We also explain effective study strategies for the new reading section. Please take time refer to the article if needed.
New TOEFL Starting on January 21, 2026
The TOEFL is scheduled to undergo a major change in its test format on January 21, 2026. One of the sections that will change most significantly is Reading, which will be very different from the traditional TOEFL format.
Until now, the TOEFL Reading section consisted of long academic passages, with test takers answering multiple questions based on each passage. However, the new TOEFL will be divided into three independent parts:
- Complete the Words
- Read in Daily Life
- Read an Academic Passage
Because these question formats are entirely new for many traditional TOEFL test takers, it is necessary to update both study strategies and approaches to each question type.
That said, there is no need to worry.
We provide a range of resources designed specifically for the updated TOEFL. Each question is carefully designed to help you become familiar with common TOEFL topics, patterns, and concepts you are likely to encounter on the exam.
The difficulty level of our practice questions is intentionally set slightly higher than that of the actual TOEFL. This approach is meant to help you feel more confident and comfortable when you take the real test.
Two Modules in the Reading Section
Another major feature of the new TOEFL is the introduction of a two-module structure with adaptive testing. Simply put, a test taker will proceed to either an easier or a more challenging second module depending on their performance in Module 1.
As expected, reaching the more challenging Module 2 generally leads to a higher potential score in the Reading section. A common question, then, is how well a test taker needs to perform in Module 1 to advance to the harder module?
In many exams that use adaptive testing, such as the SAT and the GRE, a performance of around 60% correct is often cited as the rough dividing line between easier and harder second modules. While the TOEFL does not publicly disclose its exact threshold, this benchmark provides a useful reference.
So, for test takers aiming for a high Reading score, consistently answering a strong majority of Module 1 questions correctly is therefore an important goal.
Part 1: Complete the Words
This may be completely new question format for many test takers. Complete the words, fill-in-the-blanks in other words, requires you to think of a word word to be placed in a given academic passage. The following is one example of this question format.
In modern science, the universe is understood as the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy. Current cos_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ research suggests that it began as an extremely dense and hot state and has been con_ _ _ _ _ _ _ to expand ever since. As a r_ _ _ _ _, distant galaxies appear to be moving away from one another, a phenomenon that provides observational support for this theory. De_ _ _ _ _ major advances in technology, many questions re_ _ _ _ unanswered, particularly those concerning dark matter and dark energy, which are thought to p_ _ _ a major role i_ shaping the large-scale structure of the universe.
Answers
- cosmological
- continuing
- result
- Despite
- remain
- play
- in
Passages that appear in Part 1 are often academic. As a result, some blanks require you to supply basic academic terms, including names of disciplines and expressions commonly used in academic writing. Some blanks also require appropriate prepositions.
The good news is that you don’t need to generate every word entirely on your own. The first two or three letters are provided, and you can use this clue to identify the correct word to fill in the blank.
Below are practice questions designed to help you become familiar with the Part 1 Complete-the-Words question format. The questions on this site are structured to help you get used to both academic topics and the new question format.
Practice Questions (Complete the Words)
- Archeology (Intermediate)
- Economics (Intermediate)
- Psychology (Intermediate)
- Astronomy (Intermediate)
- Biology (Intermediate)
- European History (Difficult)
Part 2: Read in Daily Life
The question format in Part 2 is similar to that of the TOEIC. You will read materials such as articles, brochures, and emails, and then answer questions related to the content. The materials used in this part are non-academic and are mostly drawn from everyday situations.
Below is an example of this question format.
(1) What happens if a company requests a schedule change three days before training begins?
A. The training will automatically switch to an online format.
B. The discount will no longer apply.
C. Additional charges may apply.
D. The training will be canceled without a refund.
(2) What restriction is mentioned regarding the promotional discount?
A. It applies only to on-site training sessions.
B. It is unavailable for international companies.
C. It cannot be used together with certain pricing arrangements.
D. It requires approval from the corporate services team.
Answers
(1) C
(2) C
Because the texts in Part 2 of the TOEFL Reading section are non-academic, it is important to be familiar with everyday vocabulary rather than academic terms. At present, one effective way to prepare for this part is to use TOEIC Part 7 materials, which feature similar everyday reading formats, such as emails and brochures.
Here, we offer a variety of practice materials specifically designed for TOEFL Part 2: Read in Daily Life.
Practice Questions (Read in Daily Life)
- Email (Intermediate)
- Notice (Intermediate)
- Social Media Post (Intermediate)
- Casual Email (Intermediate)
- Access Protocol (Difficult)
- Farm Visits Notice (Difficult)
Part 3: Read an Academic Passage
The question format in Part 3 of the TOEFL Reading section is similar to that of the traditional TOEFL Reading questions. You will read an academic passage and answer questions based on its content.
Although the passage style is similar to that of the conventional TOEFL, the length is much shorter, roughly one third of the traditional passages. TOEFL Reading passages are designed so that no prior background knowledge is required; however, having some familiarity with common academic topics can make the reading process smoother.
On this site, we provide reading materials that mirror the Part 3 format. Working through these questions will help you become comfortable with the question style while also building background knowledge on topics that frequently appear in TOEFL academic readings.
Practice Questions (Read an Academic Passage)
