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The TOEFL became shorter on July 26, 2023


For reference, when you take the TOEFL nowadays, your exam will:


Test Structure Changes


There are now fewer Listening and Reading questions, and the amount of time for the Writing section has been cut almost in half. Here is the full list of changes:

Test and Section Number of Questions Time Limit
Old TOEFL Reading 30 to 40 questions 54 to 72 minutes
Current Shorter Reading 20 questions 36 minutes
Old TOEFL Listening 28 to 39 questions 41 to 57 minutes
Current Shorter Listening 28 questions ~36 minutes
Old TOEFL Speaking 4 tasks 16 minutes
Current Shorter Speaking 4 tasks 16 minutes
Old TOEFL Writing 2 tasks 50 minutes
Current Shorter Writing 2 tasks 30 minutes

And there are a couple other things to highlight about the current shorter TOEFL:


Test Content Changes


The Academic Discussion essay involves reading a couple short paragraphs from a professor and two students, in the format of an online forum or message board. The professor will ask you to share your opinion about something (for example, "Do the benefits of plastic outweigh its environmental costs?"), and the responses from the two students will take one side of the argument or the other. You will then have 10 minutes to write a response of your own.


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