Choosing a TOEFL prep course after the 2026 change
Most of the TOEFL material on the internet was written for a test that no longer exists. Here is how to tell, and what we built instead.
The single most important thing to check in a TOEFL course right now is whether its material is built for the 2026 format or repackaged from the retired one. Tell-tale signs of old material: a 0–120 score as the main scale, an independent essay, integrated speaking tasks, 700-word passages, or a Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing order.
How to spot pre-2026 material
- Scores presented out of 120 as the main scale, or sections out of 30.
- A writing section with an independent essay or a read-then-listen integrated task.
- Speaking described as four tasks, some integrated.
- Reading passages of 700 words, or lectures four to six minutes long.
- A three-hour test, or a ten-minute break.
- The section order Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing.
Any one of these means the material predates 21 January 2026. See what changed for the full list.
How PrepScore is put together
| Piece | What it is |
|---|---|
| Task-type practice | 1261+ questions across 237 sets, organised by the 12 official task types, split into basic and advanced layers. |
| Explanations | On every question: the point tested, the route to the answer, and every option taken apart. |
| Full mocks | 10 papers across three difficulty tiers, run at full length with live adaptive branching. |
| Vocabulary | A 3133-word themed bank, drilled by production rather than recognition. |
| Mistake bank | Spaced review that only clears a question when you answer it correctly. |
| Writing and Speaking grading | A band plus sentence-level feedback against the official rubric dimensions. |
What we do not claim
- We are not ETS. TOEFL is their registered trademark; PrepScore is independent and unaffiliated.
- Our band figure is an estimate, from your answers, labelled as such wherever it appears.
- We do not publish a band-to-120 conversion table as if it were official — ETS provides the conversion on your own score report.
- We do not invent a score for ungraded work. If your Writing and Speaking have not been graded, your total band stays blank.
Practise the 2026 format, not the old one
Every task type in the current test, a full explanation on every question, and a band estimate that shows where your next half band comes from.
Frequently asked questions
Is PrepScore affiliated with ETS?
No. TOEFL is a registered trademark of ETS. PrepScore is an independent preparation platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.
How much does PrepScore TOEFL cost?
There is a free plan with daily limits and a Pro plan from $9.90 a month, $19.90 for three months, or $39.90 once for lifetime access. See pricing.
Is the material written for the 2026 test?
Yes. Every question is built against the twelve current task types, and the scoring follows the 1.0–6.0 band scale with the total as the average of four sections.
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By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards