TOEFL Practice Test Score

Calculating your TOEFL practice test score can be important.  If you do this accurately, you will get an idea of whether or not you are ready to take the official TOEFL iBT. However, how do you calculate your TOEFL practice test score?  This blog post will give you some ideas about how you can figure out your TOEFL practice test score. Using this guide is only an estimate since ETS often adjusts test scores from one test to the next based on the difficulty of the questions.

TOEFL practice test score

How do I calculate my TOEFL practice test subtotal score on listening and reading?

To figure out your reading or listening score, total the number of correct answers or points. Then calculate the percentage of correct answers.  Finally, find your converted score in the chart below.

  • To illustrate, suppose you got 41 out of possible of 56 points correct in the reading section.  You would divide 41/56 to get 73%. As a result, your scaled scored would be 22.
  • For instance, if you received 27 correct answers out of a possible 36 in the listening section, you would divide 27/36, which would give you 75%.  Using the chart, you can see that 75% results in a scaled score of 23.

Chart to convert reading and listening scores to scaled scores

Correct Answer Percentages Converted Scores
98.3 – 100% 30
95 – 98.2% 29
91.7 – 94.9% 28
88.3 – 91.6% 27
85 – 88.2% 26
81.7 – 84.9% 25
78.3 – 81.6% 24
75 – 78.2% 23
71.7 – 74.9% 22
68.3 – 71.6% 21
65 – 68.2% 20
61.7 – 64.9% 19
58.3 – 61.6% 18
55 – 58.2% 17
51.7 – 54.9% 16
48.3 – 51.6% 15
45 – 48.2% 14
41.7 – 44.9% 13
38.3 – 41.6% 12
35 – 38.2% 11
31.7 – 34.9% 10
28.2 -31.6% 9
25 – 28.2% 8
21.7 – 24.9% 7
18.3 – 21.6% 6
15 – 18.2% 5
11.7 – 14.9% 4
8.3 – 11.6% 3
5 – 8.2% 2
1.7 – 4.9% 1
0 – 1.6% 0

How do I calculate my TOEFL practice test subtotal score on speaking?

Each speaking task is worth 4 points. The rubrics below show standards for the independent and integrated speaking tasks. Qualified TOEFL iBT specialists will use these standards when evaluating your practice speaking tasks. Similarly, iBT human raters will follow these rubrics as well during the official TOEFL exam.

TOEFL practice test score

Source: https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/toefl_speaking_rubrics.pdf

After a qualified TOEFL speaking specialist has evaluated your  four speaking practice tasks, find your scaled scores as you will see described in the below table.

Add your four speaking task scores and divide by 4.  This calculates your mean score. Let’s suppose that your TOEFL speaking mentor gave you scores of 3, 2, 4, 3. You would add 3 + 2 + 4 + 3 to get a total of 12. Then you would divide 12 by 4 to get 3.0.  Scan the chart below to find 3.0 in the speaking rubric column. Right next to that score, you will find the scaled score equivalent of 22.

Chart to convert speaking scores to scaled scores

Speaking Rubric Mean Scaled Score
4.00 30
3.87 – 3.99 29
3.74 – 3.86 28
3.61 – 3.73 27
3.48 – 3.60 26
3.35 – 3.47 25
3.22 – 3.34 24
3.09 – 3.21 23
2.96 – 3.08 22
2.83 – 2.95 21
2.70 – 2.69 20
2.57 – 2.69 19
2.44 – 2.56 18
2.13 – 2.43 17
2.00 – 2.12 16
1.87 – 1.99 15
1.74 – 1.86 14
1.61 – 1.73 13
1.48 – 1.47 12
1.35 – 1.47 11
1.22 – 1.34 10
1.09 – 1.21 9
.960 – 1.09 8
.830 – .959 7
.700 – .829 6
.570 – .699 5
.440 – .569 4
.310 – .439 3
.180 – .309 2
.050 – .179 1

*After each TOEFL exam, ETS may adjust speaking scaled scores depending on how easy or difficult the test was. In addition, ETS uses some secret sauce in their score calculations that do NOT add up mathematically. Therefore, the scaled scores above are merely an estimate that you can use to figure out your current speaking score.*

 

How do I calculate my TOEFL practice test subtotal score on writing?

Each writing task is worth 5 points. The rubrics below show standards for the independent and integrated writing tasks. Qualified TOEFL iBT specialists will use these standards when evaluating your speaking practice tasks. Similarly, iBT human raters will follow these rubrics as well when you take the official TOEFL iBT.

 

Source: https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/Writing_Rubrics.pdf

Have a qualified TOEFL writing specialist evaluate your independent and integrated writing practice tests. Then find your scaled scores in the below table.

In addition, add the two scores that you get from your TOEFL writing mentor and divide by 2. This number gives you your mean score for writing. To illustrate, if you received a score of 4 and 3, you would add 4 + 3 to get a score of 7. Then you need to divide 7 by 2 to get 3.5. Then look at the chart below to find 3.5 in the Writing Rubric Mean column. Your scaled score would be 22.

Chart to convert writing scores to scaled scores

5.00 30
4.75 29
4.50 28
4.25 27
4.00 25
3.75 24
3.50 22
3.25 21
3.00 20
2.75 18
2.50 17
2.25 15
2.00 14
1.75 12
1.50 11
1.25 10
1.00 8
.750 7
.500 5
.250 4
.000 0

 

Example TOEFL Practice Test Score Calculation

The chart complied below shows the calculations for the example scores that were used in this post.

Section Score Average Score Converted Score
Reading 41/56 72 22
Listening 27/36 75 23
Speaking

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

 

3

2

4

3

12/4

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

22

Writing

Task 1

Task 2

 

4

3

7/2

 

 

 

3.5

 

 

 

22

TOEFL Total
Score 89

TOEFL Practice Test Information

My partner web site offers realistic full-length 3 hour TOEFL practice tests.  In 2-3 days after you take your practice test, you will get an email with your total and subtotal scores. In addition, a TOEFL iBT specialist will use the rubrics explained on this page to estimate your 4 speaking and 2 writing tasks. Learn More.

 

Additional TOEFL Services

I offer other services to help you improve your overall and subtotals scores on the reading, listening, speaking, and writing sections:

TOEFL Speaking and Writing Feedback Service

TOEFL Private Lessons

Online TOEFL Courses

Good luck!

Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com

Teaching Experience

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