A complete TOEFL practice test with answer key, printable
All four sections in the order the 2026 test runs them, with the answer key and the reason behind every key at the back. Sit it in one go, mark it afterwards, and read the explanations for the ones you got right as well as the ones you missed.
Free, no account and no email address. toefl-2026-practice-test-answer-key.pdf
What is in it
- Reading: one set for each of the three 2026 task types — Read in Daily Life, Complete the Words, Read an Academic Passage — with every question.
- Listening: one recording for each of the four task names, with the full transcript and a link to the audio on this page.
- Speaking: Listen and Repeat target sentences and Take an Interview prompts with their setups, printed as they are delivered.
- Writing: the published 2026 shape — ten Build a Sentence items, one Write an Email task and one Academic Discussion board with its classmate posts.
- The complete answer key with an explanation for every correct answer and for each wrong option, plus the rubric the open responses are judged against.
What it does not cover
- The adaptive delivery. Reading and Listening are two-stage router-plus-module designs in the real exam; a printed test is a fixed set of items and cannot route.
- A score. Marking this tells you how many items you got right. It does not convert to a 1–6 band, and any site that converts a home practice test into a predicted TOEFL score is inventing the mapping.
- Audio inside the file. Each Listening set links back to its player on this page.
- Spoken scoring. Speaking is judged on what a listener hears, so paper can hold the prompts and the free drill is where an answer is recorded and marked.
- Exclusive material. The items here also appear on the browse pages and in the per-task packs — this artifact is the sitting, not a separate bank.
Section 1 — Reading
One set for each 2026 Reading task type. Answer every question in a set before you look at any answer — marking as you go turns a test into a guided tour.
Passage 1
Airport Shuttle Departures
Schedule · Level 3 · 97 words · 3 questions
1. What can a standby rider expect?
- A.A discount on the fare.
- B.A seat only if reserved riders leave room.Answer
- C.A guaranteed seat on any run.
- D.Priority over reservation holders.
Why B (A seat only if reserved riders leave room.) is the answer: The schedule says standby riders board only if seats remain after reservations.
- A. No fare discount is mentioned.
- C. Standby is not guaranteed a seat.
- D. Standby comes after reservation holders, not before.
2. According to the schedule, which statement is NOT true?
- A.The 5:30 a.m. run operates on holidays.Answer
- B.Riders may bring one suitcase and one carry-on.
- C.There is a 6:00 p.m. departure.
- D.Travel time is about 40 minutes normally.
Why A (The 5:30 a.m. run operates on holidays.) is the answer: The schedule says the 5:30 a.m. run does not operate on holidays, so 'operates on holidays' is false.
- B. One suitcase and one carry-on per rider is allowed.
- C. A 6:00 p.m. departure is listed.
- D. Travel time is stated as about 40 minutes in normal traffic.
3. How far ahead must a rider reserve a seat?
- A.The night before.
- B.No reservation is needed.
- C.At least two hours before departure.Answer
- D.At least 40 minutes before departure.
Why C (At least two hours before departure.) is the answer: The schedule says to reserve online at least two hours before departure.
- A. No overnight requirement is stated.
- B. Standby riders board only if seats remain, so reservations matter.
- D. Forty minutes is the travel time, not the reservation window.
Passage 2
Caring for Objects in a Museum
Art Conservation · Level 4 · 86 words · 10 questions
1. Complete the partially missing word not____.
- A.notions
- B.notches
- C.notaries
- D.notesAnswer
Why D (notes) is the answer: 'recorded in detailed notes' fits keeping a written history of care.
- A. 'notions' means vague ideas and does not fit 'detailed' records.
- B. 'notches' are cut grooves and do not mean written records.
- C. 'notaries' are officials and are unrelated to records.
2. Complete the partially missing word deter____.
- A.deter
- B.detergent
- C.determine
- D.deteriorateAnswer
Why D (deteriorate) is the answer: 'can deteriorate ancient paint' means to make it worse over time.
- A. 'deter' means to discourage and does not take 'paint' as an object of decay.
- B. 'detergent' is a noun for a cleaner and cannot be this verb.
- C. 'determine' means to decide and does not fit damaging paint.
3. Complete the partially missing word appr____.
- A.apprentice
- B.appreciateAnswer
- C.apprehend
- D.approach
Why B (appreciate) is the answer: 'to appreciate for generations' fits scholars and visitors valuing the artifacts.
- A. 'apprentice' is a noun for a trainee and cannot follow 'to' as this verb.
- C. 'apprehend' means to arrest or grasp and does not fit enjoying art.
- D. 'approach' means to come near and misses the sense of valuing.
4. Complete the partially missing word care____.
- A.carefullyAnswer
- B.careless
- C.careful
- D.carefulness
Why A (carefully) is the answer: The adverb 'carefully' modifies 'studies', describing how the piece is examined.
- B. 'careless' means without care and reverses the meaning.
- C. 'careful' is an adjective and cannot modify the verb 'studies'.
- D. 'carefulness' is a noun and is ungrammatical after the verb.
5. Complete the partially missing word rever____.
- A.reversibleAnswer
- B.reversing
- C.reverence
- D.reversal
Why A (reversible) is the answer: 'must be reversible' means the repair can be undone, matching the next clause.
- B. 'reversing' is a participle and does not fit as a predicate adjective here.
- C. 'reverence' means deep respect and is unrelated.
- D. 'reversal' is a noun and does not fit after 'must be'.
6. Complete the partially missing word appe____.
- A.appeal
- B.appease
- C.append
- D.appearAnswer
Why D (appear) is the answer: 'if better methods appear' means become available in the future.
- A. 'appeal' means to plead and does not fit 'better methods'.
- B. 'appease' means to calm and is unrelated to methods emerging.
- C. 'append' means to attach and does not fit the sentence.
7. Complete the partially missing word sur____.
- A.surge
- B.surname
- C.surplus
- D.surfaceAnswer
Why D (surface) is the answer: 'see beneath the surface' fits using X-rays to look under the top layer.
- A. 'surge' means a sudden rise and does not fit 'beneath the'.
- B. 'surname' means a family name and is unrelated.
- C. 'surplus' means an excess and does not fit 'beneath the'.
8. Complete the partially missing word stab____.
- A.stabilizer
- B.stable
- C.stability
- D.stabilizeAnswer
Why D (stabilize) is the answer: 'to stabilize an object' takes the base verb after 'to'.
- A. 'stabilizer' is a noun and cannot serve as the infinitive verb.
- B. 'stable' is an adjective and is ungrammatical after 'to'.
- C. 'stability' is a noun and cannot follow 'to' as a verb.
9. Complete the partially missing word ava____.
- A.avail
- B.availability
- C.avalanche
- D.availableAnswer
Why D (available) is the answer: 'remain available' uses the predicate adjective after 'remain'.
- A. 'avail' is a verb and does not fit after 'remain' as a predicate.
- B. 'availability' is a noun and cannot follow 'remain' here.
- C. 'avalanche' is a snow slide and is unrelated.
10. Complete the partially missing word fra____.
- A.fraction
- B.fragment
- C.fragrant
- D.fragileAnswer
Why D (fragile) is the answer: 'fragile objects' fits things easily damaged that conservators protect.
- A. 'fraction' means a part and cannot describe objects here.
- B. 'fragment' is a noun for a broken piece and does not fit before 'objects' as a describer.
- C. 'fragrant' means sweet-smelling and is unrelated to damage.
Passage 3
A Butterfly's Long Journey
Life Science · Level 4 · 199 words · 5 questions
1. The word "unraveling" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
- A.celebrating
- B.tying together
- C.working outAnswer
- D.ignoring
Why C (working out) is the answer: Scientists are still figuring out the puzzle, so unraveling means working out.
- A. Celebrating is unrelated to solving a puzzle.
- B. Tying together is nearly the opposite of unraveling a puzzle.
- D. They are actively studying it, not ignoring it.
2. What can be inferred from the fact that no single butterfly makes the round trip?
- A.The route cannot be learned by imitating experienced individualsAnswer
- B.Each butterfly lives for several years
- C.The route changes completely each year
- D.The butterflies never reach the wintering grounds
Why A (The route cannot be learned by imitating experienced individuals) is the answer: Since the travelers have never seen the destination, they cannot be copying experienced individuals.
- B. The generations turn over, implying short lives.
- C. They return to the same specific patches each year.
- D. They do reach specific wintering sites.
3. Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?
- A.Monarchs face no threats to their migration
- B.Monarchs migrate only when older butterflies lead them
- C.Monarch migration is a remarkable, inherited journey that is also fragileAnswer
- D.Monarch wintering sites change randomly each year
Why C (Monarch migration is a remarkable, inherited journey that is also fragile) is the answer: The passage stresses the inherited, remarkable journey and its fragility.
- A. The passage says the migration is fragile and threatened.
- B. No experienced leaders exist for the trip.
- D. They return to the same specific sites.
4. Where would this sentence best fit in paragraph 1? "Several generations are born and die during a single yearly cycle."
- A.Position [C]Answer
- B.Position [B]
- C.Position [A]
- D.Position [D]
Why A (Position [C]) is the answer: The sentence about several generations fits after noting that great-grandparents left the site, explaining how the route is passed down.
- B. Position B interrupts the point that the flyers have never seen the destination.
- C. Position A comes before the generational detail is introduced.
- D. Position D ends the paragraph after the conclusion is drawn, making it redundant.
5. According to paragraph 2, how do the butterflies appear to navigate?
- A.By memorizing landmarks from a previous trip
- B.By using the sun's position, adjusted for the time of dayAnswer
- C.By following the wind
- D.By following older butterflies who know the route
Why B (By using the sun's position, adjusted for the time of day) is the answer: The passage says they use the sun as a compass, adjusting for the time of day.
- A. The migrating insects have never seen the destination.
- C. Wind is not mentioned as a guide.
- D. No single butterfly has made the trip before to lead others.
Section 3 — Speaking
Say every answer out loud, immediately, with no notes. Rehearsing a spoken answer in your head is a different and much easier task than the one being measured.
Listen and Repeat — say each sentence back
Easy sentences
Tiers are Reach120 practice settings — longer sentences hold more in memory.
1. 6 words
Please submit the lab form today.
2. 6 words
The library opens earlier during finals.
Medium sentences
Tiers are Reach120 practice settings — longer sentences hold more in memory.
3. 9 words
Please leave your completed attendance sheet outside the office.
Hard sentences
Tiers are Reach120 practice settings — longer sentences hold more in memory.
4. 14 words
Before the workshop starts, please test your microphone and close every extra browser tab.
Take an Interview — answer the situation you are given
Campus situations
Everyday university decisions — the interviewer sets a situation, then asks what you would do.
1. Choosing courses
Your academic advisor says two classes you want meet at the same time.
How would you choose between them for this semester, and why?
Academic topics
Study and coursework topics — the interviewer sets a situation, then asks for your view.
2. Missed lecture
You missed an important lecture because you were sick, and the next class builds directly on that material.
What steps would you take to catch up quickly?
Section 4 — Writing
The published 2026 shape: ten Build a Sentence items, one email and one discussion board. Build a Sentence has a real key; the other two are open responses judged on a 0–5 rubric, so what follows them is the requirement list rather than a model answer.
Build a Sentence
Easy items
Difficulty labels are Reach120 practice settings, not ETS levels.
1. Basic SVO
Speaker: What did you have for lunch today?
- today
- delicious
- had
- I
- a
- were
- sandwich
AnswerI had a delicious sandwich today.
Simple past tense SVO: English past tense statements follow Subject + past-tense verb + Object order. The verb changes form to show the action happened before now.
Pattern: Subject + V-ed/irregular past + Object.
2. Basic SVO
Speaker: Where does your brother work?
- works
- the local
- been
- downtown
- He
- hospital
- at
AnswerHe works at the local hospital downtown.
Present tense SVO: Present simple uses Subject + base verb (+s for third person) + Object. This basic word order is the foundation of English sentence structure.
For he/she/it, add -s to the verb: She works, He plays.
3. Basic SVO
Speaker: What did Maria buy?
- flowers
- fresh
- yesterday
- She
- bought
- has
- some
AnswerShe bought some fresh flowers yesterday.
Simple past tense SVO: English past tense statements follow Subject + past-tense verb + Object order. The verb changes form to show the action happened before now.
Pattern: Subject + V-ed/irregular past + Object.
4. Basic SVO
Speaker: How do they get to school?
- the
- yellow
- bus
- daily
- take
- was
- They
AnswerThey take the yellow bus daily.
Present tense SVO: Present simple uses Subject + base verb (+s for third person) + Object. This basic word order is the foundation of English sentence structure.
For he/she/it, add -s to the verb: She works, He plays.
Medium items
Difficulty labels are Reach120 practice settings, not ETS levels.
5. Basic SVO
Speaker: How was the conference?
- really
- yesterday
- was
- I
- presentation
- enjoyed
- keynote
- the
AnswerI really enjoyed the keynote presentation yesterday.
SVO with adverbial modifiers: When adverbs modify the verb, they typically come before the main verb or after the object. Manner adverbs often follow the object.
Subject + adverb + Verb + Object, or Subject + Verb + Object + adverb.
6. Basic SVO
Speaker: What happened at practice?
- goals
- three
- quickly
- beautiful
- been
- today
- scored
- She
AnswerShe quickly scored three beautiful goals today.
SVO with adverbial modifiers: When adverbs modify the verb, they typically come before the main verb or after the object. Manner adverbs often follow the object.
Subject + adverb + Verb + Object, or Subject + Verb + Object + adverb.
7. Basic SVO
Speaker: What did they cook?
- carefully
- traditional
- a
- does
- meal
- They
- prepared
- Italian
AnswerThey carefully prepared a traditional Italian meal.
SVO with adverbial modifiers: When adverbs modify the verb, they typically come before the main verb or after the object. Manner adverbs often follow the object.
Subject + adverb + Verb + Object, or Subject + Verb + Object + adverb.
Hard items
Difficulty labels are Reach120 practice settings, not ETS levels.
8. Basic SVO
Speaker: Tell me about your weekend.
- reading
- afternoon
- the
- I spent
- spent
- entire
- in the garden
- novels
AnswerI spent the entire afternoon reading novels in the garden.
Complex SVO with multiple modifiers: With multiple modifiers, adjectives precede nouns, adverbs go near verbs, and prepositional phrases come at the end of the clause.
Build outward: Subject + Verb + Object, then add modifiers around each part.
9. Basic SVO
Speaker: What did the teacher say?
- students
- concept
- the
- all the
- explained
- She explained
- to
- difficult
AnswerShe explained the difficult concept to all the students.
Complex SVO with multiple modifiers: With multiple modifiers, adjectives precede nouns, adverbs go near verbs, and prepositional phrases come at the end of the clause.
Build outward: Subject + Verb + Object, then add modifiers around each part.
10. Basic SVO
Speaker: How does your roommate cook?
- for
- organic
- prepares
- She always
- meals
- the whole family
- healthy
- always
AnswerShe always prepares healthy organic meals for the whole family.
Complex SVO with multiple modifiers: With multiple modifiers, adjectives precede nouns, adverbs go near verbs, and prepositional phrases come at the end of the clause.
Build outward: Subject + Verb + Object, then add modifiers around each part.
Write an Email
Inquiry
Write an Email prompts in the inquiry category.
1. Inquiry
You are Alex Smith, a graduate student at Greenfield University, currently living in an apartment at 123 Maple Street. Your lease is set to expire on June 30, 2023, and you are interested in renewing it for another year. You have been living there since July 2022 and have enjoyed the location due to its proximity to campus and local amenities. However, you are concerned about potential rent increases and would like to discuss this before making a decision.
- Writing to
- Service Provider
- Subject
- Lease Renewal Inquiry
What your reply must cover
- Inquire about the possibility of renewing the lease for another year
- Ask if there will be any changes to the current rent amount
- Request information on any updates or maintenance that may be scheduled for the upcoming year
Write for an Academic Discussion
Education
Discussion boards set in the education category.
1. Online Learning
Professor: What do you think? Does online learning provide a better educational experience compared to traditional classroom learning? Why or why not?
Online learning refers to an educational approach where courses are delivered via the internet. This can range from full degree programs to supplemental courses, providing flexibility for students in terms of location and schedule. However, this mode of learning poses challenges such as reduced face-to-face interaction and the need for self-discipline.
Every question in these files is a Reach120 practice item taken from the bank our learners practise against. None of them is a real TOEFL test question, and nothing here is published, licensed, endorsed or reviewed by ETS.
How to sit this so the result means something
- 1Do all four sections in one sitting, in the printed order, before you look at any answer. A test taken in pieces across a week measures your week, not your reading.
- 2Keep the Listening audio for the moment you reach that section and play each recording once. Replaying it turns the section into a transcript exercise.
- 3Say the Speaking answers out loud even with nobody listening. Rehearsing them in your head is a different task and an easier one.
- 4Mark it afterwards in one pass, then read every explanation — including the ones you got right. A right answer for the wrong reason is the same error, still there.
- 5Note the task types you lost most on. That is what the result is for; a total out of anything is not.
The shape this test follows
The section order, the task names and the Writing counts here follow the published 2026 specification. What the specification describes and this file cannot reproduce is the routing: both Reading and Listening deliver a first-stage router and then a second module chosen by how the router went.
What ETS states
The 2026 specification lists the Reading section at 50 items and 35 raw points, with task types Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, and Read an Academic Passage.
These are published blueprint values, which the specification states are subject to minor revisions until the official launch. The item count includes non-scored items, so items do not equal raw points — the specification lists a maximum of 1 point per scored item.
The specification lists an estimated Reading time of an 18–21 minute router plus a 9 minute module, in a two-stage router-plus-module adaptive design.
The times are estimated. Reading prints a single 9 minute module for both routes, unlike Listening, which prints two discrete module lengths.
Reading items are machine-scored selected responses, evaluated by rule-based algorithms per the specification’s item-type notes.
Machine-scored is not exclusive to Reading and Listening — Build a Sentence is machine-scored too. This says nothing about how Reach120 scores your practice.
Sourced from the ETS 2026 test specifications, read 2026-07-27. Everything outside this box is Reach120’s own reading of it.
What ETS states
The 2026 specification lists the Listening section at 47 items and 35 raw points, with task types Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, and Listen to an Academic Talk.
These are published blueprint values, which the specification states are subject to minor revisions until the official launch. The item count includes non-scored items, so items do not equal raw points — the specification lists a maximum of 1 point per scored item.
The specification lists an estimated Listening time of an 18 minute router plus a second-stage module of 7 minutes (lower) or 11 minutes (upper).
The times are estimated, and the two module lengths are discrete listed values — not a sliding 7-to-11-minute range.
Listening items are machine-scored selected responses, evaluated by rule-based algorithms per the specification’s item-type notes.
Machine-scored is not exclusive to Reading and Listening — Build a Sentence is machine-scored too. This says nothing about how Reach120 scores your practice.
Sourced from the ETS 2026 test specifications, read 2026-07-27. Everything outside this box is Reach120’s own reading of it.
What ETS states
The current Writing section lists 12 items: 10 Build a Sentence items, one Write an Email task, and one Academic Discussion task.
Per the specification’s item-type notes, all Speaking tasks are AI-scored constructed responses, and Build a Sentence is machine-scored by rule-based algorithms.
This describes the real test. It says nothing about how Reach120 marks a practice attempt.
Sourced from the ETS 2026 test specifications, read 2026-07-27. Everything outside this box is Reach120’s own reading of it.
What marking this can and cannot tell you
Reading, Listening and Build a Sentence have real keys, so a count of correct answers is a real measurement of those tasks. The email, the discussion and both Speaking tasks are open responses judged on rubrics — there is no key, and the file publishes the rubric instead of pretending to one.
What none of it produces is a band. The official 1–6 bands come from a scoring process this document is not part of, and converting a home practice score into a predicted TOEFL result would be exactly the invented precision this site refuses elsewhere.
Common questions
- Do I need an account to download this?
- No. The PDF downloads directly from this page with no account and no email address, and the whole test with its answer key is printed on this page as well.
- Is this a real TOEFL test?
- Every question in these files is a Reach120 practice item taken from the bank our learners practise against. None of them is a real TOEFL test question, and nothing here is published, licensed, endorsed or reviewed by ETS.
- Can I work out my TOEFL score from this?
- No. Marking it tells you which task types you lost items on, which is the useful part. There is no published mapping from a home practice test to a 1–6 band, and any site that offers one has made it up.
- Why is the Listening audio not in the file?
- Because a PDF cannot carry a recording that plays reliably wherever it is opened. Each Listening set in the file links back to its player on this page, which also keeps the audio behind the same publication check the transcript went through.
- Are the items here different from the other packs?
- Mostly not, deliberately. The per-task packs are disjoint windows of the banks so they do not repeat each other; this is a test to sit rather than a bank to browse, so it takes the front of each pool. Building it out of leftovers would have made a worse test for no benefit to anybody.
- How is this different from the numbered practice tests on the site?
- The numbered tests each carry one Reading passage and one recording, so there are many of them and no passage is published on two of those URLs. This one carries a set for every Reading task type and every Listening task name at once, with a single answer key at the back — it is the printable capstone rather than one of a series. Work through the numbered tests for volume and print this one for a full sitting.
- How long should it take?
- The 2026 specification lists estimated section times — an 18–21 minute Reading router plus a 9 minute module, and an 18 minute Listening router plus a 7 or 11 minute module, read on 2026-07-27. A printed fixed-form test is not those stages, so treat the timings as context rather than as a clock to sit this against.