The scale
You get a score for each of the four sections — Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing — on a 1 to 6 scale, plus an overall score on the same scale.
The overall is the average of all four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. ETS gives this example directly: an average of 5.125 is reported as an overall of 5.
The 0–120 score has not disappeared yet
For a two-year transition period after January 2026, ETS also reports a comparable score on the familiar 0–120 scale alongside the 1–6 one.
This matters if an institution's published requirement still says something like "TOEFL 90". During the transition you will have a 0–120 figure to give them. After it, you will not — so if you are applying in the next couple of years, check what scale the institution is actually asking for before you set a target.
What the four sections now look like
The test runs about two hours, not counting directions.
| Section | Items | Time | Task types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 50 | ~30 min | — |
| Listening | 47 | ~29 min | — |
| Speaking | 11 | ~8 min | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview |
| Writing | 12 | ~23 min | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion |
The Speaking section is short — around eight minutes — and it is built from many small items rather than a few long monologues. If you are preparing from older material that describes six long speaking tasks with independent and integrated prompts, that material is describing a different test.
Setting a target
Because the overall is a straight average rounded to the nearest half band, the arithmetic is worth thinking about before you start studying.
| Section scores | Average | Overall reported |
|---|---|---|
| 5, 5, 5, 5 | 5.0 | 5 |
| 6, 6, 4, 4 | 5.0 | 5 — the two 6s bought nothing |
| 5, 5, 5, 4 | 4.75 | 5 (rounds up to the nearest half band) |
| 5, 5, 4, 4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
The lesson is the same one in every average-based test: raise your floor, not your ceiling. A point gained in your weakest section is worth exactly as much as a point gained in your strongest, and it is far easier to get.
Where to go next
If you are preparing for the productive sections, the individual task guides are the place to start — the tasks are new enough that most preparation material has not caught up with them:
- Take an Interview — the spoken task
- Write an Email — register and structure
- Write for an Academic Discussion — contributing an argument, not a summary
- The full TOEFL guide
Always confirm the current format and scoring on the official ETS website before you sit the test — this page describes it as published in July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How is the TOEFL overall score calculated?
It is the average of your four section scores — Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing — rounded to the nearest half band on the 1 to 6 scale. ETS gives the example that an average of 5.125 is reported as an overall of 5.
Is TOEFL still scored out of 120?
For a two-year transition period after January 2026, ETS also reports a comparable score on the 0 to 120 scale alongside the 1 to 6 one. After that transition, the 1 to 6 scale is the score. If an institution still publishes a requirement like 'TOEFL 90', check which scale they are asking for before setting your target.
Which section should I focus on to raise my overall?
Your weakest. Because the overall is a straight average, a point gained in your weakest section is worth exactly as much as one gained in your strongest — and it is far easier to get. Two sections at 6 and two at 4 average to the same overall as four sections at 5.
How long is the TOEFL Speaking section now?
Around eight minutes, with about 11 items. It is built from many short items — Listen and Repeat, and Take an Interview — rather than a few long monologues. Preparation material describing six long independent and integrated speaking tasks is describing an older version of the test.