TOEFL 2026: New Skills to Master

Hello everyone. Today, our goal is to take an in-depth look at the new TOEFL iBT test, which will launch in late January 2026.
This video will mainly explain the new test questions. It will help you decide whether to start preparing now for the 2026 version or take the current 2025 version instead.

Generally speaking, the 2026 version is much easier to master, and I strongly recommend preparing for it—if timing is not a concern for you.

If you're somewhere in between, feel free to sign up for any of Dr. Byrnes’ current courses. These will be upgraded for free to the new version.
Or, if you'd like access to a brand-new, comprehensive 2026 course that covers all four sections, you'll only need to pay the price difference.

We’ll be doing three things today:

First, we'll look at the new exam format.
Second, we’ll examine the sample question types.
And finally, we’ll discuss high-scoring strategies for each section based on the official ETS rubrics.

The New TOEFL Test Format

Just like the current test, the new TOEFL will have four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. However, the order of these sections has been changed, with the writing section now coming before the speaking section.

The new format introduces a significant reduction in total test time, now ranging from 67 to 85 minutes, making it much shorter than the current version. The specific number of questions and the time allocated per section may vary slightly because the test uses an adaptive format, meaning the difficulty of the questions adjusts in real-time based on your performance.

Here's a breakdown of the estimated timing for each section:

Reading: 18 to 27 minutes (35-48 questions)
Listening: 18 to 27 minutes (35-45 questions)
Writing: 23 minutes (12 questions/tasks)
Speaking: 8 minutes (11 questions/tasks)

Reading Section

The Reading section will have between 35 and 48 questions and an estimated time of 18 to 27 minutes. This might seem like not enough time, but don't worry! The new question types are designed to be answered much more quickly than the dense academic reading comprehension questions of the current test.

The new Reading section includes three main question types:

Word Completion: You will be asked to fill in missing letters of words within a paragraph. This is a very quick and straightforward task.
Reading in Daily Life: This type of question requires you to read non-academic materials like emails and notices and then answer questions based on them.
Reading an Academic Passage: This is similar to the current test, where you read an academic passage and answer questions about it.

The first two types of questions are new and can be answered very quickly, as they don't involve extensive reading or dense academic material. The third type is similar to the existing TOEFL Reading section, testing your ability to comprehend academic texts.

Let’s examine sample questions in each of the three categories provided by the ets.

1. Complete the Words

This task requires you to fill in the missing letters of words within a provided text. You'll need to complete a total of 10 words, with each correct word giving you one point, for a total of 10 points.

To understand the skills needed for this task, let's look at a sample passage provided by ETS:

We know from drawings that have been preserved in caves for over 10,000 years that early humans performed dances as a group activity. We mi--- think th-- prehistoric peo--- concentrated on-- on ba--- survival. How----, it i- clear fr-- the rec--- that dan---- was important to them. They recorded more drawings of dances than of any other group activity. Dances served various purposes, including ritualistic communication with the divine, storytelling, and social cohesion.

Let's complete these words together.

"mi---": The main verb is "think," so we need an auxiliary verb that begins with "mi-". The only option that fits the context is "might". The number of dashes is a helpful clue for the length of the word.
"th--": This is a four-letter word that functions as a conjunction or pronoun. Given the context, the word should be "that".
"peo---": This is a common word. It should be "people".
"on--": The text reads "concentrated on-- on ba--- survival." The preposition "on" is provided, followed by two blanks. The most fitting word is "only", so the letters to fill in are "ly".
"ba---": The word is clearly "basic".
"How----": A four-letter word beginning with "How-". This transition word is "However".
"i-": A two-letter verb. This one is simple: "is".
"fr--": A three-letter preposition beginning with "fr-". The word is "from".
"rec---": This one is tricky. Let's read the sentence that follows: "They recorded more drawings..." The article "the" signals that a noun should follow. The related verb in the next sentence, "recorded," gives us a strong clue that the missing word is the noun form: "record".
"dan----": This word is related to "dances." The context of the sentence requires a gerund or a noun. The word should be "dancing".

As you can see, solving these requires a combination of skills:

Grammar Knowledge: Some words, like "is" or "that," require you to understand basic sentence structure.
Vocabulary & Spelling: For words like "people" or "basic," your spelling knowledge is key.
Context Clues: For more challenging words, like "record," you need to read the entire paragraph to understand the overall meaning and find clues in surrounding sentences.

The key strategy here is to read the whole sentence first, think about what word fits best, and then fill in the correct letters. This task assesses your skills in vocabulary, spelling, and using context clues.

2. Reading in Daily Life

This task requires you to read a practical text, such as a notice, email, or social media post, and then answer multiple-choice questions about it. The skills you'll need are scanning for specific details, understanding the purpose of the text, and making inferences.

Let's look at an example from ETS.

Read the notice:

Municipal Charter: Sign up for paperless billing statements today. Safe, convenient, easy. Enroll in paperless billing to receive monthly savings account statements in an electronic PDF document. Access your Municipal Charter account through the mobile app and select account preferences in the upper right-hand corner to enroll.

Here are two questions based on this notice:

1. What type of business issued the notice?

(A) An Internet provider

(B) A computer company

(D) A bank

2. How can customers enroll in paperless billing?

(A) By visiting a Municipal Charter office

(B) By accessing the Municipal Charter website

(D) By calling a Municipal Charter customer service representative

To answer the first question, you need to scan the notice for key phrases. The phrase "savings account statements" is the most important clue. This is a term almost exclusively used by banks. Therefore, the answer is (D) A bank. This question can be tricky if you aren't familiar with common financial terms in an American context.

For the second question, you need to find the specific instructions for enrolling. The notice states, "Access your Municipal Charter account through the mobile app and select account preferences... to enroll." This clearly points to the mobile app as the method for enrollment. Thus, the answer is (C) By using the Municipal Charter app.

There are five questions in total for this type, usually based on two different passages (one with two questions and one with three). Succeeding here requires not only direct reading comprehension but also a familiarity with American culture and the ability to understand implied intent from the text.

3. Read an Academic Passage

The task here is to read an academic passage and answer a set of questions. These questions are similar to those found in the current TOEFL Reading section and cover a range of types, including vocabulary, factual information, inference, rhetorical purpose, and sentence insertion. The passage format is similar to the current TOEFL passages but much shorter—only about three paragraphs. Below is an example passage and related questions:

The Mirror Test

Very young children cannot recognize themselves in a mirror; they usually achieve this milestone around 18 months of age. The ability to recognize oneself in the mirror is considered to be a key component of self-awareness and consciousness for humans. But what about animals?...

For many years, scientists have known that members of the great ape family could recognize themselves in mirrors. They measured this by the “mirror test,” which involved putting a colored mark on an ape's body, and then showing the ape its reflection in a mirror. If the ape tried to remove the mark on its own body, the scientists knew that the ape was recognizing its reflection.

Apes are close relatives of humans, but in recent years, scientists have discovered that other animals also pass the "mirror test.” Elephants and dolphins have shown signs of self-recognition. These, like apes, are highly intelligent animals. But in a more recent experiment, a type of fish called the cleaner fish tried to scrape a mark off its body when it saw itself in the mirror. This suggests that even less intelligent animals may possess more self-awareness than previously suspected.

What is the passage mainly about?
(A) Stages of early childhood development
(B) Research on animal cognition
(C) Differences between apes, elephants, and dolphins
(D) Recent experiments on fish

Question 16, which asks about the main idea of the passage, is not commonly found in the TOEFL Reading section but is more typical of TOEFL Listening questions. The passage discusses the mirror test, which aims to determine whether animals can recognize themselves when looking in a mirror. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

The word "milestone” in the first sentence is closest in meaning to
(A) accomplishment
(B) distance
(C) weight
(D) discovery

17 is a vocabulary question, and A, accomplishment is similar to millstone.

Why did scientists put colored marks on animals' bodies?
(A) It made it possible to track the animals' movements.
(B) It helped them determine whether the animals recognized themselves.
(C) It made it easier to tell the animals apart.
(D) It showed whether some animals can detect color differences.

18 is an information/inference question as this is the clue: "If the ape tried to remove the mark on its own body, the scientists knew that the ape was recognizing its reflection."

According to the passage, all of the following are true about elephants EXCEPT:
(A) They can recognize themselves in mirrors.
(B) They are highly intelligent animals.
(C) They possess qualities in common with apes.
(D) They understand certain signs from other animals.

19 is a negative information question. D is the answer.

Why does the author mention cleaner fish?
(A) To suggest that a wide range of animals may possess self-awareness
(B) To imply that ocean animals are highly intelligent
(C) To demonstrate a flaw in a recent experiment
(D) To provide an example of an animal that does not recognize itself

20 is a rhetorical purpose question. the author mention cleaner fish to point out even low intelligence animals can recognize themselves so the correct answer should be A To suggest that a wide range of animals may possess self-awareness

Adaptive format

These first 20 questions are part of Module 1, which is common to all test takers. We have just finished reviewing this module. Your performance here will determine the difficulty of the questions you receive in the next section, Module 2.

The new TOEFL Reading and Listening sections use a two-module adaptive format. Both modules will have similar question types, but the difficulty of Module 2 will be adjusted based on how you performed in Module 1. If you answer questions correctly in Module 1, you will get harder questions in Module 2, giving you a chance to score higher. Conversely, if you perform poorly, Module 2 will contain easier questions. This adaptive system is designed to more accurately measure your proficiency by tailoring the test to your skill level.

Comparing the Old and New TOEFL Tests

The current (2025) TOEFL is designed to measure your academic preparedness for college. Its goal is to test your ability to understand and quickly explain abstract concepts or summarize academic arguments. This is a more theoretical approach, meaning a strong grasp of everyday English might not be enough if you struggle with dense academic passages.

The new (2026) TOEFL seems to have changed its goal entirely. It focuses less on college-level academic preparedness and more on the fundamental skills of English. This includes grammar, pronunciation, and contextual understanding of practical, everyday English rather than just academic English. For this reason, the new test may be generally easier to prepare for and master than the current one.

Now, let's move on to the Listening section.

Listening Section

The Listening Section is also composed of two adaptive modules, with the number of questions varying between 30 and 40 in total. This section tests your ability to understand spoken English as it's used in both academic and everyday contexts. The questions are based on four types of audio content:

Questions or Statements (Short-form, conversational)
Conversations (Longer, between two or more people)
Announcements (Short, informational clips)
Academic Content (Podcasts or lectures)

Let's examine the first question type, which is based on short questions or statements.

1. Coherent Response

This task presents a short question or statement from a single speaker, followed by four possible responses. Your goal is to choose the most relevant and coherent response. There will be 8 of these questions (Q1–Q8) in the first module. This question type tests your comprehension of conversational English, your ability to understand the purpose of a spoken utterance, and your recognition of implied meanings and social cues.

Let's look at some examples:

Example 1:

Woman: Didn't I just see you in the library an hour ago?

(A) As a matter of fact, I was returning a book.

(B) Yes, you can find it in the reference section.

(D) Actually, I think I can get there a little earlier.

This is a "yes/no" question that implies the speaker thinks they saw the person. The correct response should confirm this and provide some context. Option (A) is the only one that directly and logically responds to the speaker's implied question by confirming they were there and explaining why. The other options are irrelevant.

Example 2:

Man: Where is the nearest bus stop?

(A) I nearly missed the bus.

(B) Every 30 minutes.

(D) I'll take the subway instead.

The speaker is asking for directions. Options (A), (B), and (D) are irrelevant responses. Option (C) is the most appropriate, as it's a polite and helpful conversational response to a request for help, even if it doesn't give the directions directly.

Example 3:

Woman: How do I contact customer service?

(A) Yes, you're allowed to do that.

(B) Use the convenient chat feature.

(D) They provide good service.

This question asks for a method of contact. Options (A) and (C) are incorrect as they respond to a "yes/no" question. Option (D) comments on the quality of the service, not how to contact it. Option (B) is the only response that provides a method of contact.

Example 4:

Woman: If you need me, just text.

(A) I can help you with that.

(B) You don't need any more information.

(D) You haven't given me your number yet.

This is a statement that offers a way to get in touch. The most logical and coherent response is to point out why the offer can't be immediately acted upon. Option (D) identifies the missing piece of information (the phone number) needed to follow the instruction.

As you can see, this question type requires you to not just listen to the words, but to grasp the social context and purpose of the utterance. Now, let's move on to the next type of audio content.

2. Short Conversations

This section typically features a brief dialogue between two speakers. These conversations are usually 4 to 10 questions long (Q9–Q12) and require you to understand the context, the speaker’s intentions, and any implied meanings. Questions often ask:

What the speaker is implying or suggesting.
Why a speaker says a particular phrase.
What the speakers are planning to do next.

Example 1:

What does the woman imply that she was about to do?

(A) See a play

(B) Change her clothes

(D) Eat dinner

Based on the conversation where the woman asks the man if he needs anything from the supermarket, it's clear she was preparing to go grocery shopping. Therefore, the best answer is (C) Go shopping.

Example 2:

Why does the man say "I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on"?

(A) He forgot what the woman wanted him to buy.

(B) He forgot about the timing of their plans.

(D) He forgot to buy salmon and salad at the supermarket.

The man uses this common idiom to express that he is forgetful. In the context of the conversation, he says this because he realizes he misremembered the day of their plans to see a play. The correct answer is (B) He forgot about the timing of their plans.

3. Announcements in Formal Settings

These are short announcements, often in an academic context, such as a guest lecture or a schedule change. The questions test your ability to listen for specific details like dates, locations, or recommendations, and to understand the implied reasons behind the announcement. There are typically two questions for each announcement.

Example 1:

What is the announcement about?

(A) A guest lecture

(B) A different location for a class

(D) A new university science course

The announcement is given to inform students about an upcoming guest speaker. Therefore, the main topic is (A) A guest lecture.

Example 2:

Why does the professor mention Dr. Palmer's popularity?

(A) To encourage students to read her work

(B) To indicate why she was invited to the university

(D) To explain why students should arrive early

The professor mentions Dr. Palmer's popularity specifically to warn students that the event will be well-attended and to suggest they arrive early to secure a seat. The purpose is to prepare the students, so the answer is (D) To explain why students should arrive early.

4. Academic Talks or Podcasts

This section features longer, more complex academic talks, similar in format to the current TOEFL lectures. The questions test your comprehension of the main idea, supporting details, and technical vocabulary. You'll need to follow explanations of scientific or psychological concepts.

Example 1:

What is the topic of the talk?

(A) How psychologists study attention

(B) How to keep the mind focused

(D) The benefits of hard fascination

The speaker introduces and then defines two distinct types of fascination, hard and soft. Therefore, the main topic is (C) Two types of fascination.

Example 2:

Why does the speaker mention a movie?

(A) To compare different types of movies

(B) To introduce a concept in psychology

(D) To encourage listeners to watch more movies

The speaker begins by talking about a movie to introduce the concept of "hard fascination" by giving a concrete example of it. Thus, the purpose is (B) To introduce a concept in psychology.

Example 3:

What does the speaker say about her walk in the park?

(A) It is similar to her experience watching a good movie.

(B) Her mind has space for thoughts unrelated to nature.

(D) She gets mental fatigue from her mind engaging in hard fascination.

The speaker uses the walk in the park as an example of "soft fascination," where the mind can wander and process thoughts without being fully consumed. The correct answer is (B) Her mind has space for thoughts unrelated to nature.

Example 4:

What does the speaker say about Default Mode Network?

(A) It is involved in soft fascination.

(B) It leads to irritability and stress.

(D) Its effect is unknown to psychologists.

The Default Mode Network is introduced in the context of soft fascination, as the brain's state when it is less engaged and able to process information in a relaxed way. Therefore, the correct answer is (A) It is involved in soft fascination.

The questions in this section are similar to the 2025 version, testing your ability to:

Identify the main topic and a speaker's purpose.
Interpret examples used by the speaker.
Understand technical terms and abstract information.
Make inferential judgments based on what you hear.

The listening materials will feature both North American and British English accents, so it's important to familiarize yourself with both.

Just like the Reading section, the Listening section is an adaptive test. The questions in Module 1 are common to all test takers. Your performance on those questions will determine the difficulty of the questions you receive in Module 2. If you do well, Module 2 will be more challenging, but it also gives you the chance to achieve a higher final score.

Writing Section

In the new test format, the Writing section comes before the Speaking section. This section consists of three distinct task types, and the old integrated essay has been removed. The tasks are:

Sentence Making: This tests your mastery of English grammar and sentence structure.
Email Writing: This requires you to write a clear, polite, and complete email in response to a specific prompt.
Academic Discussions: This task asks you to state and support an opinion in an online discussion forum.

The new writing tasks focus on a combination of skills, including coherence and organization of ideas, your ability to express opinions with clear reasons, and the appropriate use of vocabulary.

Time Management

Effective time management is crucial in the Writing section, as some tasks have strict time limits. We can break down the timing roughly as follows:

Sentence-building tasks: A minute or so per question (these are shorter).
Email writing: Around 7 minutes.
Academic Discussion: Around 10 minutes.

1. Build a Sentence (word order)

Your task here is to take a set of words or phrases and arrange them into a grammatically correct, coherent sentence. This tests your foundational knowledge of English grammar, word order, and syntax. It requires you to recognize the parts of speech and how they fit together, such as identifying the main subject, verb, and object, and then placing modifying phrases correctly around them.

Let's examine a couple of examples.

Example1

“What was the highlight of your trip?”

“The -------------------------------------fantastic!”

were, the, was, old city, showed us around, who, and tour guides.

To answer the prompt, “What was the highlight of your trip?” you need to construct a sentence that starts with “The” and ends with “fantastic.” The available phrases are: “were,” “the,” “was,” “old city,” “showed us around,” “who,” and “tour guides.”

First, let’s look for the subject of the word “fantastic.” The subject must be a noun phrase, so it should be either “old city” or “tour guides.” There is just one relative pronoun, “who,” which indicates that the subject must be a person or people. Therefore, “tour guides” should be the subject.

The main verb should be “were” to agree in number with the plural subject “guides.” The verb after “who” should be “showed us around.” The direct object of “showed” should be “old city,” which needs an article. So, “the” should come before “old city.” The final sentence is:

“The tour guides who showed us around the old city were fantastic.”

Example2:

“I hear Anna got a promotion”

“------------------she will be…………?”

a different department, if, moving to, know, do, you.

Since there is no interrogative pronoun (like who, what, or where), the main clause must be in inversion—meaning the verb comes before the subject. This is why the phrase "do you" is the correct beginning. The next verb is "know," which is followed by the conjunction "if" to introduce the embedded question.

The rest of the sentence, "she will be moving to a different department," follows standard subject-verb word order, even though it's part of a larger question. This is a common feature of embedded questions. The final sentence should be: "I hear Anna got a promotion. Do you know if she will be moving to a different department?"

Strategies for Sentence Building

To effectively tackle these sentence-building questions, follow a clear, step-by-step approach:

Identify the Core: Start by identifying the main subject and verb of the sentence. This is the foundation upon which you'll build the rest of the structure.
Add Complements and Modifiers: Once the core is in place, add the verb's complements (e.g., direct objects) and other modifying words, such as determiners, adjectives, adverbs, or prepositional phrases.
Check Grammar: Always double-check for proper grammar, paying special attention to tense and subject-verb agreement.
Understand Clause Structure: Since many questions will involve more than one clause, it's crucial to know how clauses are combined in English using conjunctions and relative pronouns.
Master Word Order: English is an analytic language, meaning that a word's role in a sentence is primarily determined by its position, not by grammatical suffixes. A solid understanding of English word order is therefore vital for conveying precise meaning.

2. Write an Email

The second task in the Writing section is to compose an email based on given information, such as a scenario, issues, or requests. The question has specific directions that you must include in your email. You have the freedom to make up names for a company if they are not provided.

Let’s consider an Example Task:

You submitted poems to a poetry magazine but had trouble using the online form and want to confirm if your submissions were received. Your email must include:

What you like about the magazine
Description of the problem you faced
Inquiry about submission status

This is a formal writing task, so your email must be grammatically correct and follow American writing style. The tone must be polite, clear, and concise. Don’t use slang or informal language. Since it is an email, you need to use appropriate greetings and closings. You should organize your ideas logically into paragraphs, with each paragraph addressing a specific direction from the prompt. There are three tasks you need to satisfy, requiring three paragraphs. The first paragraph should explain why you like the magazine, the second paragraph should talk about the problem you faced, and the third paragraph should inquire about the submission status.

So this should be the structure:

Start with a proper greeting (e.g., “Dear Editor,”).
Write 3-4 short paragraphs, each focused on one point.
Use linking words for coherence (e.g., “however,” “also,” “therefore”).
End with a polite closing statement.
Proofread quickly for spelling and grammar errors if time allows.

Here is a sample response:

“Dear Editor,
I have recently discovered your new poetry magazine and really enjoy the variety of poems you publish. The creativity and different styles featured make it a wonderful platform for poets.
However, I experienced a problem while submitting two of my poems using the online submission form. After uploading my work, I did not receive any confirmation, and I am unsure if my submissions went through successfully.
Could you please let me know if you have received my poems? I am eager to know whether they are under consideration.
Thank you very much for your assistance. I look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
[Your Name]”

3. Academic Discussion

The third writing task is the Academic Discussion, a task that is also present in the 2025 version of the TOEFL. In this section, you'll be presented with a prompt and asked to state and support your opinion, often engaging with other viewpoints.

Let's consider a common discussion topic:

Prompt: Should high school students be required to do volunteer work? Why or why not?

Now, let's look at two sample responses, one arguing against the requirement and one arguing for it, to see how different perspectives can be presented.

Sample Response 1: Arguing Against Mandatory Volunteering

I don't think high school students should be required to do volunteer work. Forcing someone to volunteer is inherently paradoxical; after all, volunteering should come from a place of true desire to help others, and if that desire isn't there, the act loses its meaning. Mandatory volunteering is especially problematic for high school students, who are already juggling demanding academic schedules, extracurricular activities, and often part-time jobs. This is a crucial period for them to explore their own interests and passions, and adding a mandatory volunteering requirement simply piles on more stress and takes away precious personal time. When it's forced, volunteering can quickly turn into a chore rather than a meaningful act, diminishing the sense of personal reward and community spirit it's meant to foster.

Sample Response 2: Arguing For Mandatory Volunteering

I believe that requiring high school students to volunteer can be a good idea since it can help them gain experiences that they might never have otherwise. For many students, this initial push is exactly what they need to discover a passion or sense of purpose. I know this from personal experience. I initially hated the idea of mandatory volunteering and saw it as just another chore. But when I reluctantly started volunteering at a local animal shelter, everything changed. The reward was incredible; I discovered a profound sense of purpose in caring for the animals. It quickly became something I genuinely looked forward to, not a task I had to endure. Without that initial requirement, I would have never had that life-changing experience and might have missed out on a passion that has since shaped my perspective and goals. Mandatory volunteering isn't about forcing students to love the work, but about opening a door they might never have opened themselves.

Speaking Section

The Speaking section has undergone the most drastic changes, with the tasks entirely changed from the 2025 TOEFL. You will no longer listen to challenging lectures and explain abstract concepts. Instead, the tasks are now a basic test of repeating what you heard and answering interview questions. The speaking tasks are divided into two categories:

Listen and Repeat: You will recite what you hear (seven questions).
Take an Interview: You will answer questions (four questions).

The "Take an Interview" task, along with the "Listen and Repeat" task, makes up the entire 2026 TOEFL speaking section. The total speaking section has 11 items and takes about 8 minutes. Let's examine each part in detail.

1. Listen and Repeat

This task is designed to test your ability to accurately hear and reproduce spoken English sentences. You will hear 7 sentences, one at a time. After each sentence, your task is to repeat it exactly as you heard it.

You will have a brief moment to repeat the sentence in your head to ensure you have it all before you start recording. The key is to reproduce not only all the words but also the pronunciation and prosody, such as word stress, sentence rhythm, and intonation.

The section is scored on a rubric from 0 to 5. To score a 5, your response must be a fully intelligible and exact repetition of the prompt.

Score 4: The response captures the meaning of the prompt but is not an exact repetition. You might have minor changes in words or grammar that do not alter the original meaning. You can even self-correct and still achieve this score.
Score 3: The response doesn't accurately capture the original meaning. It contains a majority of the content words, but multiple function words may be missing or changed.

So, if you self-correct or change the grammar—for instance, using "the" instead of "a," or past tense instead of present perfect—you will lose points. To repeat precisely, you must be able to hear and reproduce all the function words and understand the rhythm of English.

Pronunciation and stress patterns of Standard American English

Not sure how to prepare for the "Listen and Repeat" task on the TOEFL Speaking section? Dr. Byrne's courses on English pronunciation and prosody are the answer!

Pronunciation Course

Our pronunciation course covers all the sounds of standard American English—24 consonants (with their allophones) and 15 vowels. You'll also learn about connected speech, understanding how words change when they are used in a sentence.

Prosody Course

The prosody course will teach you word stress, sentence rhythm, and intonation—the core elements that create the "melody" of English.

Both courses are based on specific phonetics and phonological principles for learning American English. They are narrated by a native speaker and include sample sentences after each lesson for you to listen to and repeat precisely, making them the perfect practice for the "Listen and Repeat" part of the TOEFL.

2. Take an Interview

In this task, you are asked to answer four questions in an interview-style format. The questions will cover familiar topics, resembling real-life conversational situations you might encounter. The goal is to assess how well you handle a structured conversation and develop your ideas spontaneously under a time limit.

The first question will ask about a personal experience or a fact about yourself.
The second question will ask about your preference—for example, choosing between two options and explaining your choice.
The third question will be about your opinion on a claim, where you’ll need to choose a side and provide supporting reasons.
The fourth question will also ask for your opinion, but in a broader context—such as a policy or societal issue. Again, you’ll need to clearly state your opinion and support it with reasons.

You will have 45 seconds to respond to each question, with no preparation time. Speak coherently and clearly, with a well-stated thesis and supporting ideas.

Below are the interview questions and high-scoring sample responses provided by ETS.

Why did you travel to that city? What did you like about that city?
The last time I visited a city was... Delhi. I went there to, um, visit my friend who is living there. I, uh... I really liked the historical places, like... um, Red Fort and the Qutub Minar. There was a lot of, uh... cultural activities going on. The food was also—was amazing, especially the, um, street food. I enjoyed the busy atmosphere and, um, the way it mixes the old and the new buildings.
Question: What kind of reaction do you have to cities? Why do you think you react in this way?
I usually feel, um... excited and kind of energized in cities. I think it's because there’s always... always something happening, and, there’s so many people around. It makes me feel like... I’m part of a big community. Um, I also love the, uh... the variety of things to do and see. Sometimes it gets a bit, like, tiring... but overall, I like the, um... dynamic environment.
Q:Do you agree that people who live in cities lead more interesting lives? Why or why not?
I, uh... I agree that people in cities live more interesting lives. There’s more access to... professional opportunities and, um, fun activities. You can meet, like, many different kinds of people and... you learn a lot of new things. The city has... cultural events, nice restaurants, and, um, different kind of places to visit. I think... it makes the life more, uh, exciting.
Q: Do you think that city governments should create more parks in urban areas to promote a general sense of happiness and life satisfaction? Why or why not?
Yeah, I think, um, city governments should really try to create more parks. Parks provide, like, green space where people can relax and, um, feel a bit more calm or happy? They’re also good for physical activities—like jogging or, uh, doing yoga—and for, um, meeting friends. In a busy city, it’s really helpful to have these quiet areas to kind of get away from the noise and stress. I think... yeah, it definitely helps improve people’s, uh, overall well-being and just makes the city better.

According to the ETS rubric, to earn a top score of 5, your response must fully address the question and demonstrate a high degree of idea development and elaboration. Your speech should be clear and fluent, with natural pacing and coherent delivery.

Clarity is also important—your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation should be easy to understand. In addition, you should use a varied and accurate range of grammar and vocabulary to convey your ideas precisely.

A score of 4 is still considered strong but may include minor issues with flow, vocabulary, or clarity. Lower scores reflect limited elaboration, uneven pacing, and more serious problems with intelligibility, grammar, or vocabulary use.

OK that’s all we have about the new toefl beginning early 2026 toefl let us know if you have any questions

TOEFL 2026: New Skills to Master

Reading

1. Word Completion: Practice spelling, grammar, and watch out for homophones.

2. Non-Academic Reading: Focus on main ideas and inferences in everyday texts.

3. Academic Reading: Same question types as 2025—information, inference, rhetorical purpose, sentence insertion, paraphrase.

Listening

1. Relevant Response: Understand pragmatic language use beyond syntax and semantics.

2. Conversation/Announcement: Focus on details, inferences, and rhetorical meaning.

3. Academic Listening: Same question types as 2025—main ideas, details, inferences, organization, etc.

Writing

1. Build a Sentence: Master grammar and English word order (analytic vs. synthetic).

2. Email Writing: Use proper formal email structure.

3. Academic Discussion: Present clear thesis with strong reasons and examples.

Speaking

1.Listen and Repeat: Learn standard American pronunciation and prosody

2. Interview Questions: Similar to 2025 Independent task—clear thesis and support, repeated four times.

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