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TOEFL iBT guides (2026 format)

How the new TOEFL iBT works since January 2026, task by task: what each question type tests, how the 1–6 score scale works, what Australia asks for, and how to practise. Written by the AIL teaching team in Melbourne.

The 2026 format and scores

The new TOEFL iBT format (2026): every section and task explainedEvery section and task type in the test that started on 21 January 2026.TOEFL iBT scores on the new 1–6 scale: what they mean and how they compare to 0–120How 1–6 scores work, the CEFR link and the official comparison with old 0–120 scores.How the adaptive TOEFL Reading and Listening sections workWhy Module 1 decides your ceiling and how to approach each module.TOEFL MyBest scores: how superscoring worksYour best Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing from the last two years on one report. Who accepts it, and when it doesn't help.How long are TOEFL scores valid, and when to retakeTwo years from the test date, then ETS stops sending them. How to count the dates for a university or visa, and when a retake makes sense.

Australia and universities

TOEFL or IELTS in 2026: which test should you take?Length, format, scoring and Speaking compared, and who tends to do better on each.TOEFL iBT for Australian visas: "Taking TOEFL for Australia" and the scores you needThe registration rule that catches people out, and the minimum section scores for each level.What TOEFL score do you need for university in 2026?Typical requirements on the 1–6 scale and how to read an admissions page.TOEFL iBT score for an Australian student visa67, 51 or 37. Which minimum applies to you, which TOEFL counts, and who doesn't need a test at all.

Reading

TOEFL Complete the Words: how the task works and how to practiseThe missing-letters task explained with a worked example and practice ideas.TOEFL Read in Daily Life: what to expect and how to answer quicklyNotices, emails and schedules: what they test and how to answer fast.TOEFL Read an Academic Passage: question types and a reading methodShorter than the old TOEFL passages, but the questions still need close reading.

Listening

TOEFL Listening in 2026: the four task types and how to approach eachChoose a Response, conversations, announcements and academic talks, with tips for each.

Writing

TOEFL Build a Sentence: how to put the words in the right orderWord-order rules that solve most items, with worked examples.TOEFL Write an Email: structure, tone and a sample responseThree points, the right tone and a sample email you can model.TOEFL Write for an Academic Discussion: a structure that scores 4–5A four-part post structure, a sample answer and what separates a 3 from a 5.Grammar mistakes that cost points in TOEFL WritingWhat the ETS rubric says about errors, the eight mistakes we see most in practice tests, and a two-minute check before time runs out.

Speaking

TOEFL Listen and Repeat: how to repeat longer sentences accuratelyWhat it measures, why it gets harder and how to practise with shadowing.TOEFL Take an Interview: how to answer four questions in 45 seconds eachA simple answer structure for 45 seconds, with samples.TOEFL Take an Interview: sample answers and how they scoreOne question answered at three score levels, then a full four-question set at the top level.

Preparation

A 4-week TOEFL iBT study plan for the 2026 formatAn hour a day, built around the new short tasks, with a practice test every weekend.TOEFL iBT test day: a checklist for test centre candidatesID, check-in, the order of sections and how to handle the microphone.TOEFL practice tests in the 2026 format: what to look for and how to review oneWhy old practice tests mislead, and how to review a 2026-format practice test.TOEFL iBT time management: pacing each section of the 2026 testSection-by-section pacing for a test made of many short tasks.12 common TOEFL iBT mistakes (2026 format) and how to avoid themThe errors we see most often in practice tests, and the fix for each.TOEFL iBT Home Edition or test centre?Same test, different day. The room and equipment rules for Home Edition, what changes in Speaking, and the one case where you have no choice.

Listening and Reading

Note-taking for the new TOEFL Listening sectionNotes are allowed, but most of the new Listening tasks are too short to need them. Here is when to write and what.Academic vocabulary for the new TOEFL ReadingWord families, meaning in context and spelling. What the new Reading section asks of your vocabulary, with a worked passage and a practice set.