How is TOEFL scored? How are TOEFL scores calculated?

The TOEFL is a long and somewhat complicated test. It can be hard to determine the basic facts about the test, like how the TOEFL is scored and how are the TOEFL scores calculated.

The more you know about the exam before going in, the better prepared you’ll be to conquer it, so we’ll explain everything you need to know about TOEFL scores.

In this video, Rebecca will take you through how the TOEFL scoring system works across each of the four TOEFL sections (Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening), how each section is graded, and how (and when) you’ll receive and be able to send out your final scores. Enjoy!

Thanks for watching, and remember to subscribe!

Read transcript:
Hi, this is Rebecca, from PrepScholar. Today we're going to answer a question that a lot of students worry about: how exactly is the TOEFL scored?

The TOEFL has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. On each section, you can get a maximum of 30 points. So a perfect score on the TOEFL – 30 points on every section – is 120 points.

Now, how are those 30 points decided? It depends on the section. Let's start with the Reading and Listening sections.

On these sections, there are two kinds of questions: single choice questions and multiple choice questions. Your answers to these questions determine your raw score.

On single answer questions, there will be exactly one correct answer out of four possible answers. Each single choice answer is worth one raw point.

On multiple answer questions, you will need to choose more than one correct answer. Each multiple choice answer is worth two or three raw points.

Those raw points add up to your raw score. Overall, you can earn a maximum of 45 raw points on the reading section, and 34 raw points on the listening section. Your raw score is then converted into your actual score.

For example, if you get every question right on the reading section, you will get a raw score of 45 points, and an actual score of 30 points. We have a full conversion table at the PrepScholar blog!

Remember, there is no guessing penalty on the TOEFL! If you guess an answer and get it wrong, you just get no points for that question. And if you don't even try to answer, you also get no points. So there's no penalty for guessing.

So always guess if you don't know the answer to a question! You should always answer every question on the TOEFL.

So, that's how scoring works for the Reading and Listening sections. What about Speaking and Writing? The scoring on these is a little different.

Let's talk about Speaking first. On this section, the answers are free response. This means that you'll have to speak your own thoughts and opinions instead of choosing between answer options.

You'll be asked to answer six questions on the Speaking section. For each answer, you will be graded according to the same system.

For each of your answers, you will receive a score between 0 and 4. 0 is the worst possible score, while 4 is the best. So you can get a maximum raw score of 24 – 4 points for each of the six questions.

Your raw score is then converted into an actual score. A perfect score is a 30, just like on the Reading and Listening sections.

Last, there is the Writing section. This section is also free response: you will have to write your own material instead of choosing between answer options.

You'll be asked to write two answers on the Writing section. For each answer, you'll get a raw score between 0 and 5. 0 is the worst possible answer, while 5 is the best.

So you can get a maximum raw score of 10 – 5 points for each of the two questions.

That raw score is then converted into your actual score. And, again, the best possible actual score is a 30.

Let's review. We've given an overview of how the TOEFL is scored. There are four sections on the TOEFL: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.

On the Reading and Listening sections, you choose among answer options. On the Speaking and Writing sections, the answers are free form.

Each of these sections has a different system for deciding your raw score. The highest possible raw score for each section is: 45 for Reading, 34 for Listening, 24 for Speaking, and 10 for Writing.

Finally, your raw score is converted to an actual score. The highest possible score on each section is the same: 30. So the highest possible total score – 4 by 30 – is 120.

Thanks for listening, and see you at PrepScholar!

[oninano]

How is the max raw score for reading 45 when the number of question can reach up to 56 questions? Shouldn't it reach up to 56+ points?
I don't really understand the logic behind reading section scoring.
Thanks!

[montypython]

Not clear. How is the writing scored? Your explanation was not clear

[aravindrao]

I am waiting from one month I didn't get score till now

[lingasrinu]

I didn't get my tofel score card I completed my tofel exam on 25-07-2021 how time I want wait. what can i do to get my score card please help me sir

[Kazeker]

Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not disclose the conversion formula for the iBT reading and listening sections, but score concordances for the speaking and writing sections are available within broad ranges, meaning, this video isn't accurate.

[williamalmeida]

Thank you Ma'am. You explained so nicely.

[길니아-ky]

I have to say this SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!

[SubscriberswithDankPlaylists]

How many questions are there on the reading test?

[alaswoeisme]

Where exactly on your blog is the full score conversion table? I've been looking for 10 minutes and haven't found it yet...

[aseelrafati]

How long it takes after taking the test to post the result?
I took the test on Jan 12 and the scores aren't posted yet :(((

[ruipenghan]

Thank you very much; that was really helpful.

[inglesenglish]

Hello! Thanks for doing the conversion chart for the scoring. I don't know why the scoring can't be more straight forward like the IELTS. Anyways, I just wanted to double check that the "actual score" conversions are correct? As I reviewed both tables, I noticed some "actual scores" missing from the sequence. For example: Reading = 6, 12 are missing / Listening = 11, 21, 27 are missing. Is there an error or does this have something to do with the math when it was converted? By the way, how did you convert the raw scores? Can you share the math formula you used? Thanks for your time and I look forward to your response.

[Jay_D_Lincoln]

You should have talked about timing a little bit