What's Tested on the TOEFL iBT Reading Section
Reading is the first section of the TOEFL iBT. The TOEFL Reading Section tests your ability to understand reading passages like those in college textbooks. During the exam, you will read two passages. After each passage, you will answer 10 questions. You will have 35 minutes to read both passages and answer the questions. Read on to learn more about what to expect on the TOEFL Reading Section.
[ READ NEXT: What’s Tested on the TOEFL iBT Listening Section ]
Overview of the TOEFL iBT Reading Section
In this section, reading passages appear on the right side of the divided computer screen, and questions appear on the left side. Because the passages are long, it is necessary to scroll up and down to read an entire passage. You can scroll up and down by using the arrows and tab next to the passage. This function is similar to the scroll option that comes with Microsoft Word.
When the Reading Section begins, you will be presented with the instructions before the first question. You should have already studied the functionality of the Reading Section, so to save time you should skip the instructions by clicking the NEXT button. This button brings up the first reading passage. The first question for a passage appears along with the passage.
Some reading passages may include a word or phrase underlined in blue. Click on the word or phrase to see a definition or an explanation. Click on NEXT to go to the next question or BACK to return to a previous question to change answers. A clock on the screen will show how much time you have remaining.
How does the Review function work in the TOEFL iBT Reading Section?
The TOEFL Reading section includes a Review function. Clicking the Review button at the top of the screen takes you to a Review screen where you can see all the questions in the section and their status—answered, not answered, not yet seen. A Help button in all sections takes you to a list of topics for which helpful explanations are available.
TOEFL iBT: Types of Reading Questions
Listed below are the 10 types of reading questions you will encounter on the TOEFL.
| Vocabulary | A vocabulary question asks you to choose a synonym for a word highlighted in the passage. |
| Inference | An inference question asks you to draw a logical conclusion based on information in the passage. Think of the information as evidence for an idea not directly expressed in the passage. |
| Reference | A reference question asks you to identify a word or phrase in the passage that refers to the word or phrase in the question. The word in the passage is usually a pronoun that refers to one of the nouns in the question choices. Reference questions are rare. |
| Purpose | A purpose question asks you to look for the reason that a word, phrase, or sentence is included in the reading passage. Why did the author mention it? |
| Paraphrase | A paraphrase question asks you to choose the best restatement of an important sentence in the reading passage. The sentence will be highlighted in the passage. |
| Exception | An exception question asks you to choose a statement that includes information not in the passage. |
| Insert | An insert question asks you to locate a place in the passage to insert a sentence. Choose from four options marked with a square. |
| Detail | A detail question asks you to answer a question about a specific point in the passage. The question usually directs you to the location in the paragraph where the answer is found. |
| Classification | A classification question asks you to match phrases with the categories they refer to. You click and drag the phrase under the category. |
| Summary | A summary question asks you to complete a summary of the reading passage by choosing three statements from a list of six statements. |
How are the TOEFL iBT reading questions formatted?
All TOEFL Reading Section questions are four-option multiple-choice, with the exception of Drag ‘n Drop table completion and Drag ‘n Drop summary. As the names suggest, you must drag answer choices with your mouse and drop them into the appropriate location in a chart. These two question types are also different from the others because they are each worth more than one point; each question can be worth 2 or 4 points. A note appears with these questions telling you their point value. On the actual TOEFL, the multiple-choice answers are not labeled with letters, (A), (B), (C), (D), as you may have seen on other exams. Beside each choice is an empty circle; you select an answer by clicking on the circle of your choice with your mouse. Once selected, the oval will turn black.
TOEFL iBT Reading Strategies
Review our expert reading strategies to help you succeed on the TOEFL iBT Reading Section.
