TOEFL iBT Changes Starting January 2026: What to Expect and Strategies for 100+
Hi everyone! Educational Testing Service (ETS) is implementing significant changes to the TOEFL iBT test, scheduled to begin in January 2026. Today, let's go over those changes and, more importantly, how to prepare to score 100+ on the exam.
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Understanding the Key Changes
Let's focus on the changes that truly matter for your exam preparation. Some updates, like the new dual scoring system (the addition of a 1-6 banded score aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, alongside the traditional 0-120 scale), will not significantly alter your study approach. Instead, we'll dive into the modifications that impact how you should prepare.
Adaptive Testing for Reading and Listening Sections
A major transformation is the introduction of a multistage adaptive design for both the Reading and Listening sections.
How it Works: The test will adjust the difficulty of questions in real time based on your performance. This means your answers to early questions will influence the difficulty of subsequent questions, making the test experience more personalized and potentially more efficient.
Two-Stage Structure: These sections will likely begin with an “initial calibration stage” composed of questions of uniform difficulty for all test-takers. Your performance during this crucial stage will determine the difficulty level of the “second stage”—this could be easier or harder.
Why the Shift to an Adaptive System?
While ETS does not explicitly state its reasons, we can infer the rationale based on observed TOEFL score distributions. Over a decade of analyzing TOEFL score data, I've consistently found that to reach the 50th percentile, you typically needed a raw score of about 25 in Reading and Listening, compared to approximately 22 in Speaking and Writing. This observation implies that previously, it might have been relatively easier to boost your score in Reading and Listening with focused study, instead of the productive skills.
From ETS’s perspective, if a raw score of 25 out of 30 correlates with the 50th percentile, it suggests that the current linear format may not be efficient enough in differentiating precisely between truly excellent (A+) and very good (A−) students, as high scores could potentially be achieved more easily or even by chance. The new adaptive test, I believe, aims to address this by making the percentile distribution more precise. This will potentially adjust the relative percentile value of a raw score, bringing it more in line with sections like Speaking and Writing, which already demonstrate clearer differentiation among test-takers.
Current: 50th percentile = ~25 (R/L) vs. ~22 (S/W).
Implies: R/L easier to improve with study currently.
ETS's perspective: Linear format inefficient at distinguishing A+ vs. A- students (high scores easily, maybe by chance).
Adaptive test aims: More precise percentile distribution, aligning R/L differentiation closer to S/W.
Impact on Your Preparation:
The GRE has utilized an adaptive system for decades. My own experience with the GRE can illustrate a crucial lesson for you: I scored in the 98th percentile in GRE Verbal because I performed exceptionally well on the initial questions. I still remember the very first question, which asked for the meaning of “hirsute”—a word I knew from diligently studying their collection of past exam questions.
For TOEFL, this means you must answer the first few questions correctly, especially during the calibration stage, to distinguish yourself from the crowd. A strong performance at the outset will pave your path to higher-difficulty questions and, consequently, a higher potential score, more accurately reflecting your precise proficiency. This reinforces the need for comprehensive preparation across all content areas to confidently tackle these foundational questions. Being thoroughly prepared for these initial questions means rigorously studying all past exam questions, as this is where ETS will likely establish its standards.
TOEFL Implication: MUST answer the first few questions correctly, especially calibration stage -> distinguishes you.
Content Changes for Each Section
The content of each section has also changed. Let's review ETS’s announcements and try to make some inferences for your preparation.
Reading Section:
Instead of the current two long passages, each composed of five to six paragraphs, the new format will include both the traditional longer passages and shorter ones. The shorter passages are most likely to appear during the calibration stage. These shorter passages might be just a single paragraph from an old passage or come from “sources like newspapers, magazines, and websites.” The good news is that the question types remain the same, meaning your preparation for question strategies will largely remain unchanged.
Listening Section:
The Listening section currently comprises three lectures and two conversations. ETS states that, beginning in 2026, the Listening section will include “peer-to-peer conversations” focusing on scenarios such as group work. It is not yet specified how this new format will be integrated into the existing structure—it’s possible that one of the two current conversation formats (professor-student or student-campus staff) might be replaced.
Speaking Section:
The Speaking section will now include a virtual interview question. This is not designed to be a dynamic, back-and-forth conversation where you are asked follow-up questions based on your specific previous response. Instead, it is anticipated to be a series of short, pre-determined questions that all revolve around a single overarching topic, similar to the five-question interview currently included in the TOEFL Essentials Test.
For example, if the single topic is “Hobbies and Leisure Activities,” you might be presented with a rapid-fire sequence of questions like these:
Question 1: “What do you enjoy doing in your free time?” (You speak for 15–30 seconds)
Question 2: “Why is this activity important to you?” (You speak for 15–30 seconds)
Question 3: “How often do you engage in this hobby?” (You speak for 15–30 seconds)
Question 4: “Have your leisure activities changed over time, and if so, how?” (You speak for 15–30 seconds)
Question 5: “What new hobby would you like to try in the future?” (You speak for 15–30 seconds)
Currently, the Speaking section has four questions: one independent speaking task where you speak for 45 seconds, answering a specific topic with a thesis and support, and three integrated tasks (summarizing a student conversation on campus life, explaining a concept with illustration from a lecture, and summarizing lecture material logically). The independent speaking task (Task 1) is functionally similar to the virtual interview, as both ask for your personal ideas and opinions. ETS has not yet stated whether the interview questions would replace Task 1 or be added as an additional task.
Writing Section:
The Writing section will also include an e-mail writing task. Currently, the section features an integrated essay (which assesses your summary skills) and an academic discussion task (requiring argumentation skills). ETS states that the academic discussion task will be retained. It is not yet stated whether the integrated writing task will be replaced by the e-mail writing task or added as a third task.
Content Changes for Each Section:
Reading Section:
Current: Two long passages (5-6 paras each).
New: Includes both old long + shorter passages.
Listening Section:
Current: 3 lectures + 2 conversations.
New: Includes "peer-to-peer conversations" (group work scenarios).
Speaking Section:
Current: 4 tasks
New: Virtual interview question anticipated.
Writing Section:
Current: Integrated essay (summary skill) + Academic Discussion (argument skill).
New: Email writing task will be included.
Conclusion
While these changes are significant, the overall skills required to score 100+ remain fundamentally the same: comprehensive English proficiency. We will have more concrete information as we get closer to the implementation of these changes.
Sign up for Dr. Byrnes’ TOEFL courses now to study for the current test as well as for the 2026 test, as you will receive free upgrades for the courses to reflect the latest ETS changes.