acknowledges the other side and gives a specific reason. "While I understand that data monetization funds essential services" concedes Student A's point. "Privacy is a fundamental right" with "explicit, informed consent" adds an idea neither student raised, which moves the discussion forward.

A avoids taking a stance. "It depends" gives the reader nothing to evaluate. C picks a side but only repeats Student A, with no reason or detail. D lists two loose statements with no position and nothing connecting them.

Rule to remember: in an academic discussion response, state your view early, briefly recognise the opposing argument, and support your view with a specific reason that adds something new.

Example 2

Question: During TOEFL iBT Speaking Task 3 (Academic Course Integrated), what is your primary job?

1. Define a term from the reading and list three examples
2. Explain a concept or term from the reading using the professor's lecture example
3. Evaluate whether the professor's example supports or contradicts the reading
4. Summarize the professor's main argument in the lecture

Answer: B. Explain a concept or term from the reading using the professor's lecture example

Explanation:

Option B describes the task. The reading defines a concept, the lecture gives an example, and you explain the concept through that example.

A is wrong because you must use the professor's example. The task does not ask you to make up your own list. C asks you to judge whether the lecture supports or contradicts the reading, but that is not the job. The lecture illustrates the reading rather than challenging it. D leaves out the reading and treats the lecture as an argument, when the professor is really giving an illustration.

Rule to remember: for Task 3, define the concept from the reading briefly. Then spend most of your response on the professor's example and how it shows the concept in action.

Example 3

Question: Which phrase BEST introduces a detail from a listening passage in a spoken TOEFL response?

1. I think the professor said something about...
2. According to the professor, one reason is that...
3. The professor might have mentioned...
4. It's possible that the professor talked about...

Answer: B. According to the professor, one reason is that...

Explanation:

Option B credits the point clearly to the professor and signals that a specific detail is coming. The listener knows at once whose idea it is and where your answer is going.

A, C and D all hedge. "I think the professor said something about", "might have mentioned" and "it's possible" all sound unsure of what you heard. That weakens the response even when the detail is accurate. Hedges also use up speaking time on words that add no content.

Rule to remember: when you report from a listening passage, name the source directly with phrases such as "According to the professor" or "The professor explains that". Then give the detail in plain, direct language.

How to use these practice tests

Start with a baseline. Take our full-length TOEFL practice set without notes and record which kinds of questions you missed. Sort those misses by skill rather than by score.

Next, work through the targeted sets for your weakest areas. For Reading, use Rhetorical Purpose, Text Insertion and Sentence Simplification. For Listening, use Speaker's Attitude. Read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, and write down the rule in a short sentence.

Build the productive skills alongside this work. Record yourself answering items from Integrated Task Synthesis and listen back for hedging and gaps. Draft responses for Writing for Academic Discussion and check each one for a clear stance, a concession and a specific reason.

Use the official ETS material to confirm the current test format and question types, because our questions are our own and are not real exam items. In the final stretch, take the TOEFL Practice Test under timed conditions. Finish registration well before the deadlines that apply to your test type.

TOEFL Score Interpretation

Understanding your TOEFL score is essential for university applications. Here is a general guide to score ranges. Try our Duolingo English Test practice.

Always check the specific TOEFL requirements of your target programs. Some may require minimum scores in specific sections like Speaking or Writing.

TOEFL Registration Process

Registering for the TOEFL exam is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to secure your test date and location.

For a fuller set of questions on this topic, see our toefl free practice test pdf resource.

1. Create an ETS Account: Visit the official ETS TOEFL website and create your profile. Ensure your name matches your ID exactly.
2. Select Test Option: Choose between the TOEFL iBT at a test center or the Home Edition.
3. Choose Date and Location: Browse available test centers and dates. Use the "TOEFL test near me" search feature.
4. Select Score Recipients: You can choose up to 4 universities to receive your scores for free.
5. Pay the Exam Fee: Complete the registration by paying the TOEFL exam cost.
6. Receive Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation with your test details.
7. Start Preparation: Begin your study plan using TOEFL practice test online resources.

Select your 4 free score recipients during registration to save $80. Waiting until after the test to send scores will incur the additional report fee.

Ready to Ace the TOEFL?

Join thousands of students who have achieved their target scores using our free TOEFL exam practice questions. Start studying today!

Sample TOEFL Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free TOEFL practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. The TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing task replaced which older TOEFL Writing task?

   • A. The Integrated Writing Task
   • B. The Listening-Based Writing Task
   • C. The Independent Writing Task (30-minute essay)
   • D. The Summary Writing Task

   Answer: C. The Independent Writing Task (30-minute essay)

   ETS introduced the Writing for Academic Discussion task in 2023, replacing the 30-minute Independent Writing Task as the second writing task. The Integrated Writing Task (reading + lecture synthesis) remained. The new format is more concise (10 minutes, ~100 words) and simulates an online academic discussion board.

2. A TOEFL Reading passage on linguistics discusses "code-switching"—the practice of alternating between two languages or dialects in a single conversation. The author notes this is most common in bilingual communities. What inference can be drawn from this observation?

   • A. Code-switching indicates a deficiency in one of the speaker's languages.
   • B. Code-switching reflects the speaker's linguistic flexibility and the social contexts in which they operate.
   • C. Code-switching occurs only in formal academic settings.
   • D. Bilingual speakers always prefer to speak in one language at a time.

   Answer: B. Code-switching reflects the speaker's linguistic flexibility and the social contexts in which they operate.

   The inference that code-switching reflects linguistic flexibility and social context can be drawn from the facts that it is (1) common in bilingual communities (suggesting fluency in both) and (2) contextually driven. The inference does not overclaim—it does not state code-switching proves deficiency, which the passage does not support.

3. A TOEFL Reading passage about the history of medicine describes how bloodletting was a standard treatment for centuries. The author writes: "The persistence of bloodletting despite a lack of evidence of its efficacy illustrates how tradition can override empirical reasoning in medical practice." The word "efficacy" means:

   • A. Popularity among patients
   • B. The ability to produce the desired or intended result
   • C. The cost-effectiveness of a treatment
   • D. The simplicity of a medical procedure

   Answer: B. The ability to produce the desired or intended result

   "Efficacy" means the ability to produce a desired result—effectiveness. In medical contexts, a treatment's efficacy refers to whether it actually achieves its intended outcome under ideal conditions. The sentence notes that bloodletting lacked evidence of this effectiveness, yet persisted.

4. A student's TOEFL Speaking Task 4 response is: "The professor talked about how bats use echolocation. Bats send out sound waves and use the echoes to find prey. This is very interesting." What score-reducing problem does this response have?

   • A. The vocabulary used is too advanced for the topic.
   • B. The student described the lecture example but failed to connect it to the reading's concept definition, missing the synthesis requirement.
   • C. The response is too long and should be reduced.
   • D. The student should not have mentioned the word "echolocation."

   Answer: B. The student described the lecture example but failed to connect it to the reading's concept definition, missing the synthesis requirement.

   The response describes only the lecture example (echolocation) without connecting it to the academic concept from the reading (which might define echolocation as a type of biological sonar or sensory adaptation). Without this conceptual link, the response lacks the synthesis that Task 4 explicitly requires.

Take the full TOEFL practice test

For a fuller set of questions on this topic, see our toefl ibt practice test resource.

For a fuller set of questions on this topic, see our official toefl website resource.

Official Resources

• ETS TOEFL official site — ETS, the nonprofit that develops and administers the TOEFL, publishes the current test formats, fees and score-acceptance information here.
• TOEFL iBT Test Registration — the official page to create an ETS account, choose a test center or the Home Edition, and book your test date.
• Test Preparation for the TOEFL iBT Test — ETS's own free and paid prep materials, including official practice tests that mirror the real exam.

Sources & last verified

1. ETS — time limit, delivery (official source). “Please allow approximately two hours to complete the test.” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
2. ETS — exam fee (official source). “Express registration (within 7 days of the test date) | US$49” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
3. ETS — retake policy, late registration deadline, registration deadline (official source). “There is no limit to the number of times you can take the test, but you cannot take it more than once in a 3-day…” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
4. ETS — validity, score release (official source). “Your scores are valid for 2 years, so you may want to download and print a PDF copy of your score report.” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
5. ETS — registration deadline, testing window (official source). “Register at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment time.” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
6. ETS — registration opens (official source). “You can register online right now through your ETS account or by phone” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
7. ETS — testing window (official source). “At home testing is available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week.” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
8. ETS — other (official source). “reading” Verified Oct 29, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.