TOEFL iBT · Reading · R2
TOEFL iBT Reading: Read in Daily Life
Read in Daily Life is a TOEFL iBT Reading task built on short, everyday texts: notices, menus, schedules, emails, social posts, receipts or text-message chains. Each text runs about 15–150 words and is followed by two or three multiple-choice questions about details, purpose, conditions or what a reader should do next.
- Text length
- About 15–150 words
- Questions
- 2 or 3 multiple-choice questions per text
- Items in the section
- About 5–15 (Reading is adaptive)
- Text types
- Posters, signs, ads, menus, forms, schedules, invoices, emails, text chains and similar
- Timing
- No separate timer; shares the roughly 30-minute Reading section
How it works
- 1A short everyday document appears, laid out the way that document type normally looks.
- 2The first question appears beside it; the text stays visible while you answer.
- 3You choose one answer, then move to the next question about the same text.
- 4After two or three questions, a new text appears.
Sample question
Original sample · not from an official test
CAMPUS FITNESS CENTER — Pool Update The indoor pool will close for cleaning Monday to Wednesday next week. Lap swimming moves to the outdoor pool, 6:00–9:00 a.m. only. Lockers must be emptied by Sunday at 8 p.m.; anything left after that is taken to the front desk. What should swimmers do before Sunday evening?
- ABook a lane at the outdoor pool
- BRemove their belongings from the lockers
- CCollect their items from the front desk
- DSwim before 9:00 a.m.
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Answer: Remove their belongings from the lockers
The notice sets a Sunday 8 p.m. deadline for emptying lockers. Collecting items from the front desk only happens after that deadline, and the 9:00 a.m. limit applies to next week's outdoor swimming, not to Sunday.
Tips that work
- Read the question stem first, then scan for the one line that answers it. These texts are short, but the questions target a single detail.
- Use the layout. Headings, bold text, prices, dates and times are where most answers sit.
- Watch small limiting words such as only, unless, by and after. Wrong options often change a deadline or a condition.
- For purpose questions, ask why the writer posted or sent the text: to inform, to warn, to request or to sell.
- In a text-message chain, track who says what. Options often assign a plan to the wrong person.
Common mistakes
- Choosing an option that repeats words from the text but changes the time or condition.
- Answering from real-world common sense instead of what the text says.
Questions candidates ask
Is Read in Daily Life academic reading?
No. It uses the kind of short practical texts students meet on and off campus, such as notices, menus, schedules and emails. The academic passage task covers longer expository reading.
How many questions come with each text?
Two or three multiple-choice questions per text, according to the 2026 test blueprint. The section includes roughly 5–15 of these items, depending on the adaptive route.
Is there a separate time limit for this task?
No separate limit is published. It shares the Reading section's time of about 30 minutes, so aim to answer quickly and save time for the academic passage.
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