A complete, honest preparation system for the current TOEFL iBT (format of January 21, 2026) — real structure, real task types, deep courses for every section, timed simulations and error analysis. No fake scores, no shortcuts.
Take the free diagnostic Find your study pathEach section is scored 1–6 in half bands; your overall score is the average. A 4 ≈ B2, a 5 ≈ C1, a 6 ≈ C2.
The TOEFL iBT is the world's most widely accepted English test for university admission. It measures how well you use English in academic life: reading academic texts, listening to lectures and campus conversations, writing academic responses, and speaking about academic topics. It is taken on a computer at a test center or at home (Home Edition), in English only.
Students applying to universities where English is the language of instruction, scholarship and visa applicants who need certified English, and professionals whose institutions require proof of academic English. If a university lists a TOEFL requirement, this is the test it means.
| Section | Items | Base time | Task types (current format) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 50 | ~30 min | Complete the Words · Read in Daily Life · Read an Academic Passage — multistage adaptive |
| Listening | 47 | ~29 min | Listen and Choose a Response · Conversation · Announcement · Academic Talk — multistage adaptive |
| Writing | 12 | ~23 min | Build a Sentence · Write an Email · Write for an Academic Discussion |
| Speaking | 11 | ~8 min | Listen and Repeat · Take an Interview |
Format effective January 21, 2026 (ETS). Total testing time is about 90 minutes; allow about two hours at the test center or at home. There is no scheduled break. Reading and Listening adapt: everyone takes a first module, and the second module's difficulty depends on first-module performance.
| TOEFL band | CEFR | Comparable 0–120 (transition) | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | C2 | 114–120 | Full academic command |
| 5.0–5.5 | C1 | 95–113 | Strong — meets most selective programs |
| 4.0–4.5 | B2 | 72–94 | Solid — meets many university minimums (4.5 ≈ 86+) |
| 3.0–3.5 | B1 | 44–71 | Developing — pathway/foundation level |
| 2.0–2.5 | A2 | 24–43 | Basic — build foundations first |
| 1.0–1.5 | A1 | 0–23 | Beginner — start with general English |
Each section is scored 1–6 in half-point steps; the overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. Until January 2028, score reports also show a comparable 0–120 total. Scores are typically available about 72 hours after the test and remain valid for two years.
Academic reading: main ideas, detail, inference, vocabulary in context, and completing words in a text. Approx. difficulty: B2–C1 passages.
OpenLectures, announcements and campus conversations: gist, detail, function, attitude and organization. You hear each audio once.
OpenSentence building, a practical email, and an academic discussion contribution — graded on task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar.
OpenRepeating sentences accurately and answering interview questions — graded on delivery, language use and topic development.
Open24 scored questions across Reading, Listening, Vocabulary and Grammar, plus speaking and writing self-checks — with a per-area profile and a recommended path.
OpenFive preparation paths with prerequisites, weekly schedules and practice volume — no unrealistic score promises.
OpenThe full ladder: Foundation → Academic English → … → Full Mock Tests, each step linked to real lessons on this site.
OpenQuestion-type practice sets in the TOEFL data format: section, skill, difficulty, timing and an explanation for every answer.
OpenYour diagnostic profile, practice accuracy and what to study next — saved privately in your browser.
OpenEvery current task type, note-taking, time management and test-day strategy.
OpenLearn American English Easy is an independent study site and is not affiliated with ETS. TOEFL® and TOEFL iBT® are registered trademarks of ETS. Always confirm current test details at ets.org/toefl before registering.