TOEFL iBT · Writing
TOEFL iBT Writing Section (2026 Format)
The TOEFL iBT Writing section is third in the January 2026 format. It lasts about 23 minutes, has 12 items and is linear, not adaptive. You complete 10 Build a Sentence items, one Write an Email task in 7 minutes and one Writing for an Academic Discussion task in 10 minutes. Writing is scored on the 1–6 band scale.
- Time
- About 23 minutes
- Items
- 12: 10 Build a Sentence, 1 email, 1 academic discussion
- 7 minutes, no official word range
- Academic Discussion
- 10 minutes, at least 100 words recommended
- Score
- 1–6 band scale
How TOEFL iBT Writing works
Writing starts with Build a Sentence, where you order scrambled words and phrases into a reply in a short exchange. These 10 items are machine-scored. Next, you write an email for a stated purpose and reader, then a post answering a professor's question in a class discussion.
The editor has no spelling or grammar help. When a task's timer reaches zero, your response is submitted and the test moves on. The old Integrated Writing task and Independent Essay are no longer part of the test.
Writing receives a 1–6 band score that feeds into the overall score, the average of the four sections.
TOEFL iBT Writing tasks
Tips that work
- Practice word order for questions, negatives and adverbs; it drives Build a Sentence.
- For the email, cover every required point with a concrete detail and match the tone to the reader.
- For the discussion, state your view early and add a reason neither student gave.
- Save the last minute of each written task to proofread.
Questions candidates ask
Is there still an essay on the TOEFL?
Not the old kind. The 2026 test replaced the independent essay with a 10-minute academic discussion post and added a 7-minute email.
Is TOEFL Writing adaptive?
No. Writing is linear; everyone gets the same structure of 12 items.
Does EnglishHub give feedback on writing?
Yes. Email and discussion practice responses get AI feedback, presented as an independent practice estimate, not an ETS score.
TOEFL iBT overviewTOEFL iBT Writing: all partsTOEFL iBT full mock testsTOEFL iBT articles on the blog