How long it takes to prepare for TOEFL depends on your current English level and your target score. A test-taker at band 3.5 aiming for 4.5 needs very different preparation from someone at 5 aiming for 5.5. This guide gives structured plans for three timelines, all built around the TOEFL format introduced on January 21, 2026.
If you have not seen the new test yet, read the guide to the new TOEFL format first. It covers every task type with sample questions.
Step 1: Take a Diagnostic Test First
Before starting any plan, complete a full practice test in the 2026 format under timed conditions. Use ETS's official practice materials at ets.org/toefl, and make sure anything else you use was written for the 2026 test. Material written for the older format practises tasks that no longer exist.
Your diagnostic gives you a band from 1 to 6 for each section. That tells you where to spend your time.
Realistic Improvement Expectations
TOEFL now reports each section and the overall score from 1 to 6 in half-band steps. Until January 2028, score reports also show a comparable score out of 120, which is what most universities still publish in their requirements.
| Starting level | Old-scale range | Realistic target (1 month) | Realistic target (3 months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 3.5 | 58 to 71 | Band 4 | Band 4.5 |
| Band 4 | 72 to 85 | Band 4.5 | Band 5 |
| Band 4.5 | 86 to 94 | Band 5 | Band 5 to 5.5 |
| Band 5 | 95 to 106 | Band 5 (stronger sections) | Band 5.5 |
| Band 5.5 | 107 to 113 | Band 5.5 | Band 5.5 to 6 |
These are estimates, not guarantees. Each half band covers a wide range on the old scale, so moving up one half band is a real improvement, and the higher bands take longer. Speaking and Writing typically take longer to improve than Reading and Listening.
What You Are Preparing For
| Section | Task types | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage | About 30 minutes |
| Listening | Listen and Choose a Response, Conversations, Announcements, Academic Talks | About 29 minutes |
| Writing | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion | About 23 minutes |
| Speaking | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview | About 8 minutes |
1-Month TOEFL Preparation Plan
For: Test-takers already within half a band of their target, or those with tight deadlines.
Daily time: 1.5 to 2 hours
| Week | Reading | Listening | Speaking | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Complete the Words daily; academic vocabulary and spelling | Listen and Choose a Response sets; short conversations | Listen and Repeat daily; record and compare | Build a Sentence drills; word order in questions |
| Week 2 | Read in Daily Life and academic passages, timed | Announcements and academic talks, each played once | Take an Interview: answer 4 questions with no preparation | Write an Email in 7 minutes; cover every point |
| Week 3 | Full timed Reading section; review errors | Full timed Listening section; review errors | Full Speaking section (all 11 items) | Academic Discussion in 10 minutes; full Writing section |
| Week 4 | Two full practice tests | Review errors only | Targeted drills on your weaker task | Grammar and vocabulary review |
2-Month TOEFL Preparation Plan
For: Test-takers who need to move up about one full band.
Daily time: 1 to 1.5 hours
Month 1: Build Skills
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Diagnostic and familiarisation with all 12 task types |
| Week 2 | Reading: Complete the Words, vocabulary and spelling |
| Week 3 | Listening: short exchanges, conversations and announcements, each heard once |
| Week 4 | Speaking: Listen and Repeat accuracy, plus daily interview answers |
Month 2: Apply and Test
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 5 | Writing: all three task types under timed conditions |
| Week 6 | Full practice test and deep review |
| Week 7 | Targeted work on your weakest section |
| Week 8 | Two final timed practice tests |
3-Month TOEFL Preparation Plan
For: Test-takers who need to move up a band or more, or who are starting below band 4.
Daily time: 1 to 2 hours
Month 1: Foundations
Goal: Learn every task type; fix basic grammar and spelling errors.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Diagnostic; understand all task types |
| Week 2 | Reading: Complete the Words and Read in Daily Life |
| Week 3 | Listening: Listen and Choose a Response and short conversations |
| Week 4 | Writing: Build a Sentence; Speaking: Listen and Repeat with short sentences |
End of Month 1: Practice test to track progress.
Month 2: Development
Goal: Build accuracy and fluency; address identified weaknesses.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 5 | Reading: academic passages, inference and vocabulary in context |
| Week 6 | Listening: announcements and academic talks |
| Week 7 | Speaking: Take an Interview with no preparation time; longer Listen and Repeat sentences |
| Week 8 | Writing: Write an Email and Academic Discussion under timed conditions |
End of Month 2: Full practice test.
Month 3: Refinement
Goal: Test under exam conditions; eliminate remaining errors.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 9 | Target the weakest section from the Month 2 test |
| Week 10 | Two full practice tests |
| Week 11 | Speaking mock; Writing mock with feedback |
| Week 12 | Final review; take the test |
What to Study: Resource Guide
| Section | Best resources |
|---|---|
| All | ETS official practice materials for the 2026 format (ets.org/toefl) |
| Reading | Academic vocabulary lists; short news and science articles; everyday texts such as notices and emails |
| Listening | Short lectures and talks (TED-Ed, Crash Course); campus-style conversations; practise hearing each clip only once |
| Speaking | Sentence shadowing for Listen and Repeat; a bank of interview questions answered aloud |
| Writing | Sentence-ordering exercises; email and discussion prompts with a timer |
Signs You Are Ready to Book
- You reach your target band in at least two consecutive full practice tests
- You can repeat longer Listen and Repeat sentences word for word
- You can answer interview questions for about 45 seconds without long pauses
- Your emails cover every point in the prompt inside the time limit
- No single section is consistently below your target
To convert between bands and the old 0 to 120 scale, see the TOEFL score chart.
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