2026 TOEFL Explained: 1 to 6 Score Chart, New Tasks, TestReady Prep

Updated 2026/10/16

What is the 2026 TOEFL? From January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT uses a new 1 to 6 score scale (in 0.5 steps, aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference, CEFR). All four sections have new question types, and the test is now adaptive, adjusting the questions to how you perform. Your total score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest 0.5. Until January 2028, score reports also include a comparable 0 to 120 total so schools can map it to their old requirements (ETS: understanding your scores, official ETS blog).

The TOEFL and the IELTS are the two big English tests that almost every student going abroad remembers. Some schools, however, no longer accept IELTS scores. Northwestern’s Medill School, for example, stopped accepting the IELTS as proof of English proficiency.

This article covers the main points of the new TOEFL: the test structure, how it compares with the old version, how the 1 to 6 scale maps to 0 to 120, when scores come out, and the three prep steps and free official resources I recommend. Writing has always been a weak spot for many students, and I often get messages asking for help, so the second half keeps my explanation of the Academic Discussion writing rubric.

What changed in the 2026 TOEFL?

ETS announced the redesign on May 29, 2025, and the new test applies to sessions on or after January 21, 2026. There are four main changes:

• Scores move to a 1 to 6 scale: each of the four sections gets a score from 1 to 6 (in 0.5 steps), and the total is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest 0.5. ETS’s example: an average of 5.25 gives a total of 5.5 (source).
• Adaptive testing: ETS says Reading and Listening use a “multistage adaptive” design, so question difficulty adjusts to how you answer (source). ETS also notes that because the test adapts, timing and the number of questions may vary (source).
• All-new question types: every section has new tasks, such as Complete the Words in Reading and Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview in Speaking (source).
• Faster scores: ETS says test takers get their scores within 72 hours of the test (source).

Old vs. new TOEFL compared

Item	Old test (before Jan 21, 2026)	New test (from Jan 21, 2026)
Scores	0 to 30 per section, 0 to 120 total (sum of four sections)	1 to 6 per section (in 0.5 steps), total is the average of the four
Test design	Fixed questions	Adaptive, questions adjust to performance
Reading	2 passages of about 700 words, 10 questions each, about 35 minutes	Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage; 50 questions, about 30 minutes
Listening	3 lectures and 2 conversations, about 36 minutes	Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk; 47 questions, about 29 minutes
Writing	Integrated writing (20 minutes) + Academic Discussion writing (10 minutes), about 29 minutes	Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion; 12 questions, about 23 minutes
Speaking	4 tasks (1 independent, 3 integrated), about 16 minutes	Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview; 11 questions, about 8 minutes
Total time	About 2 hours	About 90 minutes across sections (excluding instructions); ETS recommends allowing about 2 hours

The sections of the new test add up to less time than the old one, but ETS still recommends setting aside about two hours, and the adaptive design means the actual number of questions and timing can vary. Don’t schedule your test day too tightly.

Question types in the four sections of the new TOEFL

Reading

• Complete the Words: fill in the missing parts of words in a short paragraph.
• Read in Daily Life: read short everyday texts, such as notices, messages, or brief instructions.
• Read an Academic Passage: read a short academic passage similar to university course material.

Source: ETS Reading section overview

Listening

• Listen and Choose a Response: hear one sentence and choose the best response.
• Listen to a Conversation: listen to a conversation, mostly about campus life.
• Listen to an Announcement: listen to an announcement in an academic or campus setting.
• Listen to an Academic Talk: listen to a short academic talk by a professor or expert.

You can take notes during Listening. Source: ETS Listening section overview

Writing

• Build a Sentence: arrange words or phrases into a complete, grammatical sentence or question.
• Write an Email: write an email in an academic or social situation, for example making a request, giving information, or suggesting a solution.
• Write for an Academic Discussion: post and support your opinion on an online class discussion board (this task existed in the old test too; the rubric is below).

Source: ETS Writing section overview

Speaking

• Listen and Repeat: hear a short sentence and repeat it exactly. It tests whether you understand spoken English and can say it accurately and clearly.
• Take an Interview: a simulated interview set in an academic or campus context, where you answer questions about your own experiences and opinions.

Source: ETS Speaking section overview

How is the new TOEFL scored? The 1 to 6 scale and the 0 to 120 conversion table

The new test uses the same 1 to 6 scale for all four sections and the total, and ETS has published the CEFR level for each score (source):

CEFR level	New TOEFL score (sections and total)
C2	6
C1	5.5, 5
B2	4.5, 4
B1	3.5, 3
A2	2.5, 2
A1	1.5, 1

If you have an old-format score, or your school still lists a 0 to 120 requirement, use the official ETS conversion table below. Section columns are old 0 to 30 scores, and the last column is the old 0 to 120 total:

New score	Reading	Listening	Writing	Speaking	Old total
6	29-30	28-30	29-30	28-30	114+
5.5	27-28	26-27	27-28	27	107+
5	24-26	22-25	24-26	25-26	95+
4.5	22-23	20-21	21-23	23-24	86+
4	18-21	17-19	17-20	20-22	72+
3.5	12-17	13-16	15-16	18-19	58+
3	6-11	9-12	13-14	16-17	44+
2.5	4-5	6-8	11-12	13-15	34+
2	3	4-5	7-10	10-12	24+
1.5	2	2-3	3-6	5-9	12+
1	0-1	0-1	0-2	0-4	0+

ETS also points out that the old total was the sum of four sections, so the same total could come from different section score combinations. During the transition from January 2026 to January 2028, new score reports show a comparable 0 to 120 total alongside the 1 to 6 score, using the midpoint of the matching total score range (source). ETS recommends that schools list a 1 to 6 requirement during this period and keep their 0 to 120 requirement with a date noted (source), so you may see both when you apply.

When do new TOEFL scores come out, and how long are they valid?

• When scores come out: official scores appear in your ETS account 3 days after the test, and the PDF score report can be downloaded 1 day after your online scores are available (source).
• Validity: scores are valid for 2 years from the test date, after which ETS no longer sends them (source). This also applies to old-format scores from before 2026, so some of them will stay in use until the end of 2027 (source).
• Sending score reports: your registration fee includes up to 4 official score reports sent to schools or institutions (source).
• Rescoring: you can pay to have Speaking and Writing rescored within 30 days of the test. Reading and Listening can’t be rescored (source).
• Registration fee: the fee at test centers in Taiwan is US$272. For rescheduling, extra score reports, and other fees, select your country on the ETS fees page to see the latest amounts.

Three steps to prepare for the new TOEFL

Step 1: Test your current level

You need to know how far you are from your target score before you can plan your prep and close the gap. The question types have changed a lot, so even if you’ve taken the old test, I recommend trying the new format first. TOEFL® TestReady™, the official all-in-one prep platform, brings together practice questions, courses, books, performance analysis, and progress tracking. With a free account you get one full practice test scored automatically by AI, which shows your strengths and weaknesses across the four sections so you can decide how to prepare.

How to use TOEFL TestReady

• Free full practice test: take a complete TOEFL iBT practice test any time, with automatic AI scoring.
• Free daily practice (Activity of the Day): one free question a day from one of the four sections, good for keeping in practice in spare moments.
• Free study plan: answer 5 short questions to get an interactive study plan that fits your schedule, tracks your progress, and focuses on the skills you need to work on.
• Free samples of section tests and section practice: each of the four sections has free sample questions, so you can try them before deciding whether to buy the full content.
• Free course, The Insider’s Guide: a self-paced free course you can take whenever you have time.
• Paid advanced resources: practice tests (TPO, scored within 24 hours), the official TOEFL iBT prep course (a 6-month subscription, available as The Prep Course and The Prep Course PLUS), the official guide, books, and bundles.

These features are taken from the official ETS TestReady page. What’s free and what’s paid may change, so check the official site before you use it.

Step 2: Learn from people who’ve done it

The most efficient way to avoid detours is to learn from people who have already reached their target TOEFL score. Below are prep tips from past test takers, shared by TOEFL officially, to give you an idea of what people tend to overlook:

These tips were originally written for the old test, but the practice methods still work for the new one. Note that Speaking now consists of Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview, and Writing adds Build a Sentence and Write an Email, so practice with the new question types.

Speaking

• The simplest way to find problems in your speaking is to listen to a recording of your answers. Record yourself answering, then listen back several times to correct and refine your pronunciation, intonation, and the logic of what you say.
• If you have no sense of your speaking level, the AI features in the official prep materials can help you spot weak areas, such as rhythm and pace, so you can target them and score higher.
• Create as many chances to speak English as you can. Use the English situations that come up in daily life to practice, and speaking will get easier once it’s part of your routine.

Listening

• Find out your real listening level. Use the listening practice questions in the official prep materials to get used to the pace of the test. This trains you to pick up the important information, put your attention on the key points under test conditions, and develop your own approach to the questions so you save energy.
• Combine intensive and extensive listening. Use the listening exercises in the official prep materials for intensive practice. For extensive listening, try watching TED talks when you wake up and before bed, and actively surround yourself with English.

Reading

• An efficient way to improve your reading is timed practice. Gradually read more and do lots of questions to build a feel for them. Pick suitable reading questions from prep materials and answer them strictly within the test time limits. Once you’re used to test conditions, your reading improves much faster.
• Developing a feel for English helps your score more than memorizing vocabulary alone, and keeping that feel requires constant input. A daily exercise works well: the official prep materials include a free daily practice question, so you can use spare moments for reading practice.

Writing

• To get a high writing score, study how model essays are structured to understand the logic of English writing. The official prep materials include sample responses. Use them to sharpen your writing and spend your effort where it counts.
• Writing faster takes solid language skills, and your typing speed matters too. Practice writing under the official time limits in test-like conditions, and you’ll be calmer on test day.
• Practicing alone only gets you so far. Form a group or study circle to practice writing and brainstorm with friends, which broadens your thinking. Reading other people’s essays, giving each other feedback, and practicing regularly will improve your writing faster.

Step 3: Know your target schools’ score requirements

The TOEFL isn’t cheap, so I strongly recommend reading your target schools’ TOEFL requirements carefully, so you don’t discover after the test that your score doesn’t meet them. (Don’t be surprised: I often see people realize close to the application deadline that one of their section scores falls short.) Knowing exactly what score your schools need also gives your prep a clearer direction.

With the new test, schools are also changing how they state requirements. Some list the 1 to 6 scale, others still list 0 to 120. If you see a 0 to 120 requirement, convert it with the table above. If you see a 1 to 6 requirement, check whether it’s for the total or for each section. When in doubt, go by the school’s admissions page or ask the admissions office directly.

New TOEFL writing: the Academic Discussion rubric

Write for an Academic Discussion stays in the new test, alongside the new Write an Email task (source). The image below is the official Academic Discussion rubric, which scores each response from 0 to 5; the Writing score on your new score report is converted to the 1 to 6 scale. For the latest rubric, see the ETS writing rubrics PDF.

Writing for an Academic Discussion: scoring rubric

Many people have questions about how the Writing for an Academic Discussion task is scored, so here is a plain-language explanation of each level (the official English rubric above is the authoritative version):

Score 5: a fully successful response
The response is highly relevant to the discussion, very clearly expressed, and shows consistent control of language. A typical response at this level has:

• Explanations, examples, and details that are well developed and thorough.
• A flexible range of sentence structures and precise, natural word choice.
• Almost no grammar or word errors; any that appear are small typos or spelling slips such as there/their.

Score 4: a generally successful response
The response is relevant to the discussion and uses language well enough that the writer’s ideas are easy to follow. A typical response at this level has:

• Adequate explanations, examples, and details.
• A variety of sentence structures and appropriate word choice.
• Only a few grammar or vocabulary errors.

Score 3: a partially successful response
The response is mostly relevant and mostly understandable, but its use of language has some limitations. A typical response at this level has:

• Explanations or examples that may be incomplete, or parts that are unclear or not very relevant.
• Fairly repetitive sentence structures and a limited vocabulary.
• Some noticeable grammar or word errors, for example in sentence structure, word forms, or idiomatic usage.

Score 2: a mostly unsuccessful response
The response tries to contribute to the discussion, but limited language makes it hard for the reader to follow. A typical response at this level has:

• Ideas that may be incomplete or only partly relevant to the discussion.
• A very limited range of sentence structures and vocabulary.
• Many errors in sentence structure, word forms, or grammar, which may make it impossible to understand.

Score 1: an unsuccessful response
There is an attempt to respond, but the language is so limited that no clear ideas come across. A typical response at this level has:

• Words and phrases that may attempt to address the task but lack specific ideas or logic.
• Very poor sentence structures and vocabulary.
• Frequent, serious grammar errors that make it almost impossible to understand.
• Very little original language; much of the content may be copied straight from the prompt.

Score 0: the response is blank, entirely off topic, not in English, copied entirely from the prompt, or just random keystrokes.

Official resources

• ETS overview of the new test content: question types and timing for the four sections.
• ETS: understanding your scores: how the 1 to 6 scale works, how it compares with 0 to 120, and the rules for score release and rescoring.
• ETS score scale update: the CEFR mapping and ETS’s score-setting recommendations for schools.
• TOEFL TestReady: the official prep platform and free practice test.
• ETS test fees: select your country to see the registration fee, rescheduling fee, and other costs.

(Ended) The first version of this article introduced a 2024 TOEFL x United Airlines flight ticket giveaway for test takers who shared their experience. It was open only to 2024 test takers and has now ended.

2026 TOEFL FAQ

When does the 2026 TOEFL start?

All TOEFL iBT sessions on or after January 21, 2026 use the new format, with new question types, adaptive testing, and the 1 to 6 score scale (source).

What does a 1 to 6 score equal on the old scale?

According to the official ETS conversion table, a new total of 5 corresponds to roughly 95 or above on the old scale, 4.5 to 86 or above, 4 to 72 or above, and 6 to 114 or above. See the full table above (source).

My school still asks for a TOEFL score of 100. What do I do with a new-format score?

From January 2026 to January 2028, new score reports also include a comparable 0 to 120 total, so schools can compare it directly with their old requirement. ETS also recommends that during the transition schools list both a 1 to 6 requirement and a dated 0 to 120 requirement (source). Check each school’s own announcement for what it actually accepts.

Can I still use an old-format TOEFL score from before 2026?

Yes. TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years from the test date, and old-format scores can still be sent while they are valid (source, source).

How long is the new TOEFL?

The four sections of the new test take about 90 minutes in total (excluding instructions), and ETS recommends allowing about 2 hours to finish. Because the test is adaptive, the actual number of questions and timing can vary somewhat (source).

Is there free official practice for the new TOEFL?

Yes. TestReady, the official prep platform, offers a free full practice test (scored automatically by AI), a daily question, a free study plan, and free sample questions for each section (source).

Final thoughts

The TOEFL is accepted by more than 13,500 universities and institutions in over 160 countries, so for many students it’s a required part of applying abroad. The new test has a new score scale and new question types. Before you start preparing, check your target schools’ latest requirements, then use the official resources to get familiar with the new format.

I hope you all reach your target scores, and good luck with your prep!