r/TOEFL

Hello everyone, I took the test on April 17 at a test center. During the test everything went fine, but today the results were supposed to be released, and the website says they are unavailable due to an administrative error. I’ve already contacted support, but they haven’t responded yet and I’m a bit worried. Has anyone experienced this before? Does it affect my results, and is it related to my performance, or is it just an internal issue on their side? A friend I took the test with received the same message.

I’m taking the TOEFL on May 13th for my FPGEC application and need a balanced score 4.5 R, 4.5 W, 5 L, 5S. I’ve been studying full-time and just finished two tist glider mock exams.

My Scores:

• Reading: 5 (Target: 4.5)

• Listening: 5.5 (Target: 5)

• Writing: 4 (Target: 4.5)

• Speaking: 3 (Target: 5)

The Obstacles:

1. Writing: I’m having trouble and need to polish my Academic Discussion and Email writing.(

comma

1. ,Capitalization,articles,prepositions)

My Questions:

• How accurate/realistic are tist glider scores compared to the actual exam?

• With 23 days of full-time study left, is it realistic to bridge the 2-point gap in Speaking?

• Any tips for structuring the Speaking responses and the final sentences of the listen and repeat tasks?

I’m feeling more optimistic, but I need an honest reality check. Any advice is appreciated!

Hi everyone! I’m preparing for the TOEFL iBT and would really appreciate some advice.

1. ⁠Do you recommend taking the test at a test center or at home?

2. ⁠For those who have used mock tests, do you think their speaking scores and overall scores are predictive of the real TOEFL score?

3. ⁠Do you recommend following a specific template for Academic Discussion and Interview task? Please share it

4. ⁠What are the best ways to expand vocabulary efficiently in the last week before the test?

Thanks!

I gave TOEFL on May 17, 2025 and got a very good score (R 29, L 29, S 29, W 25; 112/120). I couldn't apply for Fall 2026 due to some reason, but I am planning to apply for Fall 2027. Will these scores be valid?

I understand the classes for Fall 2027 will start in July/Aug 2027, but admission decisions are generally made by May.

Hi everyone!

I’ve been observing the shift toward the TOEFL 2026 format, and I’ve noticed a common trap: many candidates are becoming "template prisoners." They memorize structures but lose the essence of the language.

The reality is that the TOEFL isn't just a hurdle; it’s a test of academic culture and linguistic precision.

As an anglicist (a linguistics and culture enthusiast), I’ve always believed that the best way to ace the exam is to stop "cramming" and start understanding the why behind the rules. For example:

• Understanding why a speaker chooses the simple present to describe a future event (it's about certainty, not time!).
• Knowing the emotional weight of a synonym (why pivotal hits harder than important in an academic discussion).

I’ve started a project to share this "anglicist approach"—focusing on cultural context and deep linguistics rather than just repetitive drills. I believe that when you understand the tool, the exam becomes a formality.

Hi all,

I owe you an apology.

I set up r/toefl to try to help students taking this exam, then let it drift badly. That is on me. I am usually buried under work, and I either forgot about the sub or remembered it when I was already overloaded. Either way, I did not keep on top of it, and the result was a lot of spam and low-quality posts.

I am British, and I work across IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams, you guys have no idea how busy I am, however, this is no excuse. I set this subreddit up to be genuinely useful for people preparing for the TOEFL, and I want to get it back to that.

I have now gone through and banned accounts posting spam or promotional rubbish. From this point on, if you see anyone posting anything with an external link, please DM me. It will be removed immediately, and the account will be banned.

I should have been more active earlier, and I will do better from here. The aim is simple: keep this sub clean, useful, and focused on helping students.

Thanks, and sorry again.

Hi everyone,

I’m preparing for the TOEFL iBT (2026 edition) and using Magoosh full-length tests. I’m trying to understand how close their scoring is to ETS, especially for speaking and writing. I usually get around 4/5 in the speaking interview tasks and around 3-4/5 on email and academic discussion tasks in Writing section on Magoosh. As a non-native speaker, I’m not aiming for a 5 in each specific task, but I do want a realistic sense of where I stand. That said, I’m a bit worried that Magoosh might be, more lenient for the Speaking section and perhaps more stricter for the Writing section, than the actual ETS grading.

Has anyone (specially non-native speakers) used both Magoosh and official ETS practice tests (or taken the real exam)? Did you notice any difference in how speaking and writing were scored? I’d prefer not to spend extra money on ETS practice tests just to gauge this, so I’d really appreciate any insights. Thanks in advance!

how long it last to announce toefl home edition scores?

Hi all,

Took TOEFL iBT Home Edition on April 14, 2026. Got full score for Reading/Listening, but my entire score was cancelled because of the Writing section.

ETS message:

“Your Writing response did not reflect the assigned task, or it contained ideas/language from published sources or other test takers.”

That’s it. No specifics, no evidence, no breakdown.

Has anyone had this happen?

Did ETS ever give you a detailed reason or reinstate your score after review?

Hello fellas. Hope, you are all fine. I have a question on ''Prepex AI''. Do they mark same as ETS have provided or provided extra on speaking part specifically 'listen and repeat section' ?
Thanks in advance.

https://preview.redd.it/dpdd8t3co9vg1.png?width=1493&format=png&auto=webp&s=7589bf1344067eaa591a3d8dbf1cd8f61d725f0a

Like come on, i couldn't remember almost any of the sentences in Listen and Repeat. I can't even do that in my native language. That part is stupid.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for advice on improving my TOEFL iBT writing and speaking scores.

I’m from Japan, and Japanese is my native language. I studied abroad for one year during college, and my major courses were taught in English, although it has been almost five years since I graduated.

I last took the TOEFL in May 2025 (old format), and my total score was 89:

* Reading: 19

* Listening: 24

* Writing: 23

* Speaking: 23

Since then, I’ve been studying consistently. Recently, I’ve been using the official TOEFL prep app “Santa AI” (by ETS & Santa), and my mock test scores are usually around 4.5 overall:

* Reading: 5.0–5.5

* Listening: 5.0–5.5

* Writing: 3.5–5.0

* Speaking: 2.5–4.0

My goal is to consistently reach around 5.0–5.5 so I can apply to graduate schools. I’m planning to take the official test on May 17, so I have about one month left to prepare.

I’m especially concerned about my writing and speaking scores. I’ve heard that the new TOEFL format and AI scoring system can be challenging, and I’m not sure how to improve effectively.

If you’ve recently taken the TOEFL and improved your writing or speaking scores, I’d really appreciate hearing what worked for you. Also, do you have any tips for adapting to the new format in a short time?

Thanks in advance for any advice or shared experiences!

Hey everyone

I am gonna be taking the TOEFL in may, and i feel stuck in speaking task 1 (listen and repeat) no matter how much practice i do

Is there anything i am missing? After 4th question i get stuck , would appreciate any tips !