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TOEFL iBT®

The premier test of academic English communication

TOEFL iBT Reading Section

The TOEFL iBT Reading section assesses how well you can read and understand materials used in an academic environment.

It includes two reading passages, each approximately 700 words long, with 10 questions per passage. It should take about 35 minutes to complete the Reading section.

Reading passages are excerpts from university-level textbooks that would be used in introductions to a topic. The passages cover a variety of subjects. Don't worry if you're not familiar with the topic of a passage. All the information you need to answer the questions will be included in the passage. There is a glossary feature available to define words that are not commonly used, if you need it.

 

Reading videos

Watch these videos to learn about the types of questions in the Reading section, plus helpful tips.

 

Play video button Video About Reading Factual Information

Factual Information and Negative Factual Information

 

Recognize information directly stated in the text.

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Play video button Video About Inference and Rhetorical

Inference and Rhetorical Purpose

 

Recognize information that is implied, or why an author wrote something.

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Play video button Video About Reading Vocabulary

Vocabulary

 

Know the meaning of general academic words and phrases.

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Play video button Video About Sentence Simplification

Sentence Simplification

 

Select a shorter sentence that has the same meaning as the original sentence.

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Play video button Video About Insert Text

Insert Text Question

 

Place a sentence in a paragraph where it makes the most sense.

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Play video button Video About Prose Summary

Prose Summary

 

Select three statements that best describe the main ideas in the reading passage.

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