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Complete Practice Test for the TOEFL® Test

Josh MacPherson

Josh MacPherson has taught English language learners in New York, Seoul, and Osaka.
He holds a BA in Secondary Education and an MA in ESL Curriculum and Instruction.

Free Practice Test for the TOEFL® (PDF)

Ready to download the PDF version of your complete TOEFL sample test?

Well here it is: Complete Practice Test #13 so you can know what to expect on test day.

Or are you looking for Practice Questions for the TOEFL® Reading?

Well, we have 100 of those for free right here. 100 Practice Questions for the TOEFL® Reading Section

But wait!

Getting a complete TOEFL practice test is only half the battle.You also need to learn the structure of the test and how to study effectively.

By the end of this short article, you will be able to distinguish the difference between the Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL. You will also discover five TOEFL study tips to help organize your study schedule and improve your TOEFL score.

Here is the TOEFL Exam structure and some helpful tips

Five tips to improve your TOEFL Score The TOEFL Structure

The TOEFL Reading Section

The first part of the exam is the TOEFL Reading section. As of the latest TOEFL update on July 26, 2023, there are two academic passages of approximately 700 words each. The subjects will consist of texts found in a typical university textbook. Following each passage are ten questions about the reading passage. You will have 36 minutes to read the two passages and answer the 20 questions in total.

There are ten types of questions in the Reading section of the TOEFL. The frequency of each question type varies. Here is a helpful chart of the question types with examples of the question phrasing.

The Reading Section Question Types

Question TypeFrequencyTime to AnswerQuestion ValueQuestion Phrasing
1. Vocabulary2-460 seconds1“The word _________ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to…”
2. Factual Information (Detail)3-690 seconds1“According to paragraph 4, what….”
“Which of the following…”
“It is stated in paragraph 4 that…”
3. Negative Factual Information (Negative Detail)2-4120 seconds1“All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 3 EXCEPT…”
“Which of the following is NOT mentioned….”
4. Inference2-490 seconds1“What can be inferred from paragraph 5 about…”
“Paragraph 5 implies that…”
“Paragraph 5 suggests…”
5. Rhetorical Purpose (Author’s Purpose)2-490 seconds1“In paragraph 6, the author discusses ________ in order to…”
“Why does the author mention…”
6. Sentence Simplification (Paraphrasing)2-3120 seconds1“Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4?”
7. Insert Text (Sentence Insertion)2-3120 seconds1“In paragraph 2 there is a missing sentence. Where would the sentence best fit?”
8. Reference (Pronoun Referent)0-160 seconds1“The word _________ in paragraph 1 refers to…”
9. Prose Summary (Summary)1-2150 seconds1“An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.”
10. Fill In A Table (Organization)0-1150 seconds2-3“Complete the table below to summarize information about _________ in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to _________”

For more information about the TOEFL Reading section, check out this post by Professional ESL Test Prep 

The TOEFL Listening Section

After the Reading section, you will have to complete the Listening section, which will take about 36 minutes. The Listening section is divided into two identical parts. In each part, you will have three listening passages: one conversation between a student and campus employee and two academic lectures. The conversations last 2-4 minutes, and the academic lectures are approximately five minutes each.

You will be asked five questions after the conversation, ten in total, and six questions after each of the four academic lectures, 24 in total. The question types, like in the Reading section, vary. This chart explains the question types, with examples of phrasing, and the frequency of the question type:

The Listening Section Question Types

Question TypeQuestion
Frequency
(per section)		Question ValueQuestion Phrasing
1. gist – content3-51“What is the topic of the discussion?”
“What is the professor mainly discussing?”
2. gist – purpose1-21“Why does the student visit the professor?”
“Why does the professor mention…?”
3. detail6-101“What is stated in the passage about…”
“According to the speaker,…”
4. understanding the speaker’s attitude1-41“What’s the professor’s opinion of…?”
“What can be inferred about the student?”
5. understanding the function3-61“What does the speaker mean when he says…”
“Why does the professor say this…”
6. making inferences1-41“What can be inferred about …?”
“What does the speaker imply about…?”
7. understanding organization2-51“How does the professor organize the information about…”
8. connecting content1-42This is a question where you must fill out a table and indicate the correct information.
“What does the professor imply about X?”
Curious what these conversations and lectures sound like? Exam English provides some audio samples here.

There used to be a 10-minute break during the TOEFL test but not anymore. As of July 26, 2023, the TOEFL test was shortened to take just two hours to complete, and the break time was retired.

The TOEFL Speaking Section

After the listening comes the TOEFL Speaking section. The structure of this section is different from the reading and listening. In the speaking section, you will encounter four questions. The first is an independent question, and the next three are integrated questions. Let’s take a closer look at each since they all follow a different structure.

The first question is usually a paired-choice question, which means you must decide between two choices. For example:

“Do you agree or disagree: all high school students should wear school uniforms.”

The questions range in subject matter, so there is no way to prepare a specific answer before the exam. You might be asked a question about business, travel, education, family, friendship, and so on. After the question is asked, you will be given 15 seconds to prepare a response and 45 seconds to speak.

Question two is the first of three integrated speaking questions. This is probably the easiest of all the integrated speaking questions.

First, you will read a short announcement about a new rule or policy on campus. Like question two, question three will begin with a short reading passage.

In task four, you are expected to listen to an academic topic for two to three minutes and then report on the information you heard. You will be given 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. In your response, you must be able to identify the topic of the lecture and the most important details.

The Speaking Section Question Types

Question TypeQuestion DetailsQuestion ExplanationTime Breakdown
Independent SpeakingQuestion 1
Paired Choice		Asks about your general opinion on a wide range of possible issues. You usually have just two options.15 seconds to prepare
45 seconds to speak
Integrated
Speaking		Question 2
Campus Announcement and Conversation		Report on the opinion of one of the speakers in the conversation and explain why he or she feels that way50 seconds to read/take notes
60-120 seconds to listen/take notes
30 seconds to prepare
60 seconds to speak
Question 3
Academic Reading
and Lecture		Explain the academic topic introduced in the reading and describe the main points about the topic described in the lecture.45 seconds to read/take notes
60-120 seconds to listen/take notes
30 seconds to prepare
60 seconds to speak
Question 4
Academic Lecture		Sum up the topic and main points from the lecture.120-180 seconds to listen/take notes
20 seconds to prepare
60 seconds to speak
Here you can find some TOEFL Speaking topics for the independent speaking task with sample answers.

The TOEFL Writing Section

Finally, you have arrived at the last section, the TOEFL Writing section. The Writing section lasts about 30 minutes. Here, you will be expected to write an essay in response to two separate writing tasks.

The first is an integrated writing task, and the second is called Writing for an Academic Discussion. The integrated writing is almost identical to question #4 in the TOEFL Speaking section. You will read a passage, listen to a lecture, and then write about the two.

The last question on the exam was introduced on July 26, 2023, Writing for an Academic Discussion. You will be asked to contribute to an online discussion where a professor will pose a question, and two students offer their opinions. You will be expected to write at least 100 words that contribute to the discussion. Check out an example below:

Here is a breakdown of the tasks and the time allocations for the TOEFL Writing section:

The Writing Section Question Types

Question TypeQuestion DetailsQuestion ExplanationTime Breakdown
Integrated Essay1. Read an academic text
2. Listen to a lecture
3. Write your essay		Connect the topic of the reading with the academic lecture. Show how the main points in the reading are contrasted by the lecturer. Only report on the information you heard and read3 minutes to read/take notes
2-3 minutes to listen/take notes
20 minutes to write
Writing for an Academic Discussion1. Read a topic introduction and question by professor
2. Read two student responses to the question
3. Write your response		Write a response that adds to the discussion. Be sure to answer the question. You may cite some of the points made by other students, but it is not necessary. Aim to write at least 120 words.10 minutes to read and write
Looking for more information on the Writing section? Check out this link from the ETS website.

Woo hoo! The TOEFL is so exciting, right?

Excited enough to download the PDF version of a free and complete TOEFL practice test?

Download our free practice test

Now that you are familiar with the structure of the TOEFL, it’s time to check out some exclusive TST Prep TOEFL Tips.

Five Tips to Improve your TOEFL Score!

Here are five actions you must take while studying for the TOEFL so you can improve your score.

TIP 1: Get Used to the Clock

This is a timed iBT test! And, each section of the TOEFL lasts somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour. Therefore, it is very important to get used to working with the clock.

When studying at home, ALWAYS do practice tests under the test time constraints. This will prepare you to work under pressure and manage your time on test day. See the time breakdowns above for each section of the exam.

If you are struggling, practice without a timer first. Start to incorporate the timer with your TOEFL studies once you feel more comfortable working under the clock.

TIP 2: Type Without Spellcheck

On the TOEFL exam, you will not have access to spellcheck. Therefore, you should be practicing with spellcheck turned off! You are going to be responsible for finding your own grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes on test day, so start practicing this now!

This is especially true for the Writing section, where you will be writing essays. Give yourself extra time to edit and proofread your answers since you won’t have spellcheck there to do it for you.

Want more tips for how to tackle the Writing section? Check out our Ten Awesome Tips for the Writing Section of the TOEFL® Test

TIP 3: Take Notes Like a TOEFL pro

Throughout the test, one of the most important things to do is to take notes! You will need to give yourself a little extra time to gather your thoughts and plan your answers. So, during the exam, you need to take good notes. Therefore, you should practice taking notes on your practice tests too.

I can’t emphasize this enough.

Note taking is important for EVERY section of the exam!

Want to know more about taking notes in the Reading section? Check out Guide to TOEFL Reading Time Management

TIP 4: Study like an American!

As you prepare for the TOEFL, you should do a lot of TOEFL practice tests. Grading the TOEFL Reading and Listening sections of the exam is easy, but the speaking and writing sections will require professional help from a teacher or TOEFL expert.

Don’t make the same mistake as others. You need someone who knows about the TOEFL to listen to your speaking and read your writing responses. They will tell you your strengths, weaknesses and exactly what you need to do to improve. 

If you just download the free TOEFL practice PDF without asking someone to grade your speaking and writing, then you are NOT putting yourself in a position to improve.

That’s why there are certified English teachers out there who are available to give you feedback on your practice exams, especially for the Speaking and Writing sections. Reach out to them to get the help you need while preparing for the TOEFL.

We offer Writing Evaluations from professional TOEFL teachers

TIP 5: Prepare for a noisy TOEFL Test

Be prepared for a noisy room on test day. At the test center, you will hear the voices of other students because everyone will be responding to the speaking section questions at different times.

There will also be noise from people dropping their pencils, coughing, opening, and closing doors, etc. Trust us, it is not going to be ideal for test-taking.

So, in order to simulate this kind of test environment, take your complete TOEFL iBT practice tests in a coffee shop or in another, louder area. That way, you will already know how to ignore these kinds of distractions on test day! Look, we know the TOEFL exam is a huge undertaking, and kudos to you for taking it on! If you feel like you want more help, Sojourning Scholar also made a list of the Best TOEFL YouTube Channels in 2024 where you can find additional helpful materials.

The fastest and easiest way to your TOEFL score is through practice.

Use this free test to get started:

Complete Practice Test #13

Did you find these TOEFL tips helpful?
Is there another TOEFL tip you believe is useful? 

Let us know in the comments section below. 

And we are always here to help if you have any questions: [email protected]

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