Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities.

Number of questions in TOEFL

TOEFL iBT Test Sections
Section Time Limit Questions Tasks
Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.
Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.
Break 10 minutes — —
Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.
Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.

Section Description Time Limit No. of
Questions
Listening Comprehension Measures the ability to understand spoken English 30-40 minutes 50
Structure and Written Expression Measures the ability to recognize language appropriate for standard written English 25 minutes 40
Reading Comprehension Measures the ability to understand non-technical reading material 55 minutes 50
TWE® Test Measures the ability to write in English 30 minutes 1 topic


Exam info :
Type Internet-based or paper-based standardized test.
Developer / administrator Educational Testing Service
Knowledge / skills tested Reading, listening, speaking and writing of the English language.
Purpose Testing the English language proficiency of non-native English speakers for academic and other purposes.
Year started 1964
Duration Internet-based test (iBT): 3 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes (excluding 10-minute break in-between).
Paper-based test (PBT): 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes.
Score / grade range iBT:
0 to 30 (in 1 point increments) on each of the 4 sections. So total of 0 to 120.
PBT:
Listening: 31 to 68, Structure: 31 to 69, Reading: 31 to 67. Total of 310 to 677. Writing (separate): 0 to 6. (All in 1 point increments.)
Score / grade validity 2 years
Offered iBT: More than 50 times a year.
Restrictions on attempts iBT: Can be taken only once in any 12-day period.
Countries / regions 4500 test centers in 165 countries.
Languages English
Annual number of test takers
Prerequisites / eligibility criteria No official prerequisite. Intended for non-native English speakers.
Fee iBT: US$ 160 to US$ 250, depending on the country.
PBT: US$ 160.
Scores / grades used by Over 9000 universities, agencies and other institutions in over 130 countries.