How is TOEFL Reading scored?

Your raw answers are scaled to a Reading section score — reported on the 2026 1–6 scale (with a comparable 0–120 during the transition). Most questions are worth 1 point; the prose-summary/table question at the end is worth more.

Do I need to read the whole passage first?

No. Skim the first paragraph for the topic, then let the questions direct you to the relevant parts — the passage stays on screen the whole time.

How much time per question?

About 1.5 minutes on average. Flag and return to any question that stalls you rather than burning time.

What's the hardest TOEFL Reading question type?

For most test-takers it's inference and the prose-summary task. Both reward staying close to the text and judging importance rather than mere truth.

TOEFL Reading Strategies: Question Types, Timing & How to Score Higher

The question types you'll face

Factual & negative factual ("which is stated / NOT stated") — scan the referenced paragraph; the answer is paraphrased.
Vocabulary — a word is highlighted; pick the closest meaning in context, not its dictionary default.
Inference — what's strongly implied (not stated). Stay close to the text; don't over-reach.
Rhetorical purpose — why the author included something ("to illustrate", "to contrast").
Sentence simplification — choose the option that keeps the essential meaning without adding or dropping ideas.
Insert text — place a sentence where the cohesion (pronouns, connectors) fits.
Prose summary / fill-in-a-table — the big one at the end, worth 2 points: pick the major ideas, ignore minor details.

Timing & pacing

Aim for roughly 1.5 minutes per question; check the on-screen timer at each passage boundary.
Don't fully pre-read the passage. Skim the first paragraph for the topic, then go to the questions — they tell you what to read closely.
Flag and move on: if a question stalls you, guess, mark it, and return — there's no penalty for wrong answers.

How to score higher on the hard types

Vocabulary in context: read the whole sentence and substitute each option — meaning must still hold. Inference: the right answer is supported by the text but not copied; eliminate options that go further than the passage allows. Prose summary: the correct three options are the passage's main ideas — distractors are true-but-minor or not stated. Decide based on importance, not whether a statement is simply "true."

Common mistakes

Answering from memory instead of re-checking the passage (it's right there).
Picking a vocabulary word's usual meaning rather than its contextual one.
Over-inferring — choosing an option the text doesn't actually support.
Putting minor details into the prose summary instead of main ideas.

How to practise

Practise full timed sections, then review every miss by type — your error pattern (vocabulary? inference? summary?) tells you what to drill. Build your full plan in the TOEFL preparation hub, understand the scale in the TOEFL score guide, and move your weakest productive skill with writing feedback and speaking practice.