TOEFL iBT® · 2026 update
What changed in the 2026 TOEFL iBT® test?
From 21 January 2026, the TOEFL iBT® test uses a shorter, adaptive format with several new task types and a new 1–6 band score for each section. This guide breaks down exactly what changed, section by section — and you can try a full-length 2026-format mock for free.
The headline changes at a glance
Eight of the twelve task types are new. Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to an Announcement, Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview all arrived with this update. Only four carry over in some form — Read an Academic Passage, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Academic Talk and Write for an Academic Discussion — and even those were reworked, so finding a familiar name in old material does not mean it is current.
- Shorter test — about 90 minutes of section work (under two hours in total, including directions), across four fixed-order sections: Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking.
- Two-stage adaptive Reading & Listening — a first "router" module decides whether you get an easier or harder second module, so the test adjusts to your level.
- New task types in every section (see below).
- New 1–6 band scores per section and overall (the overall band is the average of the four sections). During a transition period running to January 2028, reports also show a single comparable 0–120 overall figure so older university requirements stay usable.
Reading — a 50-item base form
The Reading section is two-stage adaptive and mixes three task types:
- Complete the Words (about 30 items) — a new task where you finish words that have missing letters inside a short text.
- Read in Daily Life — everyday texts such as notices, emails and adverts, with comprehension questions.
- Read an Academic Passage — shorter academic passages (up to roughly 200 words) with detail, inference, vocabulary and purpose questions.
Listening — a 47-item base form
Also two-stage adaptive. Audio plays once, so note-taking and prediction matter. Task types:
- Listen & Choose a Response — a new quick task: hear a short statement or question and choose the best reply.
- Conversation — a dialogue between two speakers.
- Announcement — a short spoken notice.
- Academic Talk — a short lecture-style talk.
Writing — 12 items
Linear, with three task types — note the older integrated writing task is gone:
- Build a Sentence — a new task: an intact opening line, then reorder jumbled tiles into an appropriate reply.
- Write an Email — a new task: write a short, appropriately-toned email for a given situation.
- Write for an Academic Discussion — state and support an opinion in an online-discussion setting.
Speaking — 11 items
Linear (not adaptive), with two task types:
- Listen & Repeat — a new task: repeat spoken sentences accurately.
- Take an Interview — answer several connected interview-style questions on one topic.
How the new scoring works
Each section now reports a band from 1 to 6 (in half-band steps), giving a clearer picture of your level, alongside one comparable 0–120 overall figure, shown only during the transition to January 2028. Our free mock estimates the same 1–6 bands so you can see where you stand before test day.
Practise the 2026 format free
Take a full-length practice mock built to the January-2026 TOEFL iBT® structure and task types, and get a predicted 1–6 band — no card required.
Reviewed 30 July 2026 · Editorial policy
Primary source: ETS — current TOEFL iBT content and structure.
Avermond Test Prep is an independent preparation service. TOEFL® is a registered trademark of ETS. This product is not endorsed or approved by ETS. Item counts and timings reflect the published January-2026 specifications and may vary slightly by test form.