TOEFL Practice Test: A TOEFL Sample Test from Magoosh
Everyone knows that the best way to prepare yourself for your TOEFL test date is to practice the questions in Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.. But successful test-takers must also prepare for the format, timing, and pacing of the TOEFL exam. The best way to do this is to take a free TOEFL sample test.
It can be hard to find quality materials online, especially if you want a free sample test. But, don't worry! We are here to help. Magoosh's TOEFL Experts created a free TOEFL Practice Test just for you. Plus, we put together a list of many other free TOEFL practice resources to help you study for test day. Feel free to jump right in to the TOEFL practice test below. Or, if you'd like to prepare a little first, jump down to the optional test instructions first.
Table of Contents
- The Free Magoosh TOEFL Practice Test
- Instructions for the Free Magoosh TOEFL Practice Test
- Why do I need to take a TOEFL practice test?
- Where can I find more TOEFL practice tests?
- TOEFL Test Prep Tips and Tricks
Magoosh's Free TOEFL Practice Test
The Magoosh TOEFL Practice Test starts here. This is a full-length TOEFL test. For the most accurate results, give yourself 54 minutes to complete the TOEFL Reading section and 41 minutes to complete the TOEFL Listening section. For each individual Speaking and Writing task, follow the time limits you'll see in the instructions. Good luck!
Instructions for the Free Magoosh TOEFL Practice Test
How to use this Magoosh TOEFL sample test
Before each set of questions on this mock TOEFL test, we've provided directions for each TOEFL practice task section—be sure to read them! The best way to use this test is to first answer all of the questions, and then review answers with the answer key and score report that appears at the end.In your score report, you'll see that there are also links to explanation videos, in case an answer is confusing. We highly recommend watching these videos! Why?
Well, once you have finished reviewing your practice TOEFL test, you will have a tally of which questions you answered correctly and which questions you answered incorrectly. The only way to improve your TOEFL score is to understand why you are making mistakes and missing questions. That way, you can learn from your mistakes on the TOEFL practice test and avoid making the same errors on the real test. Watching explanation videos will help you learn from your mistakes.
Your score report at the end of this test will also come with some personalized recommendations for the TOEFL Reading and TOEFL Writing sections. These recommendations will tell you what your scaled TOEFL practice test score is right now, based on how you did on the TOEFL test. The recommendations also give youa dvice for next steps on improving your score. Now, because TOEFL Speaking and TOEFL Writing are scored by human scorers, our test can't give you a score report for those sections. But your score report will include a link to quite a few resources for scoring your Speaking and Writing, either through self-scoring or through feedback from others. You can also click here for TOEFL Speaking score resources, and click here for TOEFL Writing score resources.
All of these TOEFL test practice questions come from the Magoosh TOEFL product. If you like what you see in the TOEFL practice test, be sure to sign up for a free trial of Magoosh. 🙂
How to score your Magoosh TOEFL sample test
At the end of the TOEFL sample test above, you'll see the number of points you earned out of the total possible points. To convert this number from your TOEFL Practice test into a scaled TOEFL score, calculate the percentage of points you earned, and then convert that percentage to a percentage of 30 scaled points on the TOEFL test. For example, if you earned 50% of the points in TOEFL Reading, that would be 50% of 30, or a scaled score of 15. For the Speaking and Writing sections, we've included instructions to help you grade your responses. Once you've graded your responses, you can calculate the percentage of points you earned out of the total possible points, and then apply that percentage to 30 scaled points as well.
For your whole TOEFL test score, simply add up the scaled scores you calculated for each of your four sections of your TOEFL practice test. Greater details on calculating section scores and your total score can be found in this article.
We hope you like Magoosh's TOEFL Practice Test, score calculations and all! If you're interested in other free TOEFL practice from Magoosh, just keep reading.
Some General Information About the TOEFL
(You can optionally read the information below before you start the test… or after, since this advice is useful for follow-up practice TOEFL tests as well.)
As you know, the TOEFL is a test of English as a foreign language, and is formatted in four different sections. Each section tests one language skill—reading, listening, speaking, and writing. In the TOEFL practice test below, you'll find a full version of each section. The TOEFL is, of course, a timed test, and a full-length TOEFL iBT Test takes a total time of about 3 hours.
So what else can you expect? Well, bear in mind that the TOEFL test measures English language profiency related to university study. Specifically, the exam features standard North American English, the kind you might encounter at U.S. universities or Canadian universities (with the exception of non-English universities in places like Quebec and Puerto Rico). It won't contain non-American forms of English found in other native speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, The U.K., and so on.
While the test is primarily taken by international students seeking university level admission into U.S. and Canadian schools, TOEFL test scores are not just used in university settings. They can also be used in high school and technical school admission process or immigration offices of many different countries. (And in fact, the TOEFL is an official language test for immigration in both Australia and the United States and is used similarly by a number of other government agencies.)
In our TOEFL practice test and on the real TOEFL, Reading and Listening test your English-language ability with multiple choice questions, while Speaking and Writing feature tasks. In both of those two sections, the tasks can be independent tasks where you'll give a response based on your own opinions and integrated tasks where you will give a spoken or written summary of something you hear or read.
In the listening portions of a good TOEFL practice test—the Listening section and the integrated tasks for Speaking and Writing—the English language skills revolve around university classroom lectures and conversations related to student life. The conversations typically involve one university student and one faculty member. All speech there will be delivered by native English speakers. The English language level in TOEFL Reading is a bit more advanced. Here, English skills are geared toward textbook reading in an academic setting during the first or second year of university. So Reading represents somewhat more advanced academic content and higher English language proficiency, compared to the rest of the test.
Do I need to take a TOEFL practice test?
Yes! It is very important to take a TOEFL sample test (or two!) before your test day. This will help you get used to moving from section to section on the TOEFL test, and will help you learn to switch gears from reading to listening to speaking to writing.
The TOEFL exam is long and you don't get much time to rest. You need to train your body and mind to be able to sit and take a strenuous exam. This is where a TOEFL practice test has a lot of value. Taking timed, full-length (or slightly shortened) TOEFL sample tests will help you do this.
Why should I take a TOEFL practice test?
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Are you still not convinced that taking a TOEFL practice test is a good use of your study time?
Listen to this: Not only are practice tests good for improving your stamina, but they are also a great way to discover your strengths and weaknesses, and understand where (and why) you make mistakes.
Are you good at English spelling, but find speaking in English challenging? Can you easily do well on the essay, but need to improve your reading comprehension skills? Are you a beginner asking yourself, "What is the TOEFL test, anyway?"
A TOEFL mock-test answers these questions by showing your strengths and weaknesses, and allowing you to turn those weaknesses into strengths! So it's a very powerful form of TOEFL practice.
When should I take a practice test?
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That depends on how long you have until your TOEFL test date.
Ask yourself these questions: Are you preparing for a TOEFL that's two weeks away or two months away? Have you already taken a test or are you just starting to study? This will make a big difference in the role of the TOEFL practice test in your studies.
If you have a long time to study, then you can plan to fit in a few extra practice tests along the way.
However, if you have at least one month to study for your TOEFL, we recommend taking:
- 1 practice TOEFL test at the beginning of your prep to assess your baseline skill level
- 1-2 practice tests during your TOEFL prep to measure your progress
- 1 TOEFL practice test at the end of your TOEFL prep to assess your current score and measure it against your goal score
After your final TOEFL practice test, take some time to review and refine the TOEFL test skills that need last-minute help.
What is a good TOEFL practice test?
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A good (high-quality) TOEFL practice test will feature questions of the same style and difficulty that you'll encounter on test day. It will have clear answers and helpful explanations for each question. Scoring a good TOEFL practice test will be easy, and directions to convert your score into the 1-30 scale for each section will be simple to understand.
Overall, you need your TOEFL sample test to provide the most authentic exam experience possible.
How is the real test day experience different from a TOEFL practice test?
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Typically, TOEFL exams are administered in test centers, although the TOEFL Home Edition is also used when test center examinations are not possible. In this case, you take the test over your own Internet connection at home. (See Magoosh's info on how online registration works for the TOEFL Home Edition, and see this post for how to register at a test center.) Regardless of whether you live in a region with TOEFL testing centers or not, the test experience will be similar in terms of format and timing. This TOEFL practice test is designed to replicate that experience—for the TOEFL iBT exam, that is. Our practice TOEFL test does not imitate the TOEFL PBT.
What score should I aim for on the TOEFL test?
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So how well do you need to do on this English language test? That depends on the minimum score requirement of the programs you'll apply to. For more information on TOEFL scores as a form of eligibility criteria, see my post "What is a Good TOEFL Score?" Ultimately, though, know that you can get a good score, an acceptable one, without having perfect English skills on par with those of native speakers. (And if you want specifics for score requirements at the exact schools you're applying to, admissions officers at your desired educational institution will likely be happy to give you more information!) In the meantime, you can use our TOEFL practice test to measure what your score is like right now! You'll be shown your score level and some study recommendations at the end of the test! 😀
Where can I find more TOEFL practice tests?
You now know why and when to take a TOEFL practice test, but do you know where to find a good TOEFL iBT practice test? There seem to be many floating around the internet, but you'll want to use only trusted, high-quality TOEFL test resources in order to really improve your score.
Aside from the free Magoosh TOEFL Practice test, here are our top picks for free and paid TOEFL practice tests.
Free TOEFL Practice Tests
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The Quick Prep and book-based Educational Testing Service resources mentioned below are a little out-of-date compared to the current version of the TOEFL test. In spite of this, they're still very useful! See our guide to using older TOEFL prep materials for more in depth details.)
If you're studying for a long time, then you will probably want even more TOEFL practice. So, in addition to the Magoosh resources that we've already mentioned, we put together a collection of other free TOEFL practice tests! Continue scrolling down to read our reviews of all of them.
ETS's Full-Length TOEFL Practice Test
The TOEFL test and its sections are, of course, trademarks of Educational Testing Service. So the best full-length practice tests will come from ETS. The new official full-length TOEFL practice test is a great resource for free TOEFL test practice. Unlike some of the other resources on this list, the full-length practice test matches the format of the new version of the TOEFL that ETS released in 2019.
The only difference between this free TOEFL practice test from ETS and the real one is that the practice test does not have an onscreen timer. However, the practice TOEFL test does mention the time limits on the instruction screens that appear before each section. The practice test also includes audio samples of Speaking responses, with scores and commentary, as well as scored sample Writing responses with explanations. (And these extra features are also free resources, coming with no additional fee.)
TOEFL iBT Practice Sets
With no audio recordings (transcripts only), no software, and almost no answer explanations, the TOEFL Practice Sets are the least helpful set of official TOEFL prep questions. Note, however, that I said there are almost no answer explanations. The Speaking sets for this practice TOEFL test include tips on how to give a good response to each question. And the Writing portion goes a step further, including tips for good responses, and sample essays with scores and scorer commentary. Effectively, the writing sets constitute more than one full TOEFL practice test for Writing.
The practice sets have a different landing page for each of the four sections of the TOEFL test: TOEFL Reading, TOEFL Listening, TOEFL Speaking, and TOEFL Writing. Each page has a little bit of practice material right on the page, followed by a link to a PDF that reproduces the practice material from the web page, and also includes additional practice sets.
Included in iBT Practice Sets, you'll find:
- One full standard-sized Reading section (3 passages with 10 questions each)
- One full extra-long Listening section (3 conversations with 5 questions each, 4 lectures with 6 questions each)
- Two full Speaking sections (8 tasks)
- Two full Writing sections (4 tasks)
That gives you one of every type of question that's on the TOEFL test, although it's not a very test-like experience. If you want to mimic a real TOEFL practice test for free, try the Magoosh TOEFL sample test listed above instead.
ETS Quick Prep: The Big, Free Official TOEFL Sample Test
(NOTE: TOEFL Quick Prep is slightly outdated, reflecting the old format of the practice tests. See Magoosh's guide to using older TOEFL prep materials. And be sure to check out ETS's recently updated free TOEFL practice: the official TOEFL practice test, and the official TOEFL practice sets.)
There are four more PDFs similar to the "Test Questions" set that ETS calls "TOEFL Quick Prep." But this time, there's audio! Well, there is audio for two of the PDFs. Each of the four PDFs is almost perfectly a half of a TOEFL test:
- One Reading task (⅓)
- Three Listening tasks (½)
- Three Speaking tasks (½)
- One Writing task (½)
- BONUS: Magoosh has created additional unofficial audio for TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 1 and TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 2. This audio covers all of the lectures in the first two PDFs. This makes it even easier to combine TOEFL Quick Prep resouces into a full TOEFL practice test.
If you do volumes three and four, which both have audio, you almost do a full practice TOEFL test, minus one Reading task. You can add in a Reading task from either volume one or two and get a full-length test. But there is still one big difference between Quick Prep and a real TOEFL practice test: there is no software to show you the real look and feel of the test. That means you don't have a timer for any of the TOEFL section. And in Listening for this TOEFL practice test, you are also able to look at questions during a lecture (not possible on the real TOEFL exam). Don't get me wrong—Quick Prep is very useful. But with these questions, you simply don't have the same experience and feeling that you'd have on a full TOEFL exam.
So if you're new to the TOEFL, don't start with Quick Prep. Instead, start with a shorter TOEFL practice test from the Interactive Sampler so that you can get a feel for the software and do some light warmup practice. Then, if you want to try a full, four-hour test, you can combine the Quick Prep material to create one. (Again, keep in mind the differences between Quick Prep and real TOEFL software, of course!)
The Official TOEFL Online Course
ETS sponsors a free official online TOEFL prep class that comes with an almost complete set of practice TOEFL questions, just shy of a full TOEFL practice test. The course, TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider's Guide, is hosted on the EdX website.
There are a few disadvantages to the TOEFL practice test materials in this course. The most obvious downside is that you have to register for the class, wait for the class's start date, and follow a course schedule. After the class starts, the practice materials aren't released all at once. You get your Reading section in week 2, Listening in week 3, speaking in week 4, and Writing in week 5. The class is offered several times a year, but the timing may or may not fit with your TOEFL prep.
You also don't get any test-like software through the EdX program, although the course does include videos that give you a look at real TOEFL software.
Still, this is a very good official practice test in many ways. You get complete sections for Reading, Speaking and Listening. You do only get half of a TOEFL Listening section. But there is one of each of the three kinds of TOEFL Listening audio tracks (conversation, lecture, and class discussion). So you get a real feel for TOEFL Listening, even without the complete set of 6 tracks that you'd expect in a full-length social practice test. Another advantage to this free, almost-full TOEFL test is that it's taken from TOEFL Practice Online (TPO). Normally, TPO is quite expensive! (See our entry on TPO later in this article.)
Magoosh's Free TOEFL Practice Questions
In addition to the TOEFL sample test, Magoosh offers a series of free practice questions that are not in TOEFL test form. Like the TOEFL iBT practice sets Magoosh's Free TOEFL Practice Questions come in PDF form. However, if you use these TOEFL practice test questions set as instructed, you can still get a very good feel for the test, even without audio or software.
This PDF comes with detailed instructions before each set. At the end, there are in-depth explanations for every question and answer from the TOELF practice test. We've done all we can to pack tons of useful information into this PDF. Sections include:
- Reading Section Questions
- Listening Section Questions
- Speaking Section Questions
- Writing Section Questions
With these instructions and answer explanations in our TOEFL practice test, we take the basic format of the TOEFL iBT Test questions described below, and then bring that format to a higher, more TOEFL-like level.
If you like Magoosh's free practice test and sample questions, then we recommend signing up for a Magoosh TOEFL plan. There, you can take more than one additional TOEFL practice test, and do many practice questions.
Paid TOEFL Practice Tests
If you are able to spend a little money on TOEFL resources, then your first stop should be Magoosh's TOEFL lessons and practice questions. After that, if you're looking for more resources, we recommend trying the TOEFL test resources listed below:
The Official Guide to the TOEFL
(NOTE: The Official Guide to the TOEFL is out-of-date, with practice materials that don't match the format of the new 2019 format of the TOEFL. See Magoosh's tutorial on using older TOEFL prep for advice on how to use this TOEFL test prep book.)
Although it may lack skill-building materials and the amount of practice materials it contains, ETS's Official Guide to the TOEFL is the most accurate guidebook out there. After all, it's written by the same company that makes the TOEFL test!
The book includes three full-length tests and a CD of test software, so you can take the tests authentically. The first TOEFL test is a little older, and isn't a perfect representation of the current TOEFL iBT. Still, only small details are different; the first test is still extremely similar, and is good practice. The second and third tests are almost exactly the same as current iBT tests. The software is also very similar to what you will see on test day.
Official TOEFL iBT Test (Volumes 1 & 2)
(NOTE: Like the Official Guide to the TOEFL, these books contain practice tests that are out of date, but still useful. Again, see Magoosh's guide to using older TOEFL prep.)
The tests in the Official Guide aren't the only ones available for cheap. There are five more full-length TOEFL tests in a two-volume set called Official TOEFL iBT Tests .
There is one small disadvantage to these tests: if you buy the 1st edition of Official TOEFL iBT Tests Vol. 1, the exams are only on paper, with CD audio tracks; you don't get computer software. Similar to Quick Prep, you can't get a perfect TOEFL practice test experience from this older edition of Official TOEFL iBT Tests.
However, the 2nd edition of Official TOEFL iBT Tests Volume 1 comes with a CD that's very similar to the CD for the Official Guide. It has the five practice tests from this book, all on the same software as the Official Guide. And again, that software is good, but not perfect. Volume 2 is pretty much the same as volume 1 (2nd ed.) in structure and design, but the questions are different. Since the TOEFL practice test questions in this second volume are newly released, they're more similar in content to the current TOEFL test itself.
TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Test
Every year, ETS sells a new set of past TOEFL tests online. These tests are called the TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) tests. Each TPO test is basically a full-length TOEFL on your home computer (Windows only). They're the best practice tests you can buy, and they give you a score, unlike many of the options above. But there are very big downsides to this type of TOEFL practice test:
- They're $45 each– just for one TOEFL practice test! You can buy both volumes of Official TOEFL iBT Tests, getting TEN full tests instead of one for a similar price.
- You can't take them twice. After you finish a TOEFL test, it's done.
- Despite the price, Speaking and Writing are only computer-graded. The TOEFL practice test Speaking grader is terrible, and the scoring software for Writing could be far better. You cannot trust any TOEFL practice test score you receive through this system.
I don't recommend taking a TPO unless all of these are true of you, personally:
- You have never taken the real TOEFL before (with official scores) or a TPO before.
- You have enough money that the price is comfortable for you.
- You become very stressed during tests like the TOEFL, and it usually hurts your score.
In other words, the TPO tests can give you practice with test anxiety, because it's very similar to the real TOEFL test. But for the most part, they're not worthwhile because the tests in ETS books are better priced. A TOEFL practice test simply doesn't need to cost as much as TPO does.
TOEFL Test Prep Tips and Tricks
We hope that you find all of these TOEFL resources helpful! Please let us know if you have any questions as you work through the Magoosh sample test. And remember: if you sign up for Magoosh TOEFL, you will have access to email support from our team!
So, beyond taking a TOEFL practice test and possibly signing up for a Magoosh TOEFL subscription (or a free trial), what else can you do to reach your personal high score? Here are a few extra tips to get you to your target score on the real exam.
Get in some good TOEFL test Reading practice.
Be sure to seek out good reading passages to practice for the Reading section of the TOEFL. Our post on the best TOEFL Reading practice can help you seek out TOEFL-like reading in the different topics you'll see on academic passages of the actual test. And be sure to take a TOEFL practice test or two of just the Reading section. This section requires special skill and focus.
Focus on TOEFL Listening practice as well.
Remember to seek out good TOEFL Listening resources. Your TOEFL Listening prep should include the different kinds of audio files found on the real TOEFL exam. Remember that a listening passage can be a conversation between a student and a campus employee, but academic lectures are also a major part of any TOEFL practice test.
Also remember that the lectures found in a TOEFL practice test aren't just lectures from English teachers. Instead, the scholarly talks in TOEFL Listening cover a variety of academic topics. Certainly also employ good TOEFL Listening strategies so that you understand all of the essential information you hear on the TOEFL test.
For TOEFL Speaking and TOEFL Writing, look at what other test-takers have done.
In these two sections of the TOEFL test, giving correct answers is more complex than just selecting the right answer choice. In this part of your TOEFL practice test, you have to give speeches and write essays. For the Speaking test and for the Writing questions, it helps to see sample responses from other test-takers.
When it comes to model responses, Magoosh has you covered! We have a page that includes sample responses for every Speaking task, and model essays for both the Integrated Writing task and the Independent writing task. Click here to access this TOEFL Speaking and Writing tutorial.
In addition to providing good TOEFL practice test questions, the ETS website also has model responses to a number of questions to help you refine your own writing skills and speaking skills. These responses are based on retired prompts from the official exam. Magoosh offers a roundup of these important TOEFL test materials. Here is our roundup of links to model Speaking responses. And here's our roundup of TOEFL Writing examples. (These link-lists also contain additional content from Magoosh.)
Use only the best TOEFL practice tests.
Make sure that you are using high quality practice questions as you prepare for the actual TOEFL. Official questions from ETS are the very best, because they are taken from real previous tests. As such, they cover the same variety of topics as the actual exam, with the same types of questions and with TOEFL test sections that are truly authentic. Any TOEFL practice test from ETS is a good one!
Magoosh also aims for this higher level of quality. Our expert instructor who leads our TOEFL test prep carefully studies ETS materials and imitates them as closely as possible, and our whole team has years of experience making high quality TOEFL prep. (We put this kind of careful work into the TOEFL practice test in this article too!)
That said, many unofficial TOEFL test prep resources have a "TOEFL problem," where their practice questions simply aren't that accurate. This is esepcially true of many of the free TOEFL prep resources that are in widespread use. If your TOEFL prep freels a little "off" for any reason, you may want to seek out higher quality TOEFL preparation courses.
Practice your English!
To do well on the TOEFL test, improve your overall English by practicing it as much as you can. Seek out English conversations with people whose native language is English, or with anyone who is comfortable speaking English with you. Use social media to communicate in English. Watch English language TV and movies, listen to English music, and so on.
Build a good study plan.
Once you've taken our TOEFL practice test and gotten those great TOEFL prep materials, what you need is a good TOEFL study plan. For examples of how you could arrange your study timeline, see Magoosh's TOEFL study plans and guides.
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Rachel helps eager students find out about Magoosh. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a super helpful double major in History and French. In her free time she can be found eating peanut butter, drinking five cups of tea per day, and playing with cats.
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Source: https://magoosh.com/toefl/toefl-practice-test/