Buzz
The TOEFL is an English language proficiency test for individuals whose first language is not English. It is designed to assess the level of proficiency in the language, covering four sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Steps
Enhance your English skills
Spend ample time preparing. This is a crucial factor as learning a language always requires a significant investment of time.
Think in English. You should try to think in English whenever possible—whether you're walking, planning, or eating. It becomes easier the more you practice.
- The best approach is to use the skills you've learned, such as practicing with native speakers. There are now many websites where you can meet natives to chat or correspond with. You can also meet in person, use Skype, or other services. The most effective way is to find a native speaker who also wants to learn your language, and in turn, be ready to assist them.
- Listening to the radio, watching TV, or listening to podcasts in English is another great method of learning.
Study grammar. Simply studying grammar won't guarantee high scores on grammar tests, but it's essential to know it.
Learn to recognize word types in English. The basic word types are nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections. Additionally, there are word combinations that function like nouns, verbs, and more.
Learn some idioms. You can visit Wiktionary to find a list of idioms along with their explanations.
Read as much English as possible. Start with reading magazines, newspapers, and short articles, but gradually challenge yourself by reading books. The reading section will be very difficult if you cannot understand the main ideas of the passages.
Write as much as you can. Don’t worry if your writing skills aren’t perfect yet. Start by writing 5-6 sentences that come together to form a short paragraph. Practice drafting or organizing your writing by using an outline or another writing technique. You'll find that writing in English becomes easier when you have a clear writing plan in place.
Improve your TOEFL test skills
Take practice tests. There are plenty of TOEFL practice tests available online, or you can buy a book with a collection of them, such as Barron's TOEFL.
- Time yourself during the test to see how much time you spend on each section.
- Practice each section of the test to familiarize yourself with the question format.
- Look up past question types and essay topics, as well as the target audience for the test's content.
- Identify the sections and topics that are difficult for you so you can focus on improving them.
Buy TOEFL preparation books. Start with 'The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test.' There are also many similar eBooks available online for download, which can help you get used to the test structure and content presentation.
- Most books offer a wealth of tips for test-takers. Be sure to read and remember the guidance provided, as these are key to improving from a good score to a higher one.
Familiarize yourself with the question types. There are specific question types commonly seen in TOEFL exams, so it's essential to understand them before taking the test. Here's a brief summary of the test types:
- Reading questions: primarily multiple-choice to test vocabulary, details, purpose, negation, key information, inference, and reasoning. You may also encounter questions asking you to find the location for inserting information into sentences, summary paragraphs, or tables.
- Listening questions: mostly multiple-choice to check for main ideas, details, purpose, content sequencing, and implications. Additionally, there may be tables and questions that allow for more than one answer.
- Speaking questions: you'll listen to a topic and have a brief time to organize your thoughts before speaking. The topics vary and could be academic or personal.
- Writing questions: you will need to write two essays. The first one is to be written in 20 minutes, and the second in 30 minutes. You’ll be asked to provide an opinion and support it with relevant information.
Take multiple practice tests. Completing just one test won’t give you a full picture; the results can be either really good or really bad. Therefore, you should take several tests. Your actual score will likely fall within the range of scores you've gotten on practice exams. The more you practice, the less nervous you’ll feel on the real test day!
Advice
- Develop good habits during the test.
- Know your pace to avoid making careless mistakes.
- If you're unsure about a multiple-choice question, eliminate the clearly incorrect options and make an educated guess from the remaining ones.
- If a question is taking too much time to think about, it’s better to guess or skip it to avoid wasting time on something you don’t know.
- Learn as many vocabulary words as you can.
- For the listening section, quickly read the questions and answer choices because you won’t have time to review them.
- Avoid sitting next to your friends so you don’t get distracted during the test.
- Wear comfortable clothes to the exam. In winter, wear light clothes but ensure they're warm enough. Don’t bring unnecessary items. Be sure to bring your ID (passport, etc.), a water bottle, and snacks for the short 10-minute break.
Warnings
- Never give up. You can overcome anything.
- Make sure you know whether you'll be taking the test on paper or on a computer, as this can be crucial.
- Don’t expect to score high on your first attempt.
