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TOEFL Exam Syllabus 2025: Section-wise Syllabus

TOEFL exam syllabus is designed to focus on key areas of the language, which are reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills of the student in a university setting. TOEFL is one of the best language test systems that measures the skills of test takers in English. Besides, more than 4 million users trust it from which one can analyze the popularity of test. However, in this blog you will read about section-wise TOEFL syllabus so that you can improve your language skills. Let’s get started knowing about TOEFL in detail.

TOEFL Exam Syllabus

Table of Contents

Section-wise TOEFL Exam Syllabus

As mentioned above, there are four sections covered in the syllabus of TOEFL exam such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In each of these sections, there will be different types of questions and time duration. Take a quick look below to the table for overall details about it.

SectionNumber of QuestionsTime LimitTest ScoresDescription
TOEFL reading section2035 minutes0 - 30Read passages and answer to the questions
TOEFL listening section2836 minutes0 - 30Answer to the questions about brief lectures or classroom discussions
Break-10 minutes--
TOEFL speaking section4 tasks16 minutes0 - 30Talk about a familiar topic and discuss material you have heard and read
TOEFL writing section2 tasks29 minutes0 - 30Read a passage, listen to the audio, and type your response

After going through the table of the TOEFL exam format, it is time to read each section in brief.

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TOEFL Exam Syllabus: Reading Section

The TOEFL reading section includes two reading passages with 10 questions in each. The text length will be around 700 words per passage. Candidates must have completed the reading section within 35 minutes. After reading the content, test takers are advised to give their responses. Based on the number of correct answers, this will be scored. For more clarity, you must know the TOEFL reading question types which are listed below.

  • Reading factual information types of questions recognizes the main intent of the passage.
  • In vocabulary questions, you have to discover the meaning of the words.
  • Sentence simplification are type of question in the reading section where you have to choose a sentence simply with the same intent.
  • Inference and rhetorical questions that identify the idea of the reading passage which is not stated explicitly.
  • Insert text questions where you have to assess the logical order of thoughts and ideas.

TOEFL Exam Syllabus: Writing Section

In the TOEFL writing section, candidates have to write two essays. Each one will address a specific topic and formed with topic relevant explanations. Your response should be organized, developed, and display unity and coherence. The duration of writing section will be around 29 minutes. Among the two tasks, the first will be a short passage, where you have to write the answer after listening to an audio. You have to write an essay in the second task, on your personal experience.

  • Integrated writing tasks will be the first question type in the TOEFL writing. Candidates will hear a short lecture or passage through a recording in this task. They have to write their response based on the audio, and it should be completed within 20 minutes.
  • Writing for an academic discussion task will be the second question type here. Based on the academic topics, you will read an opinion and have to write an essay.

TOEFL Exam Syllabus: Speaking Section

The TOEFL speaking section covers four tasks in total. Each part will assess your ability to speak the English language in an academic setting. Generally, this section is based on real-life situations that students might have seen in or outside the classrooms. However, the speaking section also evaluates language use and topic development by the candidate.

  • Independent speaking will be the first task, where you need to present your ideas and opinions about the question. The preparation time will be 15-30 seconds, and you have to respond within 45-60 seconds.
  • In the TOEFL speaking, the second task will be the independent speaking task. The question will be related to campus-life situations. Around 30 seconds will be given here to prepare the response and 60 seconds to speak the answer.
  • The third and fourth question types are independent speaking tasks. These questions will be based on the academic courses. The preparation time will be 30 seconds, and you have to give the response within 60 seconds.

TOEFL Exam Syllabus: Listening Section

Lastly, in the TOEFL listening section, there will be a total of 28 questions in two types of tasks. The listening section measures your capability to understand lectures and conversations on different topics. There will be 18 questions in three lectures (3 to 5 minutes long audio, 500-800 words), 6 questions in each. On the other side, the second part includes two conversations (3 minutes long) with a total of 10 questions.

  • In gist content and gist purpose types of questions, you are asked to figure out the purpose behind the conversation that you will listen to.
  • Detail questions in TOEFL listening require you to remember the specific data or facts that you heard from the lecture.
  • In function questions, candidates have to identify the meaning of any sentence or given context.
  • Attitude tasks are based on evaluating your abilities to understand the feelings or attitude of the speaker.
  • In organization questions, test takers have to show their ability to understand the structure of the lecture.
  • You have to identify the relations among the thoughts of the lecture in connecting content questions.
  • Inference questions demonstrate your ability to understand the ideas that are not stated directly in the lecture.

You have taken a brief review of the TOEFL exam syllabus till now.

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TOEFL Exam Study Materials

Many of you face challenges in collecting the right type of study materials for the TOEFL exam syllabus 2025. However, your issues can be resolved through the following information, where you will read about sample papers, mock tests, and books related to TOEFL.

TOEFL Sample Paper

TOEFL sample paper gives you an overall assessment of English language proficiency with strong commands. Similar to other skilled tests for English, TOEFL is divided into four sections, and each requires a tailored preparation. However, TOEFL demands complete dedication and effort to excel in each area. With the use of sample papers, you can evaluate your skills and gauge your progress.

TOEFL Preparation Books

To prepare for the TOEFL exam syllabus, you can choose books and other resources. Before referring to any book for the TOEFL test, always focus on whether it includes the latest format. Besides, read the book, which contains different types of sample questions with detailed answer keys. There are a variety of references that cover the TOEFL practice test question types. Some good books are listed below:

  1. Official Guide to the TOEFL Test (ETS)
  2. Official TOEFL iBT Tests (ETS)
  3. The TOEFL iBT Test Prep Planner (ETS)
  4. ETS Official Guide to the TOEFL Test
  5. ETS Official TOEFL iBT Tests

With the above info, you have taken a quick review of study material for the TOEFL exam. Hopefully, now you can use them for your preparation.

TOEFL Preparation Tips

If you want to prepare well for the TOEFL exam 2025 syllabus and score high, you must have a strategy. Therefore, here are some toefl exam benefits given to you.

  • Plan Ahead: Preparation for the TOEFL test can never be completed in one day. Students must start their practice a couple of months ago for each area of skill. Hence, you will be able to score high if you give enough time for preparation.
  • Take Practice Tests: Solving many mock tests can be beneficial to prepare for the TOEFL exam syllabus. This is one of the self-evaluating tools that will help you identify your weak areas and make improvements.
  • Start Learning Vocabulary: Vocabulary plays a vital part in English language tests. However, students must know the use of complex and easy words. A strong command of vocabulary will help test takers convey their message accurately, and the chances of mistakes will also be reduced.
  • Understand the Syllabus: Students must understand the nuances of the exam. It includes a complete TOEFL syllabus, test pattern, and scoring system. This way you would know all about the exam and give your best on the exam day.

Wrapping Up

To conclude, you have taken an in-depth overview of the TOEFL exam syllabus. Before appearing for the test, make sure to be ready for all topics and upcoming challenges that you will see on the exam day. If you have the correct knowledge of the format probably you will not face any problem. Hopefully, the above details give you a better understanding of the test pattern, syllabus, and resources. Besides, you can go through the TOEFL exam syllabus PDF and mock tests and start preparation as soon as possible.

FAQs

1. What Is the Syllabus of TOEFL?

The TOEFL exam syllabus includes testing the student's skills in such areas as reading, writing, listening, and speaking

2. Is TOEFL a Difficult Exam?

Students from different countries face challenges in the TOEFL exam, including Indian candidates. The reason is that it focuses on academic topics and includes advanced-level vocabulary that is generally not spoken in daily use. But, with proper planning and preparation, it can become easy.

3. Is TOEFL Harder Than IELTS?

IELTS is comparatively shorter than TOEFL syllabus. When compared to the TOEFL exam pattern, the IELTS reading section is much easier. On the other hand, the TOEFL writing part is longer than the IELTS. In short, to ace desired scores in TOEFL, you require strong preparation.

4. What Is the TOEFL Passing Score?

The minimum passing score for TOEFL iBT is from 61 points to 109 points.

5. How Many Times Can I Take TOEFL?

There is no limit to the number of attempts for the TOEFL exam. However, candidates can not take TOEFL more than once in 3 days. Besides, if you have already registered for the exam, you cannot book another date within 3 days of existing registration.

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