TOEFL iBT Practice Test 2026

About the TOEFL iBT exam

Also searched as: TOEFL practice test. It's the same exam — TOEFL iBT is the official name.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language - iBT (TOEFL iBT) is a language examination administered in International 🌍. It is designed to assess candidates' knowledge and proficiency across 4 key subject areas including Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing. This exam is widely recognized as an essential benchmark for students and professionals.

Use short TOEFL iBT practice sets to identify topics to revisit. Choose a subject and difficulty, answer questions, then review the explanations. New accounts get 30 question credits; further new questions use paid credits. Retaking previously seen questions is free.

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TOEFL iBT — quick answers

TOEFL iBT at a glance

8 free TOEFL iBT practice questions (2026)

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1. Read the following passage fragment: 'The expansion of angiosperms during the Cretaceous period triggered a monumental shift in terrestrial ecosystems, fostering the rapid diversification of herbivorous insects that exploited these new food sources.' In the passage, the word 'triggered' is closest in meaning to:

   • initiated
   • delayed
   • predicted
   • accompanied
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: A. initiated

   In this context, 'triggered' means to cause an event or situation to happen or exist, which is synonymous with 'initiated'.

   Topic: Reading · easy

2. Read the following passage fragment: 'While early astronomers hypothesized that Mars' valley networks were carved by sudden, catastrophic floods, recent high-resolution imagery from orbiters suggests a different origin. The highly branched, dendritic patterns of the valleys strongly resemble terrestrial drainage basins formed by slow, persistent surface runoff from rain or snowmelt over millions of years, rather than brief deluge events.' According to the passage, what does recent satellite imagery suggest about the valleys on Mars?

   • They were formed by sudden, catastrophic floods.
   • They were created by slow, long-term water runoff.
   • They are completely different in structure from drainage systems on Earth.
   • They were carved by glacial movements rather than liquid water.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: B. They were created by slow, long-term water runoff.

   The passage states that the dendritic patterns strongly resemble terrestrial drainage basins formed by slow, persistent surface runoff over millions of years, rather than sudden floods.

   Topic: Reading · medium

3. Read the following passage fragment: 'The Natufian culture, which existed around 12,000 to 9,500 BCE in the Levant, represents a crucial evolutionary step: a sedentary lifestyle before the advent of agriculture. Unlike their nomadic ancestors, the Natufians established permanent settlements, supported by the intensive harvesting of wild grains and the exploitation of diverse local fauna. The presence of heavy stone mortars and pestles at Natufian sites suggests that processing these wild grains was a central, labor-intensive component of their daily survival.' What can be inferred from the passage about the Natufians' use of heavy stone mortars and pestles?

   • They used these tools to cultivate domestic varieties of grains.
   • Their sedentary lifestyle allowed them to construct and keep heavy tools that nomadic groups could not easily transport.
   • These tools were primarily used for ceremonial purposes rather than food processing.
   • The Natufians imported these tools from neighboring agricultural societies.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: B. Their sedentary lifestyle allowed them to construct and keep heavy tools that nomadic groups could not easily transport.

   Because the passage contrasts the Natufians' sedentary lifestyle with their nomadic ancestors, and notes the presence of 'heavy stone' tools, it is implied that a permanent, non-nomadic settlement makes using and keeping heavy, hard-to-transport tools practical.

   Topic: Reading · hard

4. Read the following passage fragment: 'Deep-sea hydrothermal vents support extraordinary ecosystems entirely independent of sunlight. Instead of utilizing photosynthesis, the primary producers in these zones—chemoautotrophic bacteria—oxidize toxic hydrogen sulfide venting from beneath the ocean floor to produce organic molecules. To illustrate this unique metabolic pathway, scientists point to the giant tube worm Riftia pachyptila, which lacks a mouth, gut, or digestive tract, and relies entirely on millions of symbiotic bacteria housed inside its specialized internal organ, the trophosome.' Why does the author mention the giant tube worm Riftia pachyptila?

   • To argue that deep-sea ecosystems are highly vulnerable to global climate change.
   • To provide an example of an organism that relies on symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria for survival.
   • To contrast photosynthetic life forms with organisms that live in shallow water environments.
   • To explain how hydrothermal vents are geologically formed on the ocean floor.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: B. To provide an example of an organism that relies on symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria for survival.

   The author introduces Riftia pachyptila explicitly 'to illustrate this unique metabolic pathway' (chemosynthesis via symbiotic bacteria), showing how an animal survives without a digestive tract by relying on these bacteria.

   Topic: Reading · medium

5. Read the following passage fragment: 'Although cognitive dissonance theory—the idea that people experience psychological discomfort when holding contradictory beliefs—has been widely accepted since the 1950s, modern neurological studies have only recently begun to map the specific brain regions responsible for this discomfort and the subsequent cognitive adjustments people make to resolve it.' Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

   • Neurological studies have recently mapped the brain regions that resolve cognitive dissonance, which has been an accepted theory since the 1950s.
   • Cognitive dissonance theory, though accepted for decades, is only now being mapped neurologically to identify the brain regions involved in experiencing and resolving this mental discomfort.
   • People have suffered from cognitive dissonance since the 1950s, but modern brain scans show that this discomfort cannot actually be resolved.
   • Scientists have recently rejected cognitive dissonance theory because modern neurological mapping failed to identify any specific brain activity associated with contradictory beliefs.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: B. Cognitive dissonance theory, though accepted for decades, is only now being mapped neurologically to identify the brain regions involved in experiencing and resolving this mental discomfort.

   Option B retains all essential elements: the theory's long-standing acceptance, its definition (experiencing and resolving psychological discomfort), and the recent neurological mapping of the brain areas involved.

   Topic: Reading · hard

6. Read the following passage fragment: 'Impressionist painters in the late 19th century broke away from academic traditions by prioritizing the immediate, sensory effect of light. They achieved this by using short, thick strokes of unblended paint to capture the fleeting moments of modern life. Rather than painting in dark, subterranean studios, they worked outdoors (en plein air) to observe natural light directly. Furthermore, they abandoned the traditional use of dark grays and blacks for shadows, choosing instead to represent shadows using vibrant, complementary colors.' According to the passage, all of the following are characteristics of Impressionist painting EXCEPT:

   • The use of short, thick paint strokes.
   • Painting outdoors to capture natural light.
   • The use of dark grays and blacks to paint deep shadows.
   • A focus on capturing immediate sensory impressions of modern life.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: C. The use of dark grays and blacks to paint deep shadows.

   The passage explicitly states that Impressionists 'abandoned the traditional use of dark grays and blacks for shadows,' making Option C the correct answer for an 'EXCEPT' question.

   Topic: Reading · medium

7. Read the following passage fragment: 'In the Sahel region of Africa, persistent droughts combined with unsustainable agricultural practices have accelerated soil erosion, rendering vast tracts of arable land completely barren.' In the passage, the word 'rendering' is closest in meaning to:

   • maintaining
   • protecting
   • making
   • interpreting
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: C. making

   'Rendering' in this context means causing to be, or making. The soil erosion 'makes' or 'renders' the arable land completely barren.

   Topic: Reading · easy

8. Read the following passage fragment: 'In 1980, Luis and Walter Alvarez discovered a remarkably high concentration of iridium—a rare metal on Earth's surface but highly abundant in asteroids—in a thin clay layer marking the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. This iridium layer, found globally, led to the hypothesis that a massive asteroid impact caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. Critics initially argued that extensive volcanic activity could also have brought iridium from deep within Earth's mantle.' What can be inferred from the critics' argument mentioned in the passage?

   • The critics believed that dinosaurs did not actually go extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period.
   • The critics thought the iridium layer was only present in local areas rather than worldwide.
   • The critics proposed that a volcanic eruption, rather than an asteroid impact, might have been the source of the iridium anomaly.
   • The critics argued that iridium was a common element on Earth's crust before the Cretaceous period.
   Show answer & explanation

   Answer: C. The critics proposed that a volcanic eruption, rather than an asteroid impact, might have been the source of the iridium anomaly.

   Since the critics argued that 'extensive volcanic activity could also have brought iridium from deep within Earth's mantle,' they were offering volcanism as an alternative explanation to the asteroid impact hypothesis for the iridium layer.

   Topic: Reading · medium

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TOEFL iBT Exam Subjects

Available practice subjects: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing. Select a subject for focused preparation. Coverage is not a guarantee of the complete official syllabus.

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