Understanding TOEFL® Young Students Series tests scores

What do your TOEFL scores mean?

Score reports and certificates of achievement are meant to be positive and motivational for students. Detailed and comprehensive, score reports highlight what students have accomplished as English-language learners and where they are ready to improve.

TOEFL Junior Test Score Overview

TOEFL Junior score reports are a valuable tool that can help you guide your students. They include scores and equivalent Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels, as well as descriptions of students’ abilities, proficiency levels and progress. These scores are useful for international benchmarking because they are mapped to CEFR levels. TOEFL Junior tests in particular measure a test taker’s current level of English, with the goal of improving reading skills.

TOEFL Junior Standard Test Scores

There is no penalty for wrong answers when taking the TOEFL Junior test. The number of correct responses on each section is converted to a scale of 200-300 points. The total score is the sum of the three-section scores, and ranges from 600-900.

Each TOEFL Junior score report provides:

  • Individual section and overall score levels, to help you understand what the scores mean
  • A description of the English-language abilities typical of test-takers scoring at a particular level, to help identify strengths and areas for improvement
  • Section test scores mapped to CEFR score levels
  • A Lexile® measure to help you find books at students’ individual English reading levels

In addition to a score report, the TOEFL Junior programme also offers certificates of achievement based on scores and CEFR levels that you can award your students.

The new mapping table between scores and the CEFR scale, effective from 5 June 2023.

TOEFL Junior Speaking Test Scores

The TOEFL Junior Speaking test is scored by ETS-trained human raters. The TOEFL Junior Speaking test score report provides a score range from 0-16. These scores are accompanied by performance descriptors. In addition to a score report, the TOEFL Junior programme offers a certificate of achievement based on scores and CEFR levels:

  • Scores from 14-16: level B2 of the CEFR
  • Scores from 11-13: level B1 of the CEFR
  • Scores from 8-10: level A2 of the CEFR
  • Scores below 8: level below A2 of the CEFR

TOEFL Primary Test Score Overview

Detailed and comprehensive, score reports highlight what students have accomplished as English language learners and where they need to improve.

TOEFL Primary Reading and Listening Test – Step 1

Scores are determined by the number of questions a student has answered correctly, and there is no penalty for wrong answers. The number of correct responses in each section is converted to a ranking of 1-4 Stars and a scaled score of 101-109.

The new mapping table between scores and the CEFR scale, effective from 5 June 2023.

TOEFL Primary Reading and Listening Test – Step 2

Scores are determined by the number of questions a student has answered correctly, and there is no penalty for wrong answers. The number of correct responses in each section is converted to a ranking of 1-5 Badges and a scaled score of 104-115.

Some students may receive a Badge 1 and a scaled score of 100. It is recommended that these students take the Step 1 test to more thoroughly assess their English reading and listening skills.

Each Reading and Listening (Step 1 and Step 2) score report provides:

  • Information about a student's current level of English proficiency.
  • Recommendations about next steps that students should take to improve their English skills
  • An equivalent CEFR level — each student's language proficiency is described in relation to a widely accepted international standard.
  • Lexile reading measures to help students, teachers and parents select reading material appropriate for a particular student's English reading ability.

TOEFL Primary Speaking Test

TOEFL Primary Speaking levels are known as Ribbons. Scores are shown at the bottom of the score report and can help show student progress within a level. The score range is 0-27. Each Speaking test score report provides:

  • Information about a student's current level of English-speaking proficiency.
  • Recommendations about next steps that students should take to improve their English-language speaking abilities.
  • An equivalent CEFR level.

Score Validity

Scores are used to measure a test taker’s English proficiency at the time that a test is administered.

Due to rapid development of English proficiency by younger learners, ETS recommends that scores are not used beyond 1 year. Scores can be considered valid beyond 1 year if the student has provided evidence of having maintained the same level of English language learning.