Free TOEFL Practice Test 5 with Answers (2026 Format)
Work through the four sections in order, then mark yourself against the keys below them. The open responses — Email, Discussion and Take an Interview — have no key, because a 0–5 rubric answer does not have one; take those to the scored practice.
Section 1 — Reading
Approved Reading material, published with its questions, keyed answers and the reason each option was written.
Passage 1
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 2 — Listening
Audio you can play here, the full transcript, and the questions with their keys — the transcript is printed open rather than folded away.
This test carries no printed recording: the sample library has none left to publish at this number, and reprinting another test's material here would put the same recording on two pages. Sit this section in the free Listening section, which is free, uncapped and adaptive — closer to the real thing than a printed form could be.
Section 3 — Speaking
Seven Listen and Repeat sentences and four Take an Interview prompts, cut to the item counts the 2026 specification lists. Record your answers in the scored Speaking practice to get a band.
Listen and Repeat — 7 items
You hear each sentence once and say it back. The target text is what the recording says, so printing it withholds nothing.
1. 6 words
The campus shuttle stops near science.
2. 14 words
The department chair said late internship forms need signatures from both supervisors this week.
3. 6 words
Please recycle the boxes behind reception.
4. 6 words
Bring headphones to the language lab.
5. 10 words
The campus cafe now accepts payments through the meal app.
6. 10 words
Students should submit parking appeals through the online transportation form.
7. 14 words
The counselor recommended a lighter schedule for students who work while taking science courses.
Take an Interview — 4 items
An interviewer sets a situation and asks a question; you answer aloud. Open responses, so there is no key — the eight items reserved for the scored mock are excluded from this bank.
8. Office hours conflict
A professor's office hours conflict with one of your study group meetings.
How would you handle the conflict so you still get the help you need?
9. Volunteering choice
The campus food bank needs weekly volunteers, and helping would take one afternoon each week.
Would you volunteer regularly, and how would you fit it into your schedule?
10. First week memory
Think back to your first week living on or near campus.
What is one experience from that week you remember most, and why?
11. Speaking nerves
You get nervous whenever you have to speak in front of the whole class.
What would you do to feel more confident before your next presentation?
Section 4 — Writing
Ten keyed Build a Sentence items, one Write an Email prompt and one Academic Discussion board — the twelve items the Writing section lists.
Build a Sentence — 10 items
Arrange the given words into the sentence that answers the speaker. The keyed answer and the grammar rule behind it are printed under each item.
12. Basic SVO
Speaker: What does your cat do all day?
- sleeps
- the
- couch
- had
- warm
- on
- It
AnswerIt sleeps on the warm couch.
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.
13. Basic SVO
Speaker: Where does your family shop?
- downtown
- farmers market
- shop
- We
- had
- the
- regularly
- at
AnswerWe regularly shop at the farmers market downtown.
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.
14. Relative Clauses
Speaker: Who helps you with homework?
- brother
- studies
- which
- My
- math
- who
- helps me
AnswerMy brother who studies math helps me.
Relative clause with "who": "Who" introduces a relative clause describing a person. The clause comes immediately after the noun it modifies and contains its own verb.
Use "who" for people: The person WHO does something...
15. Relative Clauses
Speaker: Tell me about your school.
- university
- offers
- talented students
- The
- whom
- that
- scholarships
- attracts
AnswerThe university that offers scholarships attracts talented students.
Relative clause with "that": "That" introduces a defining relative clause for people or things. It identifies which specific noun is being discussed.
Use "that" to identify: The one THAT matches the description...
16. Relative Clauses
Speaker: Which policy improved results?
- that
- collaborative learning
- emphasized
- significantly
- improved
- The strategy
- strategy
- student performance outcomes
AnswerThe strategy that emphasized collaborative learning significantly improved student performance outcomes.
Relative clause with "that": "That" introduces a defining relative clause for people or things. It identifies which specific noun is being discussed.
Use "that" to identify: The one THAT matches the description...
17. Question Formation
Speaker: I need travel advice.
- you
- should
- visit first
- Can
- where
- tourists
- recommend
- did
AnswerCan you recommend where tourists should visit first?
Indirect question formation: Indirect questions start with a polite phrase, then use a question word followed by statement word order (Subject + Verb).
Could you tell me + question word + Subject + Verb?
18. Question Formation
Speaker: I want to apply abroad.
- students
- documents
- must submit
- you
- explain
- international exchange
- what
- Would you
AnswerWould you explain what documents international exchange students must submit?
Indirect question formation: Indirect questions start with a polite phrase, then use a question word followed by statement word order (Subject + Verb).
Could you tell me + question word + Subject + Verb?
19. Modal Verbs
Speaker: I am struggling with the course.
- might
- attend
- the weekly
- sessions
- definitely
- You
- tutoring
- should
AnswerYou should definitely attend the weekly tutoring sessions.
Modal verb: should + base verb: "Should" expresses advice or recommendation and is followed by the base form of the verb, never past tense or infinitive with "to."
should + base verb: You should STUDY (not "should studied").
20. Modal Verbs
Speaker: The client is unhappy.
- concerns
- a meeting
- promptly
- They should
- should
- to discuss
- all outstanding
- arrange
AnswerThey should promptly arrange a meeting to discuss all outstanding concerns.
Modal verb: should + base verb: "Should" expresses advice or recommendation and is followed by the base form of the verb, never past tense or infinitive with "to."
should + base verb: You should STUDY (not "should studied").
21. Perfect Tenses
Speaker: How long have you worked here?
- worked
- five years
- have
- I
- has
- for
- over
- at this company
AnswerI have worked at this company for over five years.
Present perfect: have/has + past participle: Present perfect connects past actions to the present. Use "have" (I/you/we/they) or "has" (he/she/it) + past participle.
have/has + V-ed/irregular: I have FINISHED, She has GONE.
Write an Email — 1 task
An open response scored on a 0–5 rubric. There is no answer key to print, so the prompt is published complete, with the requirement list it carries.
22. Inquiry
You are a university student named Alex Martinez, and you are planning an event for the Engineering Club. The event is scheduled for November 15th and you're considering renting audio-visual equipment from TechRentals for the day. You need to ensure that the equipment is available and fits within the club's budget. Contact Jessica Lee, the representative at TechRentals, to inquire about their pricing and availability.
- Writing to
- Administration
- Subject
- Inquiry About A/V Equipment Rental for Nov 15th
What your reply must cover
- Ask about the availability of audio-visual equipment on November 15th
- Request a detailed breakdown of rental costs
- Inquire about any potential discounts for university clubs
Write for an Academic Discussion — 1 task
Also a 0–5 open response. The professor’s question is published in full, with the classmates’ posts wherever the bank records who said what.
23. Climate Change Action
Professor: Should governments impose strict regulations on businesses to combat climate change, or should they rely on voluntary corporate action? Explain your view.
Climate change poses significant environmental challenges, and governments worldwide are debating the best approaches to address it. Some advocate for strict regulations and carbon taxes, while others prefer market-based solutions and technological innovation. The balance between environmental protection and economic growth remains contentious.
How to sit one of these
- 1Set a timer before you look at anything. The estimated whole-test time is in the blueprint below; a set you pause halfway through measures your reading speed, not your test readiness.
- 2Work top to bottom, section by section, without scrolling ahead to the answers.
- 3Only then read the keys and the rationales. On Build a Sentence and the Reading and Listening items, the key tells you whether you were right; the rationale tells you why the other options were written.
- 4The open responses — Write an Email, Academic Discussion, Take an Interview — have no key, because a 0–5 rubric response does not have one. Write or record yours, then take it to the scored practice to get a band and line-level feedback.
The 2026 blueprint each test is cut to
A numbered test here is not an arbitrary pile of questions. The Writing and Speaking sets are cut to the item counts the 2026 specification publishes, so the pacing you practise is the pacing the section actually has.
| Section | What the specification lists | What one numbered test carries |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 50 items, 35 raw points, two-stage adaptive | One approved passage with its questions and keys, where the sample catalog has one — otherwise the free Reading section |
| Listening | 47 items, 35 raw points, two-stage adaptive | One approved recording with audio, full transcript, questions and keys, where the catalog has one |
| Speaking | 11 items — 7 Listen and Repeat, 4 Take an Interview | 7 Listen and Repeat sentences and 4 Take an Interview prompts |
| Writing | 12 items — 10 Build a Sentence, 1 Email, 1 Discussion | 10 keyed Build a Sentence items, one Email prompt, one Discussion board |
What ETS states
The 2026 specification lists 120 total items, 145 total raw points, and an estimated total test time between 1 hour 23 minutes and 1 hour 29 minutes.
The times are estimated and the blueprint is subject to minor revisions until the official launch. The 120-item total includes non-scored Reading and Listening items, so it is not the number of scored points.
The current Writing section lists 12 items: 10 Build a Sentence items, one Write an Email task, and one Academic Discussion task.
The 2026 specification lists the Speaking section at 11 items and 55 raw points, with task types Listen and Repeat (7 items) and Take an Interview (4 items).
The specification is subject to minor revision until launch. Speaking carries no non-scored items.
The 2026 Reading and Listening sections use multistage adaptive designs; Speaking and Writing are linear.
That is why the two adaptive sections cannot be reproduced as a fixed printed form — what you get here is approved material from those banks, and the adaptive run itself lives in the free Reading and Listening sections.
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 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 gets scored, and by what
Two different things happen to two different kinds of answer, and it is worth being exact about which is which.
- Selected responses — Build a Sentence, and the Reading and Listening items — are checked against a stored key. That check is deterministic: the same answer gets the same result every time, and no language model is involved in deciding it.
- Open responses — Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion, Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview — are scored against the 0–5 rubrics in the scored practice, in the same sitting rather than queued for review. You can check that claim yourself on the free essay check, which scores a response with no account at all.
What ETS states
For TOEFL tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, official score reports use a 1–6 scale in half-band increments.
Per the 2026 specification, the maximum points per Build a Sentence item is 1.
The specification publishes the point allocation and the machine-scored framing. That an arrangement is therefore treated as correct or incorrect rather than graded on a rubric is Reach120’s reading of it, not an ETS statement.
Sourced from the ETS 2026 test specifications, read 2026-08-06. Everything outside this box is Reach120’s own reading of it.
Free TOEFL practice tests: common questions
- Are these TOEFL practice tests really free?
- Yes. Every question, transcript and answer key on these pages is published in the page itself with no account, no email gate and no paywall. A free account is only needed for the scored practice, where your own writing and speaking are graded against the rubrics.
- Is this a full-length TOEFL test?
- The Writing and Speaking sets are cut to the item counts the 2026 specification lists — 12 Writing items and 11 Speaking items. Reading and Listening are two-stage adaptive sections in the 2026 test, so a printed page cannot reproduce them item for item; each test carries approved Reading and Listening material where the sample catalog has it, and the adaptive run itself is in the free Reading and Listening sections.
- Do the questions come with answers?
- Where the task has an answer, yes, and it is printed under the item along with why it is right. Build a Sentence carries a keyed arrangement and the grammar rule behind it; Reading and Listening items carry the key and the reason each distractor was written; Listen and Repeat prints the target sentence. Write an Email, Academic Discussion and Take an Interview are open responses scored on 0–5 rubrics, so there is no key to print and inventing one would misrepresent the task.
- How are these different from the full mock?
- These pages are the reading-and-marking version: fixed, printable, complete with keys. The full mock is the sitting version — it runs the four sections back to back, times you, scores your open responses and reports one combined practice estimate. Most people use both: the numbered tests to learn the item types, the mock to rehearse the day.
- Are these real TOEFL questions?
- These are Reach120 practice items written against the published 2026 blueprint. None of them is a real TOEFL test question, and nothing here is published, licensed, endorsed or reviewed by ETS.
- How is a practice band related to an official score?
- It is not an official score. Since January 21, 2026, official TOEFL score reports use a 1–6 scale in half-band increments; the bands Reach120 reports are practice estimates produced by our own scoring against the published rubrics, and the methodology page states how they are produced and what they are measured against.