YÖKDİL question distribution and timing: how many questions per section, how many minutes?
Facts last checked against official sources on October 12, 2026.
Short answer
In the 2026-YÖKDİL/2 booklets the 80 questions were: vocabulary and grammar 20 (1–20), cloze test 10 (21–30), sentence completion 11 (31–41), translation 12 (42–53), paragraph completion 6 (54–59), the irrelevant sentence 6 (60–65), reading 15 (66–80, five passages). The exam lasts 180 minutes; unlike YDS there are no dialogue or closest-meaning items.
Distribution by question number
The ranges below come from the instructions in ÖSYM’s Science, Health and Social Sciences booklets for the 9 August 2026 sitting and are identical in all three fields. ÖSYM does not publish the distribution as a rule, so small changes are possible in later sittings.
| Section | Questions | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary and grammar (gap fill) | 20 | 1–20 |
| Cloze test (2 passages × 5) | 10 | 21–30 |
| Sentence completion | 11 | 31–41 |
| English → Turkish translation | 6 | 42–47 |
| Turkish → English translation | 6 | 48–53 |
| Paragraph completion | 6 | 54–59 |
| The irrelevant sentence | 6 | 60–65 |
| Reading (5 passages × 3 questions) | 15 | 66–80 |
How it differs from YDS
YDS has dialogue completion (5) and closest-meaning (4) sections; YÖKDİL has neither. In return YÖKDİL weighs translation more heavily with 12 questions (6 in YDS) and vocabulary–grammar with 20 (16 in YDS), while reading is lighter with 15 (20 in YDS). Reading, cloze and translation texts come from your chosen field (Science, Health, Social Sciences).
How to split the time
80 questions in 180 minutes is about 2 minutes 15 seconds per question. Finishing the first 20 in 20–25 minutes and keeping at least 90 minutes for translation and reading is a good plan; in translation items match the main verb and subject first, then rule out options.
- 1–30 (vocabulary, grammar, cloze): 30–35 minutes
- 31–41 (sentence completion): 20–25 minutes
- 42–53 (translation): 25–30 minutes
- 54–65 (paragraph completion, irrelevant sentence): 20–25 minutes
- 66–80 (reading): 45–50 minutes; the rest for checking
Sources
Dates and rules can change. Check the organiser’s official page before you apply; that page is binding.
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