What is the fee of registering for the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition?

Applicants who choose to take the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition must pay an amount of INR 16,900 for registering, which is the same for TOEFL iBT.

How many times is the TOEFL iBT Home Edition conducted in a month?

The TOEFL iBT Paper Edition is offered once or twice every month.

As the TOEFL iBT exam is conducted in two sessions, do I have to book two dates or one?

You need to schedule two appointments when you register: one at your neighbourhood testing facility and the other at your house.

In some places, why is the duration of the first session of TOEFL iBT Paper Edition written as three and half hours? What is the actual duration?

The test duration at a centre is three hours. An additional thirty minutes is allocated for test administration tasks, such as admitting examinees, allowing them to input identifying information, and managing test materials.

Are there any special requirements for the Speaking section of the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition?

As the Speaking section is conducted from home, please ensure that you have the required setup for both the equipment and environment before registering. You will get the details from the official website.

TOEFL iBT Exam Pattern and Syllabus: All You Need to Know

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TOEFL iBT® Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2025

Kasturika Samanta

5 min read

Updated On December 26, 2024

"Learn all about the TOEFL iBT Exam Pattern along with the TOEFL syllabus to help yourself succeed in the TOEFL exam and get into your dream university."

Not familiar with the TOEFL exam pattern and syllabus 2025? Fret not! The TOEFL iBT® exam, the most popular English proficiency test for academic purposes, remains a crucial gateway for international students aiming for global educational opportunities.

With its comprehensive assessment of your English language skills, TOEFL holds the power to open doors to universities and opportunities worldwide. But only those who have a deep understanding of the TOEFL exam pattern and syllabus, have chances of scoring high in the test.

Highlights of TOEFL Exam 2025

Here’s an overview of the TOEFL iBT® test pattern.

Feature	Details
Official Website	www.etsindia.org/toefl-ibt
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (at Test Center or at Home)
Number of Sections	4
Exam Duration	2 hrs
Skills Measured	Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing
Overall Score Range	0 - 120 (Each section ranging from 0-30)
Score Validity	2 years

Also Read: Countries Where TOEFL iBT Exam is Accepted in 2025

TOEFL iBT Exam Pattern 2025

Understanding the TOEFL iBT Exam Pattern for 2024 is crucial for effective preparation. Candidates should familiarise themselves with the TOEFL format and practice regularly to achieve their desired score. The 2024 exam pattern features 4 sections designed to assess different language skills.

Section-wise Breakdown of TOEFL iBT Exam

The TOEFL iBT test is structured to assess various language skills essential for academic and professional environments. Let's go through a detailed breakdown of the exam, section by section.

1. Reading Section

The TOEFL Reading iBT section is designed to assess a candidate's ability to comprehend, analyse, and interpret academic texts in English.

Factors	Overview
Objective	The primary objective of the Reading section is to measure the candidate's proficiency in understanding written English material commonly encountered in university-level studies.
Number of Questions	20 questions
Passage Types	Excerpts from academic texts related to various disciplines such as natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities
Question Formats	Multiple-choice Questions, Summary Completion, and Identifying Information, etc.
Skills Assessed	Comprehension: Understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and implied meanings in the passages. Vocabulary: Recognising the meaning of words and phrases in context. Inference: Making connections between information, identifying the writer's perspective, and understanding the organisation of the text. Critical Thinking: Analysing the text's structure, purpose, and argumentative techniques.
Duration	approximately 35 minutes
Score Range	0 - 30

2. Listening Section

The TOEFL Listening iBT section is vital as it assesses listening skills essential for comprehending lectures, classroom discussions, and conversations.

Factors	Overview
Objective	The primary aim of the Listening section is to gauge the candidate's capability to comprehend audio heard commonly on topics of academic settings, including lectures and conversations.
Number of Audio Clips	5 audio clips (3 lectures and 2 conversations)
Audio Types	It comprises various audio clips, including lectures and conversations.
Question Formats	Multiple-choice Questions, Summarising information, etc.
Skills Assessed	Comprehension: Understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and specific information conveyed in the audio clips. Vocabulary and Context: Identifying the meaning of words and phrases based on the context of the audio. Inference: Making connections between pieces of information, and understanding speakers' attitudes, purposes, and implied meanings.
Duration	approximately 36 minutes
Score Range	0 - 30

Don't miss: TOEFL iBT Test Listening Score Calculation: Grading Criteria, Score Interpretation

3. Speaking Section

The Speaking section of the TOEFL iBT consists of various tasks that measure different aspects of verbal communication skills.

Factors	Overview
Objective	The primary objective of this section is to assess the test-taker's ability to communicate effectively in English within academic settings.
Number of Tasks	4 (1 Independent Task and 3 Integrated Tasks)
Types of Tasks	Independent Task: It focuses on individual expression and opinion. Test-takers are prompted to share personal viewpoints, experiences, or preferences without relying on external academic content. Integrated Task: It requires test-takers to combine multiple language skills, such as reading, listening, and speaking, to respond to the academic content that is provided.
Question Formats	Listen and Answer; Listen, Read and then Answer; Express an Opinion
Skills Assessed	Pronunciation: Clarity, accuracy, and intonation of speech. Fluency: Smooth and coherent speech without undue hesitation. Vocabulary Usage: Range and appropriateness of vocabulary. Grammar and Syntax: Correct grammatical structures and sentence construction. Content and Organisation: Relevance, coherence, and organisation of ideas.
Duration	approximately 16 minutes
Score Range	0 - 30

4. Writing Section

The Writing section of the TOEFL iBT test consists of two tasks: an Integrated Writing task and an Academic Discussion task.

Factors	Overview
Objective	The primary objective of the Writing section is to assess the test-taker's capability to convey ideas clearly, coherently, and with precision in written English, demonstrating skills essential for academic and professional environments.
Number of Tasks	2 (1 Integrated Task and 1 Writing for an Academic Discussion Task)
Types of Tasks	Integrated Task: It requires test-takers to combine multiple language skills, such as reading, listening, and speaking, to respond to the academic content that is provided. Writing for an Academic Discussion Task: It requires the test taker to write an opinion in response to the academic discussion provided.
Question Formats	Reading passages and related lectures, Write opinions for Academic Discussion
Skills Assessed	Accurate development: The raters are looking for how well you're able to select important information from the lecture, and then clearly present it in relation to the relevant information from the reading. Organisation: This basically means the reader can read your essay from beginning to end without becoming confused. Language use: Raters look for things like sentence structure, word choice, and vocabulary. It's also important that your use of grammar is strong and consistent, though it doesn't have to be perfect to get a top score.
Duration	approximately 29 minutes
Score Range	0 - 30

TOEFL iBT Exam Syllabus 2025

As you prepare to start your TOEFL journey in 2025, understanding the TOEFL exam syllabus is essential for navigating through its sections successfully. While no major format changes are announced for 2024, let's dive into the core areas covered in each section.

Section	Syllabus Covered
Reading	Academic texts from various disciplines, including Social Sciences, Biology, Psychology, History, etc. Academic text types include passages from textbooks, articles, essays, research studies, and lecture transcripts.
Listening	Conversations and lectures in academic settings, covering topics from the same disciplines as the reading section. The audio types include conversations between students and professors, classroom discussions, academic lectures, guest speakers, etc.
Speaking	Independent task Expressing opinions on familiar topics Integrated tasks Summarising information from reading and listening passages Explaining connections between ideas
Writing	Independent task Writing an essay that summarises information from a reading passage and provides a relevant opinion. Writing for an Academic Discussion Task Writing an opinion on an Academic Discussion.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good score for TOEFL iBT?

There's no single "good" score for everyone, as it depends on your university requirements. Generally, universities consider scores of 90+ competitive for undergraduate programs and 100+ for graduate programs. However, always check specific requirements for your target universities.

Is TOEFL harder than IELTS?

TOEFL and IELTS are both recognized English proficiency tests, but their difficulty depends on individual strengths and learning styles. Some find TOEFL reading and listening sections challenging, while others find IELTS writing and speaking tasks more demanding. Ultimately, the "harder" test depends on your preparation for the tests.